Ron Gant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ron Gant |
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Gant in 2012
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: March 2, 1965 Victoria, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 6, 1987, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 25, 2003, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .256 | ||
| Home runs | 321 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,008 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Ronald "Ron" Edwin Gant (born March 2, 1965) is an American television host and former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 2003. Ron Gant played for eight different teams during his career. His main teams were the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Gant is famous for being part of the 30–30 club twice. This means he hit at least 30 home runs and stole at least 30 stolen bases in the same season. He achieved this in 1990 and 1991 while playing for the Braves. He batted and threw with his right hand. Today, he is a co-host on the morning news show Good Day Atlanta on WAGA-TV.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Ron Gant was born in Victoria, Texas. His father, George Gant, was a chemistry professor, and his mother, Alice Hardeman, was a special education teacher. Growing up, Ron was a talented athlete. He played both football and baseball in high school. Many colleges wanted him to play college baseball for them, including big schools like Texas and Oklahoma. However, Ron decided to turn down these offers. He chose to start his professional baseball career right after high school.
Ron Gant's Baseball Career
The Atlanta Braves picked Ron Gant in the fourth round of the 1983 MLB draft. He was the 100th player chosen overall. He joined the Braves in 1987 as a "September call-up." This means he was brought up from the minor leagues to play with the main team at the end of the season. Before that, he won the Bill Lucas Award in 1986 as the Braves' best minor league player.
In 1987, he got 22 hits in 83 tries, including two home runs. In 1988, Ron Gant became a regular player for the Braves. The team struggled that year, winning only 54 games and losing 106. After a tough 1989 season, Gant was sent back to the minor leagues. He worked on improving his skills as an outfielder.
Becoming a Star Player
Ron Gant returned to the Braves' starting lineup in 1990. He had a great season, hitting for a .303 average with 32 home runs and 84 RBI. An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run. Because of his amazing comeback, he was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News.
In 1990, Gant also stole 33 bases. This made him a member of the 30–30 club. He did it again in 1991, stealing 34 bases and hitting 32 home runs. At that time, only Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds had achieved two 30 home run/30 stolen base seasons in a row. Later, Barry Bonds also joined this elite group.
Even though his home run and stolen base numbers were similar in 1991, some of his other stats were not as strong. He hit .251 and had over 100 strikeouts. However, his RBI numbers increased to 105.
World Series Appearances
The Braves made it to the 1991 World Series but lost to the Minnesota Twins. Ron Gant batted .267 in the series and had four RBIs. The Twins won the series in a very close and exciting seventh game. During Game 2 of the 1991 World Series, Gant was involved in a memorable play. He was trying to get back to first base when Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek tagged him. Gant believed Hrbek pulled his leg off the base, but the umpire called him out.
In 1992, Gant made his last World Series appearance. He got one double in eight tries. The Braves lost again, this time in six games to the Toronto Blue Jays.
On September 15, 1993, Ron Gant hit a game-winning walk-off home run against the Cincinnati Reds. This exciting hit gave the Braves a comeback victory after they were losing 6–2 in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Later Career and Retirement
After signing a big contract with the Braves in 1994, Ron Gant broke his right leg in an accident. The Braves later released him. He did not play again until 1995, when he joined the Cincinnati Reds. In 1996, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.
In 1997, Gant had a tough year, striking out 162 times and batting only .229 for the Cardinals. After 1998, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1999, he had another good season with the Phillies. He batted .260 with 17 home runs and 77 RBIs. He also had 13 stolen bases and scored 107 runs.
After a less productive 2003 season with the Oakland Athletics, Ron Gant retired from baseball at age 38.
Over his 16-season career, Ron Gant batted .256. He hit 321 home runs and had 1,008 RBIs. He also stole 243 bases and scored 1,080 runs in 1,832 games. Gant had 302 doubles and 50 triples. He finished his career with 1,651 hits in 6,449 times at bat. On average, he hit 20 home runs, had 63 RBIs, and stole 15 bases each year. In playoff games, Gant batted .228 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 52 games.
Life After Baseball
After retiring from playing, Ron Gant became a baseball commentator. During the 2005 Major League Baseball season, he worked as a color commentator for the Atlanta Braves on TBS. He also worked as an analyst for Braves games on SportSouth and on the MLB Network.
On October 25, 2012, he started a new career as a news anchor. He became a co-host for the morning show Good Day Atlanta on WAGA-TV, which is a Fox station in Atlanta.
Personal Life
As of 2015, Ron Gant lived in Suwanee, Georgia. He has five children: one son and four daughters.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- 30–30 club
