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 Edwin Gant (born March 2, 1965) is an American television news anchor and former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 2003. He played for eight different teams during his career. His main teams were the Atlanta Braves (1987–1993), St. Louis Cardinals (1996–1998), and Philadelphia Phillies (1999–2000).
Ron Gant joined the 30–30 club in 1990 and 1991. This means he hit at least 30 home runs and stole at least 30 stolen bases in the same season. He batted and threw right-handed. Today, he is a co-host on WAGA-TV's morning news program Good Day Atlanta.
Contents
Ron Gant's Early Life and Baseball Start
Ron Gant was born in Victoria, Texas. His father, George Gant, was a chemistry professor. His mother, Alice Hardeman, was a special education teacher.
High School Sports
In high school, Ron Gant played both football and baseball. Many colleges, like Texas and Oklahoma, wanted him to play college baseball. However, he decided to turn down these offers. He chose to play professional baseball right after high school.
Ron Gant's Amazing 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 was after he won the Bill Lucas Award in 1986. This award is for the Braves' best Minor League Player of the Year.
Becoming a Star Player
In 1987, he got 22 hits in 83 tries, including two home runs. In 1988, Ron Gant became an everyday player for the Braves. The team had a tough year, winning 54 games and losing 106. After a difficult 1989 season, Gant was sent to the minor leagues. He went there to improve his outfield skills.
Ron Gant returned to the starting lineup in 1990. He had a great year, hitting .303 with 32 home runs and 84 RBI. The Sporting News named him the National League Comeback Player of the Year.
Joining the 30–30 Club
In 1990, Ron Gant also stole 33 bases. This made him a member of the 30–30 club. He did it again in 1991! This made him one of only a few players in Major League history to have two seasons in a row with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Only Willie Mays (1956–1957) and Bobby Bonds (1977–1978) had done it before him. Later, Barry Bonds achieved this three times in a row.
In 1991, his home run and stolen base numbers were similar. However, his batting average dropped to .251. He also had over 100 strikeouts. But his RBI numbers increased to 105.
World Series Appearances
The Braves played in 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, Ron Gant had a memorable moment. He was trying to get back to first base. He claimed Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek pulled his leg off the base. But the umpire called Gant out. This caused a big argument with the Braves' team.
Ron Gant's batting average went back up to the .270s after 1991. His power numbers stayed strong. He consistently drove in over 80 runs each year, reaching 117 in 1993. In both 1991 and 1993, he was among the top five players in the league for runs batted in.
In 1992, Ron Gant made his last World Series appearance. He got one double in eight tries. The Braves lost again, this time to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games.
On September 15, 1993, Ron Gant hit a game-winning home run. It was against the Cincinnati Reds and was shown on ESPN. This "walk-off" home run gave the Braves a comeback victory. They were behind 6–2 in the bottom of the 9th inning.
After the Braves
After signing a big contract with the Braves in 1994, Ron Gant broke his right leg. This happened in an ATV accident. The Braves then 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, Ron Gant had a tough year. He struck out 162 times and batted .229 for the Cardinals. In 1998, the Cardinals traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded with Jeff Brantley and Cliff Politte for Ricky Bottalico and Garrett Stephenson.
In 1999, Ron Gant had his last really 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. He had 27 doubles and two triples from 134 hits.
After a less productive 2003 season with the A's, Ron Gant retired from baseball at age 38.
In 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 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.
Ron Gant's Life After Baseball
After his playing career, Ron Gant became a baseball commentator.
Broadcasting Career
During the 2005 Major League Baseball season, Ron Gant worked as a color commentator for the Atlanta Braves on TBS. He also worked as an analyst on SportSouth during Braves games. He also appeared on the MLB Network.
On October 25, 2012, he became a news anchor for WAGA-TV in Atlanta. This is a Fox station. He co-hosts their morning show called Good Day Atlanta.
Ron Gant's Personal Life
In 1992, Ron Gant was involved in an incident in Georgia. A jury later found that he was not responsible for any injuries that happened.
In February 2005, Ron Gant was involved in a car accident. Sadly, the driver of the other vehicle passed away.
In June 2005, Ron Gant and his wife helped the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They assisted in an investigation related to the sale of their home. This led to the arrest of six people.
As of 2015, Ron Gant lived in Suwanee, Georgia. He has four children: one son and three 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
