Ron Woods facts for kids

Ronald Lawrence Woods, born on February 1, 1943, is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six seasons, from 1969 to 1974. Ron Woods played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Montreal Expos. After his time in MLB, he also played for two seasons in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons.

Ron Woods was born in Hamilton, Ohio. He threw and batted with his right hand. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 168 pounds during his playing career.

Early Baseball Journey

Starting in the Minor Leagues

Ron Woods graduated from Compton High School in Southern California. He began his professional baseball career in June 1961. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, which is like a training system for young players. This system is called a "farm system."

Woods spent five years in the Pirates' farm system. He worked his way up to the Double-A level, which is a step below the top minor league level.

Joining the Detroit Tigers

In early 1966, the Detroit Tigers acquired Ron Woods' contract. This meant he moved from the Pirates' organization to the Tigers'. He continued to play in the minor leagues.

In 1968, Woods had a very good season with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. Triple-A is the highest level in the minor leagues, just before Major League Baseball.

Making it to the Major Leagues

Because of his strong performance, Ron Woods made the Tigers' main roster in 1969. The Tigers had just won the 1968 World Series, so they were champions!

Woods played in 17 games for the Tigers early in the 1969 season. He was often used as a pinch hitter (someone who bats instead of another player), a pinch runner (someone who runs the bases instead of another player), or a defensive replacement (someone who comes into the game to play defense).

On June 14, 1969, the Tigers traded Ron Woods to the New York Yankees. He was traded for an experienced outfielder named Tom Tresh.

Playing for the Yankees and Expos

Finding His Place with the Yankees

Even though Ron Woods had some challenges with his hitting, he managed to keep his spot in the major leagues with the New York Yankees. He played in 192 games for the Yankees from June 1969 to June 1971. He started 147 of those games.

On June 25, 1971, the Yankees traded Woods again. This time, he went to the Montreal Expos in exchange for former New York Mets outfielder Ron Swoboda.

Time with the Montreal Expos

Ron Woods spent the next three and a half years with the Montreal Expos. He played in 373 games for them. His batting average during this time was .245.

In 1973, Woods was the Expos' most-used center fielder. He started 72 games in that position. He often shared playing time with left-handed hitters Boots Day and Jim Lyttle. The Expos were a new team, only in their fifth year, and they fought hard for the National League East Division title. They ended up just 3.5 games short of winning.

Moving On from MLB

After the 1973 season, the Expos traded for an experienced center fielder named Willie Davis. This meant Ron Woods played less in 1974. He started only 21 games that season. He batted .205 in 127 times at bat.

After the 1974 season, Ron Woods left Major League Baseball. He decided to play for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan.

Career in Japan

Ron Woods played for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan during the 1975 and 1976 seasons. He played in a total of 192 games there. In Japan, he had a batting average of .263. He also recorded 160 hits and hit 19 home runs.

Ron Woods' Career Stats

During his six seasons in Major League Baseball, Ron Woods had a career batting average of .233. He got 290 hits in 1,247 times at bat. These hits included 34 doubles (when the batter reaches second base) and 12 triples (when the batter reaches third base). He also hit 26 career home runs.

Woods also had 130 RBIs (Runs Batted In), which means he helped his teammates score 130 runs. He also successfully stole 27 stolen bases.