Ron Woods facts for kids

Ronald Lawrence Woods, born on February 1, 1943, is a former American professional baseball player. He played for six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1969 to 1974. Ron Woods was mostly an outfielder for teams like the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Montreal Expos. He also played for two seasons in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons from 1975 to 1976. Woods was born in Hamilton, Ohio. He threw and batted right-handed. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 168 pounds.

Early Life and Baseball Start

Ron Woods went to Compton High School in Southern California. After high school, he began his professional baseball career in June 1961. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization. For five years, he played in the Pirates' minor league teams, also known as their "farm system." He reached the Double-A level during this time.

Joining the Detroit Tigers

In early 1966, the Detroit Tigers got Ron Woods' contract. He played very well in 1968 for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. Because of his strong performance, Woods earned a spot on the Tigers' main roster in 1969. The Tigers had just won the World Series the year before.

Woods played in 17 games for Detroit at the start of the 1969 season. He often came into games as a pinch hitter (batting for another player), a pinch runner (running for another player), or to play defense. On June 14, 1969, the Tigers traded him to the New York Yankees. He was traded for another outfielder named Tom Tresh.

Playing for the Yankees and Expos

Even though he didn't hit very well at first, Woods managed to stay in the major leagues with the New York Yankees. He played in 192 games for them from June 1969 to June 1971. He started 147 of those games.

Moving to Montreal

On June 25, 1971, the Yankees traded Woods to the Montreal Expos. He was traded for former New York Mets outfielder Ron Swoboda. Woods spent the next three and a half years with the Expos. He played in 373 games for them. His batting average with the Expos was .245.

In 1973, Ron Woods was the Expos' main center fielder. He started 72 games and shared playing time with left-handed hitters Boots Day and Jim Lyttle. The Expos were a new team, only in their fifth year. They fought hard for the National League East Division title but just missed winning it.

Later Career and Japan

After the 1973 season, the Expos traded for another experienced center fielder, Willie Davis. This meant Woods played less in 1974. He started only 21 games that season. He had a batting average of .205 in 127 times at bat.

Playing in Japan

After his time with the Expos, Ron Woods went to play in Japan. He joined the Chunichi Dragons. He played for them during the 1975 and 1976 seasons. In Japan, he played in 192 games. He had 160 hits and hit 19 home runs. His batting average in Japan was .263.

Career Highlights

During his six seasons in Major League Baseball, Ron Woods had a batting average of .233. He got 290 hits in 1,247 times at bat. These hits included 34 doubles (hitting the ball and reaching second base), 12 triples (reaching third base), and 26 career home runs. He also had 130 RBIs (runs batted in) and stole 27 bases.

Sources

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)