Roy White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roy White |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
White in 1970
|
|||
| Left fielder | |||
| Born: December 27, 1943 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 7, 1965, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 1979, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .271 | ||
| Home runs | 160 | ||
| Runs batted in | 758 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .283 | ||
| Home runs | 54 | ||
| Runs batted in | 172 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Roy Hilton White was born on December 27, 1943. He is a former American professional baseball player and coach. Roy White played his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was an outfielder for the famous New York Yankees team.
He played for the Yankees from 1965 to 1979. With the Yankees, he helped them win two big championships. These were the World Series in 1977 and 1978. Both times, they won against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which was his hometown team.
Roy White was a special player for the Yankees. He joined the team after their very successful period in the early 1960s. Even when the team was not doing as well, he stayed with them. He was the only player from that time who later helped the Yankees win championships in the late 1970s.
Roy White's Baseball Career
Roy White was a switch hitter, meaning he could bat well from both the left and right sides. He was chosen to be an All-Star player for the American League. This happened in 1969 and again in 1970.
In 1971, he set a record for the American League. He made 17 sacrifice flies in one season. A sacrifice fly helps a teammate score a run. Roy White also led the American League in walks in 1972. This means he got to first base many times without hitting the ball. In 1976, he led the league in runs scored.
He played on three teams that won the American League pennant. This means his team was the best in the American League. These years were 1976, 1977, and 1978. He also played on two teams that won the World Series. These were the championship teams in 1977 and 1978.
After playing in Major League Baseball, Roy White went to Japan. He played for three seasons there. He joined the Tokyo Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball.
During his 15 years in Major League Baseball, Roy White played in 1,881 games. He made 1,803 hits in 6,650 at bats. His career batting average was .271. He also hit 160 home runs and helped score 758 runs batted in. His on-base percentage was .360, meaning he got on base often. He was also a very good fielder. His fielding percentage was .986. From 1968 to 1971, he led all left fielders in the American League in fielding percentage. This shows he was excellent at catching balls and making plays.
Coaching and Helping Others
After his playing days, Roy White became a coach for the Yankees. He coached for three seasons in the mid-1980s. He returned to the coaching staff in 2004. He also worked as a minor league hitting coach. This was for the Oakland Athletics organization.
In 2002, Roy White started The Roy White Foundation. This charity helps children and young adults in the New York area. It aims to help those who want to go to college but do not have enough money.
Roy White is half African American. He shared his experiences from the mid-1960s. At that time, he played for a minor league team in Georgia. He faced challenges due to racism in the Southern United States.
In 2014, Roy White received a special award. The Order Sons of Italy in America gave him this award. It was for his work in helping students go to college through his foundation.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
