Roy White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roy White |
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White in 1970
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: December 27, 1943 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| 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 | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Roy Hilton White (born December 27, 1943) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder for the New York Yankees. He played for the Yankees from 1965 to 1979. With the Yankees, he helped his team win two championships in 1977 and 1978. Both of these wins were against his hometown team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Roy White joined the Yankees a year after their last big championship win in 1964. He is the only player from the team's quieter years in the 1960s who was still with them when they won championships again in the late 1970s.
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Roy White's Baseball Career
Roy White was a switch hitter, which means he could bat (hit the ball) with both his left and right hands. He was chosen to be on the American League All-Star team twice, in 1969 and 1970.
In 1971, he set a record in the American League for the most sacrifice flies in one season, with 17. A sacrifice fly is when a player hits the ball far enough for a teammate on third base to run home and score, even if the hitter gets out. White also led the American League in walks in 1972 and in runs scored in 1976.
He played on three teams that won the American League pennant (in 1976, 1977, and 1978). A pennant means they were the best team in their league. He also played on two teams that won the World Series championship (in 1977 and 1978). The World Series is the final championship series in MLB.
After playing in the major leagues in the U.S., Roy White spent three seasons playing baseball in Japan. He played for the Tokyo Giants from 1980 to 1982.
Career Statistics and Achievements
During his 15-year career in Major League Baseball, Roy White played in 1,881 games. He got 1,803 hits in 6,650 at bats. His career batting average was .271. He also hit 160 home runs and had 758 runs batted in (RBIs). His on-base percentage was .360, which means he got on base a lot.
Roy White was also a very good fielder. He ended his career with a .986 fielding percentage. He was known for being a reliable fielder who rarely made mistakes. He led all left fielders in the American League in fielding percentage for four years in a row, from 1968 to 1971.
Life After Playing: Coaching and Helping Others
After his playing career, Roy White became a coach for the New York Yankees for three seasons in the mid-1980s. He returned to the Yankees' coaching staff again in 2004. He also spent time as a minor league hitting coach for the Oakland Athletics team.
In 2002, Roy White started The Roy White Foundation. This is a charity that helps children and young adults in the New York area. The foundation helps students who want to go to college but might not have enough money to do so.
Roy White is half African American. He faced challenges while playing baseball in the Southern United States during the 1960s. Despite these difficulties, he focused on his game and his career.
In 2014, Roy White received a special award from the Order Sons of Italy in America, Columbus Lodge #2143. This award recognized his efforts to help underprivileged 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
