Rusty Tillman (baseball) facts for kids

Kerry Jerome "Rusty" Tillman was born on August 29, 1960. He is a former professional baseball player from the United States. Rusty played as a right-handed outfielder. He was part of three different Major League Baseball teams. These teams were the New York Mets in 1982, the Oakland Athletics in 1986, and the San Francisco Giants in 1988.

Rusty Tillman's Baseball Journey

Starting Out in Baseball

Rusty Tillman began his professional baseball journey in 1979. The New York Mets picked him in the 10th round of the amateur draft. This happened after he played at Florida Community College at Jacksonville. In his first year, he played for two minor league teams. These were the Grays Harbor Loggers and the Little Falls Mets. He hit well and stole 23 bases.

In 1980, Rusty played for the Lynchburg Mets. He continued to show his speed. He stole 43 bases that year. He also hit 11 triples, which are hits where a player reaches third base. The next year, 1981, he played for the Jackson Mets. He kept up his good hitting and stole 29 bases.

Making it to the Big Leagues

Rusty started the 1982 season with the Tidewater Tides. He was playing very well, hitting .322 and stealing 26 bases. Because of his great performance, he got a chance to play in the Major Leagues. On June 6, 1982, he made his big league debut. He came into the game as a pinch-hitter for pitcher Craig Swan. In his very first time at bat in the Major Leagues, he got a single!

Playing for Different Teams

After his short time in the Major Leagues in 1982, Rusty went back to the minor leagues. He played for the Tidewater Tides again in 1983. He stole 23 bases that season. In 1984, he started with the Tides but then moved to the Chicago White Sox organization. He played for the Denver Zephyrs and hit very well there. Overall in 1984, he hit 12 home runs.

After 1984, Rusty returned to the Mets organization. But on March 31, 1985, he was traded to the San Diego Padres. He played for the Las Vegas Stars in 1985. It was a great year for him. He hit .337, which is a very high batting average. He also hit 12 home runs and stole 18 bases.

Finishing His Career

Rusty started 1986 with the Padres' minor league team, the Stars. But on April 18, 1986, he was traded again. This time, he went to the Oakland Athletics. He played for their minor league team, the Tacoma Tigers. He also got to play in 22 Major League games for the Athletics. On September 23, 1986, Rusty hit his first career home run. It was a special moment because he hit it off a famous pitcher named Steve Carlton.

In 1987, the Athletics released Rusty. But the San Francisco Giants signed him in April. He played for their minor league team, the Phoenix Firebirds. He hit 10 home runs that year. In 1988, he played for the Firebirds again and hit 12 home runs. He also played in four games for the Giants. His last hit in the Major Leagues was a home run! It was a three-run shot off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tim Birtsas. He played his final big league game on June 18, 1988.

Rusty continued to play in the minor leagues until 1989. He played for teams in the Giants, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers farm systems.

Overall, Rusty Tillman played in 38 Major League games. He hit two home runs and stole three bases. In the minor leagues, he played 1,146 games. He hit 82 home runs and stole 209 bases, showing his speed and power.