Tom Ragland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tom Ragland |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Second baseman | |||
| Born: June 16, 1946 Talladega, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 5, 1971, for the Washington Senators | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1973, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .231 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 14 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Thomas Ragland is a former American baseball player. He was born on June 16, 1946. Tom mostly played as a second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Washington Senators, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Indians.
Tom also spent many years playing for different teams in the minor leagues. These are leagues for players who are still developing their skills before or after playing in the MLB.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Tom Ragland was born in Talladega, Alabama. He grew up in Detroit, where he went to Northern High School. He was a right-handed player, meaning he threw and batted with his right hand.
His professional baseball journey started in 1965. The Washington Senators picked him in the 15th round of the very first amateur draft. This draft is where professional teams choose young players to join their organizations.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Tom Ragland first reached the MLB in 1971 with the Washington Senators. He played in some games at the beginning and end of that season. This was the Senators' last year playing in Washington.
In 1972, the team moved and became the Texas Rangers. Tom spent the first part of that year playing for a minor league team called the Denver Bears. He was called up to the Rangers in July. He played in 25 games but found it tough to get hits.
Later, in November 1972, Tom was traded to the Cleveland Indians.
Time with the Cleveland Indians
Tom Ragland played the entire 1973 season with the Cleveland Indians. He played in 67 games and was the starting second baseman in 50 of them. He had a good batting average of .257, getting 47 hits.
After the 1973 season, his contract was sold to the Houston Astros team. However, the Astros already had a strong second baseman, so Tom played the whole year back in the minor leagues with the Denver Bears. After that season, he decided to retire from playing baseball.
Career Highlights and Life After Baseball
In his MLB career, Tom Ragland played in 102 games. He got a total of 61 hits. These included nine doubles (hitting the ball and reaching second base) and one triple (reaching third base). He also had 14 runs batted in (RBI), which means he helped his teammates score runs. His lifetime batting average was .231.
After his baseball career, Tom Ragland returned to the Detroit area. He worked at a local milk-processing plant. He also continued to be involved in baseball by scouting for the Texas Rangers. Scouting means he would look for new talented players.
Tom Ragland is also a member of the Detroit High School Hall of Fame. This honor recognizes his achievements and contributions.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
