Tommy Harper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tommy Harper |
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| Outfielder / Third baseman | |||
| Born: October 14, 1940 Oak Grove, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1962, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1976, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .257 | ||
| Home runs | 146 | ||
| Runs batted in | 567 | ||
| Stolen bases | 408 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Tommy Harper (born October 14, 1940) is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 seasons. Tommy was an outfielder, third baseman, and second baseman. He played for seven different teams from 1962 to 1976. These teams included the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and Boston Red Sox. He was chosen for one All-Star Game. He also led the league in stolen bases twice.
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Early Life and College Baseball
Tommy Harper played baseball at Encinal High School in Alameda, California. Some of his teammates became famous baseball players too. These included Willie Stargell and Curt Motton. After high school, Tommy played college baseball for San Francisco State University.
Playing for the Cincinnati Reds
Tommy Harper joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1960. He started in the minor leagues. In 1961, he played very well for the Topeka Reds. He hit .324 and had 15 home runs. The next year, he moved up to the Triple-A San Diego Padres. There, he hit .333 with 26 home runs.
His great performance earned him a spot in the major leagues in 1962. In 1965, Tommy became a regular player for the Reds. He was their starting left fielder and the first batter in the lineup. That season, he hit .257 with 18 home runs. He also stole 35 bases and led the National League with 126 runs scored. He continued to be a key player for the Reds until 1967.
Time with the Cleveland Indians
In November 1967, Tommy Harper was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He played one season with the Indians. He mostly played in the outfield. After the 1968 season, he was chosen by the Seattle Pilots in a special draft for new teams.
Making History with the Pilots and Brewers
Tommy Harper made history with the Seattle Pilots. He was the very first player to bat for the team. In that game, he also got their first hit and scored their first run. He led the American League with 73 stolen bases in 1969. This was the most stolen bases by an American League player since 1915. This record still stands for the Pilots/Brewers team. He also showed how good he was at playing different positions. He played second base, third base, and center field.
When the Pilots moved to Milwaukee and became the Milwaukee Brewers, Tommy made history again. He was the first player to bat for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970. That year was one of his best seasons. He hit 31 home runs and stole 38 bases. This made him only the fifth player in MLB history to join the 30–30 club. This means he had at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in one season. He was also chosen for his only All-Star Game that year.
Playing for the Boston Red Sox
In 1971, Tommy Harper was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He became the Red Sox's starting center fielder and leadoff hitter. He played very well from 1972 to 1974. In 1973, he led the league in stolen bases for the second time. He set a Red Sox record with 54 stolen bases. This record stood until 2009. In 1974, he played mostly as a designated hitter.
Later Career Teams
Tommy Harper played for the California Angels for part of the 1975 season. He then joined the Oakland Athletics later that year. He played a big role in helping the A's win their division. He hit well and could play many positions. This helped the team use other players effectively. At age 34, he finally got to play in the playoffs. However, his team lost to the Red Sox.
In 1976, Tommy signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He played his final MLB season with them. He mostly played as a designated hitter or pinch hitter.
Career Highlights and Achievements
Tommy Harper had a great career in baseball. He played in 1810 games over 15 seasons. He had a batting average of .257. He also had 146 home runs and 408 stolen bases. He was known for his speed and ability to play many different positions.
- He had a 24-game hitting streak in 1966.
- He stole four bases in one game in 1969.
- He was an All-Star in 1970.
- He led the National League in runs scored (126) in 1965.
- He led the American League in stolen bases twice (73 in 1969, 54 in 1973).
- He joined the 30–30 club in 1970.
- He was named the Boston Red Sox MVP in 1973.
- His 408 career stolen bases rank him among the top players of all time.
- He holds the single-season stolen base record for the Brewers.
Coaching Career and Recognition
After his playing career, Tommy Harper became a coach. He coached for the Red Sox from 1980 to 1984. He also coached for the Montreal Expos from 1990 to 1999. He returned to coach for the Red Sox from 2000 to 2002. As of 2017, he continued to work with the Red Sox as a player development consultant.
In 2010, Tommy Harper was honored for his contributions to baseball. He was elected into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Tommy Harper
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Harper in 1963
See also
- 30–30 club
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
