Tommy McCraw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tommy McCraw |
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| First baseman / Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 21, 1940 Malvern, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 4, 1963, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 24, 1975, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .246 | ||
| Home runs | 75 | ||
| Runs batted in | 404 | ||
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Tommy Lee McCraw (born November 21, 1940) is a former American baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and outfielder. Tommy played for the Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and California Angels.
Tommy McCraw: A Baseball Star
Tommy McCraw was born in Malvern, Arkansas. He was a left-handed player, meaning he batted and threw with his left hand. During his time playing baseball, he was about 6 feet tall and weighed around 183 pounds.
Playing Days
Tommy played in Major League Baseball for 13 seasons. He appeared in 1,468 games during his career. He had 972 hits and scored 484 runs. He also hit 75 home runs and brought in 404 runs for his team. His batting average was .246.
Memorable Moments on the Field
Tommy McCraw was part of some interesting moments in baseball history.
- The Senators' Last Play: On September 30, 1971, Tommy made the final offensive play for the Washington Senators team. He was caught trying to steal second base. This was the very last out in the team's final game before they moved to a new city.
- A Bizarre Home Run: On May 17, 1971, Tommy hit a pop-up ball that should have been an easy out. But three players from the other team crashed into each other trying to catch it! All three players got hurt and had to leave the game. The ball fell to the ground, and Tommy ran around all the bases for an inside-the-park home run. This means he hit the ball and ran all the way home without it leaving the field.
- First Designated Hitter for the Angels: In 1973, Tommy McCraw became the first player in the history of the California Angels to be a designated hitter. A designated hitter is a player who only bats and does not play in the field. He got one hit in four tries in that first game. The Angels won the game 3-2 against the Kansas City Royals.
Life as a Coach
After his playing career, Tommy McCraw became a very successful batting coach. He coached in Major League Baseball for 24 seasons! He helped players on many different teams.
He coached for the Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Houston Astros, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals. Tommy worked with manager Frank Robinson on four different teams. This shows how much Frank Robinson trusted Tommy's coaching skills.
