Travis Dawkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Travis Dawkins |
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Dawkins with the Dayton Dragons in 2009
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| Shortstop / Coach | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: May 12, 1979 Newberry, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||||||||
| September 3, 1999, for the Cincinnati Reds | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| July 23, 2003, for the Kansas City Royals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .163 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runs scored | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hits | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Travis Sentell "Gookie" Dawkins (born May 12, 1979) is a former professional baseball player from America. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) for teams like the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals. Today, he is a baseball coach.
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Playing Career Highlights
Travis Dawkins started his baseball journey when the Cincinnati Reds picked him in the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his big league debut with the Reds on September 3, 1999.
First Major League Hit
Dawkins had his first major league at-bat on September 4, 1999, in Philadelphia. During that game, the Reds hit nine home runs! Dawkins hit a single, which means he got a base hit. He then reached third base because of a throwing error by the other team. A young fan in the stands reached over the fence and grabbed the ball while it was still in play. Later, the Reds team traded with the fan to get the ball back for Dawkins. This ball was special because it was his very first hit in the major leagues.
Olympic Gold Medalist
In 2000, Travis Dawkins achieved a huge honor. He played for the United States national baseball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. His team won the gold medal, making him an Olympic champion! He also won a silver medal at the 1999 Pan American Games.
Later Playing Years
After playing for the Reds, Dawkins continued his career with other teams. In 2007, he played for the Tacoma Rainiers and the Ottawa Lynx. These teams are part of the minor leagues, which are like stepping stones to the major leagues.
He signed with the Chicago White Sox for the 2008 season. He played for their Triple-A team, the Charlotte Knights. Later that year, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals. After the 2008 season, he re-signed with the White Sox. In the summer of 2010, he signed with the Reds again.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Travis Dawkins began a new chapter in baseball as a coach. He started his professional coaching career in 2015.
Early Coaching Roles
- In 2015, he was the hitting coach for the Arizona League Reds. This team is a rookie-level team in Goodyear, Arizona.
- In 2016, he became the hitting coach for the Daytona Tortugas. This team is an Advanced-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
- In 2017, he moved up to be the hitting coach for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. This team is the Reds' Double-A affiliate.
Becoming a Manager
- In 2018, Dawkins was promoted to manager of the Greeneville Reds. This is a Rookie-level team for the Reds.
- In 2020, he was promoted again to manage the Dayton Dragons. This team is the Reds' Single-A affiliate.
