U. L. Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids U. L. Washington |
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Washington in 1980
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: October 27, 1953 Stringtown, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Died: March 3, 2024 (aged 70) Atoka, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 6, 1977, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1987, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .251 | ||
| Home runs | 27 | ||
| Runs batted in | 255 | ||
| Teams | |||
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U. L. Washington (born October 27, 1953 – died March 3, 2024) was an American professional baseball player. He also worked as a coach. He played in MLB from 1977 to 1987. U. L. played for the Kansas City Royals, Montreal Expos, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was mostly a shortstop during his career. Many people remembered him for always having a toothpick in his mouth while playing. His legal name was U.L., and these letters are not short for other names.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
U. L. Washington was born in Stringtown, Oklahoma. He was one of 11 children in his family. He went to Stringtown High School and finished in 1971. After high school, he played college baseball for one year at Murray State College.
Joining the Royals
After college, U. L.'s older brother helped him get a tryout with the Kansas City Royals. U. L. was accepted into the Royals' special baseball academy. He is one of only three MLB players who came from this academy.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Kansas City Royals Years
Washington played for the Royals from 1977 to 1984. His best year was 1982. That season, he hit for a .286 average. He also hit 10 home runs and had 60 RBIs. These were all his highest numbers in one season.
In 1983, U. L. was on base during a famous play called the "pine tar" home run by George Brett. During his eight years with the Royals, he hit .254 with 26 home runs. He also had 228 RBIs. He played in four playoff series with the Royals.
Montreal Expos Experience
In 1985, the Royals traded Washington to the Montreal Expos. He played in 68 games for the Expos. He was a utility infielder, meaning he could play different positions in the infield. He hit .249 with one home run and 17 RBIs for them. After that season, he became a free agent.
Pittsburgh Pirates Time
Washington signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986. He played for them for two seasons. He appeared in 82 games, mostly as a utility infielder. He hit .207 with no home runs and 10 RBIs. The Pirates released him in 1987. U. L. said he didn't want to play in the minor leagues again. He hoped to stay in the major leagues if a team called him.
Playing in the Senior League
In 1989, Washington played for the Orlando Juice. This team was part of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. This league was for older professional players.
Life After Playing Baseball
After his playing career, U. L. Washington became a coach and manager.
Coaching Career
In 1989, the Pittsburgh Pirates hired him as a manager for one of their minor league teams. He also coached and managed for other teams. These included the Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox. He coached for the Red Sox from 2003 to 2014.
In 2013, while coaching for the Greenville Drive, Washington helped a young player named Mookie Betts. He helped Betts change his swing to hit with more power.
Death
U. L. Washington passed away from cancer on March 3, 2024. He was 70 years old. He died in Atoka, Oklahoma.
See also
In Spanish: U. L. Washington para niños
