Vada Pinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vada Pinson
Pinson in 1961
Outfielder
Born: (1938-08-11)August 11, 1938 Memphis, Tennessee
Died: October 21, 1995(1995-10-21) (aged 57) Oakland, California
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
April 15, 1958, for the Cincinnati Redlegs
Last appearance
September 28, 1975, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
Batting average	.286
Hits	2,757
Home runs	256
Runs batted in	1,170
Teams
Cincinnati Redlegs / Reds (1958–1968) St. Louis Cardinals (1969) Cleveland Indians (1970–1971) California Angels (1972–1973) Kansas City Royals (1974–1975)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star (1959–1960²) Gold Glove Award (1961) Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame

Vada Edward Pinson Jr. (August 11, 1938 – October 21, 1995) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball for 18 years. Most notably, he played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1958 to 1968. During his time with the Reds, he was a four-time National League All-Star.

Pinson was a talented player who combined power, speed, and strong defense. He batted and threw left-handed. In 1977, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. Vada Pinson has more hits than any other retired player not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Baseball Dreams

Vada Pinson was born in Memphis, Tennessee. His family later moved to California when he was a child. He went to McClymonds High School in Oakland. This school was famous for producing many great athletes.

Some of his classmates included Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson. Robinson later became Pinson's teammate in the major leagues. Other famous athletes from his school were star centerfielder Curt Flood and Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell. Pinson's baseball coach, George Powles, helped him develop his amazing athletic skills.

Starting His Professional Career

Just before his 18th birthday, Vada Pinson signed with the Cincinnati Redlegs. He received a $4,000 bonus. He spent two seasons playing in the minor leagues. In 1956, he played for the Wausau Lumberjacks. The next year, he played for the Visalia Redlegs. He had a fantastic season, hitting .367 with 209 hits.

In 1958, at just 19 years old, Pinson earned a spot on the Redlegs' main roster. He made his MLB debut on April 15, 1958. His first hit was a single off future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts. A few days later, he hit his first home run, a grand slam.

Shining with the Cincinnati Reds

The 1959 season was Pinson's first full year in the major leagues. He had an incredible year, hitting .316. He led the league with 131 runs and 47 doubles. He also had 205 hits and 20 home runs. Pinson was chosen for two All-Star Games that year.

In 1960, he continued to play well. He led the league in putouts for outfielders again. He was also named to both All-Star Games.

A Gold Glove Season

The 1961 season was another strong year for Pinson. He played in every game for the third year in a row. He had a career-high 208 hits, which led the league. He also hit .343 and won a Gold Glove Award. This was his only Gold Glove win. Pinson finished second in the batting title race that year.

The Reds had a great season in 1961, winning the league championship. They played the New York Yankees in the 1961 World Series. The Reds lost the series in five games.

Consistent Performance and Milestones

In 1962, Pinson played 155 games. He had 181 hits, 23 home runs, and 100 runs batted in (RBIs). He also stole 26 bases.

The 1963 season was the only time Pinson played in all 162 games. He led the league with 204 hits and 14 triples. He also had 23 home runs and 106 RBIs. On September 11, 1963, Pinson got his 1,000th career hit. It was a home run against the Milwaukee Braves.

Pinson was known for his speed and power. Sportswriters described him as a graceful runner who seemed to glide across the field. He had 1,177 hits before he turned 26. This is one of the highest totals ever for a player his age.

In 1965, Pinson had another great year with 204 hits and a .305 batting average. This was his last year playing with his teammate Frank Robinson. Robinson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.

Pinson continued to be a strong player for the Reds. On May 22, 1968, he passed Edd Roush for the most hits as a Cincinnati Red. He held this record until Pete Rose passed him in 1972. After 11 seasons with the Reds, Pinson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in October 1968.

Later Career with Other Teams

In 1969, Pinson played for the St. Louis Cardinals. He recorded his 2,000th career hit on September 18, 1969. He had a very high fielding percentage that year, making only one error.

He then moved to the Cleveland Indians for the 1970 season. He had a career-high 24 home runs that year. In 1971, he stole 25 bases, which was fifth-most in the American League.

Pinson in 1972

Pinson played for the California Angels in 1972 and 1973. In 1972, he had 10 assists from left field, which was second in the league. He was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 1974.

In his final season in 1975, Pinson played in 103 games for the Royals. His last game was on September 28, 1975. He was released by the team in December of that year.

Career Highlights and Statistics

Vada Pinson played in 2,469 games over his 18-year career. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals.

His career statistics include:

• .286 batting average
• 2,757 hits
• 1,365 runs
• 485 doubles
• 127 triples
• 256 home runs
• 1,169 RBIs
• 305 stolen bases

Pinson had four seasons where he collected over 200 hits. He batted over .300 in each of those seasons. He also had a career .981 fielding percentage. He was a two-time Gold Glove winner in 1961 and 1962.

Coaching After Playing

After his playing career, Vada Pinson became a respected baseball coach. He coached for several teams:

• Seattle Mariners (1977–80; 1982–83)
• Chicago White Sox (1981)
• Detroit Tigers (1985–91)
• Florida Marlins (1993–94)

He was a coach for the very first seasons of two new teams, the Mariners in 1977 and the Marlins in 1993.

Personal Life

Vada Pinson became eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. Although he was a great player, he was not voted into the Hall of Fame.

He had three daughters named Valerie, Kimberly, and Renee. He also had a son named Vada Pinson III.

Pinson retired from baseball coaching after the 1994 season. He passed away on October 21, 1995, after a stroke. He is buried in Rolling Hills Memorial Park in Richmond, California.

See also