Willie Kirkland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willie Kirkland |
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| Right fielder | |||
| Born: February 17, 1934 Siluria, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 15, 1958, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| NPB: 1968, for the Hanshin Tigers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: September 26, 1966, for the Washington Senators | |||
| NPB: 1973, for the Hanshin Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .240 | ||
| Home runs | 148 | ||
| Runs batted in | 509 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .246 | ||
| Home runs | 126 | ||
| Runs batted in | 304 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Willie Charles Kirkland, born on February 17, 1934, is a former professional baseball player from America. He was a strong left-handed hitter and played as a right fielder. Kirkland played in 1,149 games in Major League Baseball (MLB) over nine seasons. He played for teams like the San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Senators. He also spent six seasons playing in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan. Willie Kirkland's professional baseball career lasted 20 years. He was born in Siluria, Alabama, but grew up in Detroit.
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Willie Kirkland's Baseball Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Willie Kirkland signed with the New York Giants in 1952. This was right after he graduated from Northwestern High School in Detroit. He was a right-handed thrower, stood 6 feet 1 inch tall, and weighed 206 pounds.
Kirkland was a powerful hitter in minor league baseball. He quickly moved up through the Giants' system in his first four seasons. During this time, he hit more than 35 home runs three times. He also won a batting title and led the league in runs batted in. In 1957, Kirkland served in the military.
Joining the San Francisco Giants
When Kirkland finished his military service in 1958, he joined the MLB Giants. This was their very first season playing in San Francisco. He became the team's regular right fielder. He played in the Giants' first official game on the West Coast on April 15. In that game, the Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8–0 at Seals Stadium.
Kirkland batted cleanup, right after the famous Willie Mays. As a 24-year-old rookie, he got a single and an RBI in five at bats. Willie Kirkland was one of many talented young players who joined the Giants during their first years in San Francisco. Other players included Felipe Alou, Orlando Cepeda, Jim Davenport, Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey, and Leon Wagner. Kirkland kept his job as the Giants' regular right fielder for three seasons, until 1960. During this time, he hit 57 home runs and had a batting average of .261.
Playing for Other MLB Teams
After the 1960 season, the Giants traded Kirkland to the Cleveland Indians. He was traded along with veteran pitcher Johnny Antonelli for outfielder Harvey Kuenn. Kirkland became the Indians' starting right fielder in 1961. That year, he led the team in home runs (27) and runs batted in (95). He also had a batting average of .259.
In 1962, Kirkland hit 21 home runs for the Indians, which was tied for second-most on the team. However, his batting average dropped to .200. Then, in 1963, Kirkland played both center field and right field. He hit only 15 home runs and batted .230.
During the off-season, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He played in 66 games for them, batting .200. In August, he was sold to the Washington Senators. Kirkland spent the rest of his Major League Baseball career with Washington as a backup outfielder. Later, he was sent to the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders team in the Pacific Coast League.
Over his nine seasons in MLB, Kirkland had a .240 batting average. He hit 148 home runs and had 509 RBI. His 837 hits also included 134 doubles and 29 triples.
Playing Baseball in Japan
Kirkland's year with the Hawaii Islanders began the final part of his professional career. He hit 34 home runs for the Islanders in 1967. The next season, he started playing baseball in Japan. In his first season for the Hanshin Tigers, Kirkland hit 37 home runs. The following year, he hit 26 more. In total, he hit 126 home runs during his career in Japan.
Highlights of His Career
- 1960 Season: Willie Kirkland had a great year, hitting double digits in several categories. He had 21 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, and 12 stolen bases.
- 1961 Season: This was one of his best years. He hit 27 home runs, had 136 hits, and 95 RBI in 146 games. All of these were career-highs for him. On July 9, he hit three home runs in one game against the Chicago White Sox. All three home runs were off the right-handed pitcher Cal McLish.
