Willie Upshaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willie Upshaw |
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Upshaw with the San Francisco Giants
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: April 27, 1957 Blanco, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1978, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 1988, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .262 | ||
| Home runs | 123 | ||
| Runs batted in | 528 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Willie Clay Upshaw was born on April 27, 1957. He is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played first base in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cleveland Indians. Both teams are part of the American League.
After playing in Major League Baseball, he played for two seasons in Japan. He joined the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks from 1989 to 1990. Later, Upshaw became a manager for a minor league team called the Bridgeport Bluefish.
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Willie Upshaw's Baseball Journey
Willie Upshaw started his baseball career when he was picked by the New York Yankees. This happened in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft.
On December 5, 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays chose him in a special draft called the Rule 5 draft. In 1982, Willie became the main first baseman for the Blue Jays. That year, he was the team leader in several important stats. He hit 21 home runs and had 75 RBI (runs batted in). RBI means how many runs a player helps score. He also had the most extra-base hits.
In 1983, Willie Upshaw made history for the Blue Jays. He was the first player on the team to get more than 100 RBI in one season. He drove in 104 runs and had a batting average of .306. A batting average shows how often a player gets a hit.
Before the 1988 season, the Cleveland Indians bought Willie Upshaw's contract. This meant he would play for their team.
After Playing: Managing and Coaching
After his playing days, Willie Upshaw became a manager. He managed the Bridgeport Bluefish, an independent baseball team. He worked with them for eight seasons in two different periods. These were from 1998 to 2000 and again from 2010 to 2014. He also managed them for part of the 2009 season.
As a manager, Upshaw had a good record. He helped the Bluefish reach the playoffs four times. They also made it to the Atlantic League Championship Series three times. In 1999, his team won their only league championship. Because of his great work, he was named Manager of the Year in 1998 and 2010.
In 2006 and 2007, Upshaw worked as a first base coach. He coached for the San Francisco Giants. During this time, a famous player named Barry Bonds broke a big home run record. Willie Upshaw was the first person to congratulate Bonds with a high-five as he ran around the bases.
Willie Upshaw's Family Life
Willie Upshaw has some famous relatives in sports. His cousin, Gene Upshaw, was a Hall of Fame player in the National Football League (NFL). Another cousin, Marvin Upshaw, also played as a defensive lineman in the NFL.
In May 2007, Willie's son, Chad, signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers. Chad played as a tight end in American football. This happened after Chad finished college at the University at Buffalo.
Today, Willie Upshaw lives in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Images for kids
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Willie Upshaw with the San Francisco Giants
