Don Leppert
| Don Leppert | |
|---|---|
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. | |
| Died: April 13, 2023 (aged 91) Delaware, Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 18, 1961, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 16, 1964, for the Washington Senators | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .229 |
| Home runs | 15 |
| Runs batted in | 59 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Donald George Leppert (October 19, 1931 – April 13, 2023) was an American professional baseball player and coach.
A
Playing career
During an MLB career of only 3½ years, Leppert nonetheless distinguished himself by hitting a home run on the first pitch thrown to him in the majors. On June 18, 1961, Leppert connected in the second inning of his MLB debut against Curt Simmons of the St. Louis Cardinals; the blow gave the Pirates a 2–1 lead in a game they would eventually win, 5–3.[1]
Almost two years later, on April 11, 1963, he hit three homers in his third game in the
That season, Leppert was selected as a reserve on the American League All-Star team, but he did not play in the July 9 game at Cleveland Stadium.[3]
In 190 Major League games, Leppert collected 122 hits, including 22 doubles and 15 home runs. He batted .229.
Coaching career
After his playing career ended in the minors in 1966, Leppert managed in Class A in the Pittsburgh organization in 1967.
Leppert then embarked upon an 18-year stint as a Major League coach for the Pirates (1968–1976), Toronto Blue Jays (1977–1979) and Houston Astros (1980–1985).
In the late 1980s, Leppert served as field coordinator of minor league instruction for the
Leppert also umpired a game on August 25, 1978, in Toronto during an umpires' strike.[4] The Blue Jays' Leppert and Jerry Zimmerman, then the bullpen coach of the Twins, are the last two active coaches to umpire a major league game.
Personal life and death
Leppert and his wife, Daphne, had five children. He died on April 13, 2023, at his home in Delaware, Ohio, at the age of 91.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 5, St. Louis Cardinals 3 (1)". Retrosheet. June 18, 1961.
- ^ "Washington Senators 8, Boston Red Sox 0". Retrosheet. April 11, 1963.
- ISBN 1-4027-4771-3.
- ^ "Cool of the Evening: Jerry Zimmerman". Archived from the original on 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
- ^ Perrotto, John. "Don Leppert, first base coach for '71 Pirates title team, dead at 91". WPXI. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet