Willie Crawford
Willie Crawford | |
---|---|
Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Died: August 27, 2004 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 57)|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
September 16, 1964, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 1, 1977, for the Oakland Athletics | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .268 |
Home runs | 86 |
Runs batted in | 419 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Willie Murphy Crawford (September 7, 1946 – August 27, 2004) was an American professional baseball
At Fremont High School in Los Angeles, Crawford was All-City in both football (1963) and baseball. Able to run 100 yards in 9.7 seconds, he was a highly recruited to play college football as a running back. Al Campanis signed Crawford for the Dodgers for $100,000 two days after he graduated from high school in 1964. Because of the Bonus Rule in existence at the time, Crawford had to play for the Dodgers' major league team in both 1964 and 1965.
As a major league baseball player, defensively, he played in a shallow manner, so as to cut down on potential Texas Leaguers. Crawford's strong arm was able to cut down ambitious
Career
Crawford debuted on September 16, 1964, at the age of 18. As a
On April 7, 1970, Reds pitcher Gary Nolan defeated the Dodgers, 4–0, on a 2-hitter. Both hits were by Crawford, in the 4th and 9th innings.[2]
In his best season, 1973, he hit .295, with 14
Crawford played for the Dodgers through the end of the 1975 season, compiling a .268 average, with 74 home runs and 335 runs batted in during 989 games. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in March 1976, where he hit .304 in 120 games with nine home runs and 50 runs batted in. He was traded again after the 1976 season. The Cardinals sent Crawford to the San Francisco Giants. He never appeared in a regular-season game with the Giants, who dealt him along with Rob Sperring to the Astros for Rob Andrews and cash during spring training on March 26, 1977.[3] He played 42 games for the Astros and 59 games for Oakland Athletics that season, his last in the major leagues.
During his 12-year career, Crawford appeared in 1,210 games and had a .268 batting average with 86 home runs and 419 runs batted in. His career numbers included 507
At age 57, Willie Crawford died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, apparently of kidney disease.[4] He was buried in the Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery.
References
- ^ Bloch, Ben (August 31, 2004). "Willie Crawford, 57; Was L.A. Dodger for 12 Years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score, April 7, 1970". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "Pro Transactions". The New York Times. March 27, 1977. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- The Associated Press. September 2, 2004. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Helms Athletic Foundation-Football 1963
- Seventeen-year old Willie Crawford, signing his baseball contract with Los Angeles Dodgers scout Al Campanis, 1964, in Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.