Tommy Harper

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Tommy Harper (born October 14, 1940 in Oak Grove, Louisiana) is a former multi-position player in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds (1962-67), Cleveland Indians (1968), Seattle Pilots (1969), Milwaukee Brewers (1970-71), Boston Red Sox (1972-74), California Angels (1975), Oakland Athletics (1975), and Baltimore Orioles (1976). He batted and threw right-handed.

Harper was the first player to come to bat in Seattle Pilots history. On April 8, 1969, he led off the top of the 1st against right-hander Jim McGlothlin of the California Angels. He doubled to left field, then scored on a home run by Mike Hegan.

He was also the first player to come to bat in Milwaukee Brewers history. On April 7, 1970, he led off the bottom of the 1st against California Angels right-hander Andy Messersmith. He hit a ground ball to third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez, who threw to first baseman Jim Spencer for the out.

In a 15-season career, Harper was a .257 hitter with 146 home runs, 567 RBI, and 972 runs scored in 1,810 games. Upon his retirement, Harper served as a coach for the Red Sox (1980-84; 2000-02) and the Montreal Expos (1990-99). As of the start of the season, he remained with Boston as a player development consultant. Ironically, Harper had successfully sued the Red Sox for firing him in 1985 for complaining in the media about the club allowing the segregated Elks Club in its spring training base of Winter Haven, Florida, to invite only the team's white personnel to its establishment.

When he played at Encinal High School in Alameda, California, his teammates were Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Stargell and MLB Baseball player Curtell Howard Motton

Highlights

• 24-consecutive-game hitting streak (July 17-August 8, 1966)
• six games with 2 home runs
• sixteen games with 4 hits
• ninety-two games with 3 hits
• 5 RBI vs. the San Francisco Giants (July 19, 1963)
• twenty-one games with 3 runs scored
• 4 stolen bases vs. the Chicago White Sox (June 18, 1969)
• three games with 3 stolen bases
• All-Star (1970)
• Led National League in runs (126, 1965)
• Twice led American League in stolen bases (73, 1969; 54, 1973)
• Became the fifth 30-30 club member (31 home runs and 38 stolen bases, 1970)
• Boston Red Sox MVP (1973)
• Top 10 American League MVP (1970)
• His career 408 stolen bases ranks him 61st on all-time list
• Single-season Red Sox stolen base record

See also

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time
• 30-30 club
• List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
• List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
• List of Major League Baseball players with 400 stolen bases

References

External links

• Baseball Library (profile)
• "Tommy Harper charges discrimination" from the WGBH series, Ten O'clock News
• List of All-Time Career steals leaders in MLB

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Last updated on Wednesday July 16, 2008 at 19:08:38 PDT (GMT -0700)
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