Gary Ward
Encyclopedia
Gary Lamell Ward is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
and right-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins
(1979–83), Texas Rangers
(1984–86), New York Yankees
(1987–89) and Detroit Tigers
(1989–90).
Ward was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent in 1972
and made his debut in the 1979
season. He is the father of major leaguer Daryle Ward
.
He was named American League
Rookie of the Year by Baseball Digest
in 1981
and followed as Twins Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in 1982
. That season he batted
.289, with 28 home run
s, 91 runs batted in and a .519 slugging average. In 1983
he hit .278 with 19 HR and 88 RBI, and led all outfielders with 24 assists
, the most for an AL outfielder since 1944
. He was traded to the Rangers at the end of the season.
In his first season with Texas, Ward hit .284, with 21 HR and 79 RBI, and set a club season record with seven triples
and a personal high with 97 runs scored. He led the Rangers in batting in 1985
and 1986
(.287, .316), then signed with the Yankees as a free agent. He had a great first half in 1987
but afterwards, slumped badly. The following two seasons he was a part-time player, and was released by the Yankees in mid-1989 and then was subsequently signed by Detroit shortly thereafter.
A two-time All-Star
(1983, 1985), Ward finished his career in 1990
with a .276 batting average, 130 home runs, 597 RBI, 594 runs, 196 doubles
, 41 triples and 83 stolen base
s in 1287 games played
. He is currently the hitting coach for the Charlotte Knights
of the International League
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and right-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1979–83), Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1984–86), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1987–89) and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1989–90).
Ward was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent in 1972
1972 in sports
1972 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
and made his debut in the 1979
1979 in sports
1979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:...
season. He is the father of major leaguer Daryle Ward
Daryle Ward
Daryle Lamar Ward is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and plays in the Minor League farm system. He has not played in the Majors since 2008. He bats and throws left-handed. The 6-foot-2, 240 pound Ward was drafted by the Detroit Tigers...
.
He was named American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Rookie of the Year by Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
in 1981
1981 in sports
1981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland-American football:...
and followed as Twins Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in 1982
1982 in sports
1982 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland-American football:...
. That season he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.289, with 28 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 91 runs batted in and a .519 slugging average. In 1983
1983 in sports
1983 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Tamara McKinney, United States-American football:...
he hit .278 with 19 HR and 88 RBI, and led all outfielders with 24 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
, the most for an AL outfielder since 1944
1944 in sports
1944 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:* Green Bay Packers defeats 14-7 New York Giants in New York City for the NFL title...
. He was traded to the Rangers at the end of the season.
In his first season with Texas, Ward hit .284, with 21 HR and 79 RBI, and set a club season record with seven triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and a personal high with 97 runs scored. He led the Rangers in batting in 1985
1985 in sports
1985 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
and 1986
1986 in sports
1986 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
(.287, .316), then signed with the Yankees as a free agent. He had a great first half in 1987
1987 in sports
1987 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
but afterwards, slumped badly. The following two seasons he was a part-time player, and was released by the Yankees in mid-1989 and then was subsequently signed by Detroit shortly thereafter.
A two-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1983, 1985), Ward finished his career in 1990
1990 in sports
1990 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland-American football:...
with a .276 batting average, 130 home runs, 597 RBI, 594 runs, 196 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 41 triples and 83 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 1287 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. He is currently the hitting coach for the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
.
Highlight
- On September 18, 1980, Ward become the sixth Twins player to hit for the cycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
. The Twins lost 9–8 to the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, wasting Ward's effort. On May 26, 2004, his son DaryleDaryle WardDaryle Lamar Ward is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and plays in the Minor League farm system. He has not played in the Majors since 2008. He bats and throws left-handed. The 6-foot-2, 240 pound Ward was drafted by the Detroit Tigers...
repeated the feat, guiding the PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
' 11-8 victory over the CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Ward joined his father to become the first father-son combination in major league history to hit for the cycle. - When Ward hit for the cycle that year, he did it in only the 14th game of his career, which still stands as the major league record for fewest games until hitting for the cycle. On May 13, 2007, while playing for the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, Fred LewisFred LewisFrederick Deshaun Lewis is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He made his debut on September 1, , with the San Francisco Giants. He is the cousin of former major league outfielder Matt Lawton. Lewis also hit the 46th Splash Hit at AT&T Park...
hit for the cycle in the 16th game of his major league career, narrowly missing Ward's mark.