Larry Hardy (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Howard Lawrence Hardy is an American
former pitcher
, coach
and manager
in professional baseball
. Hardy threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet, 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg) in his playing days.
Hardy graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
with a degree in business administration. Selected in the 23rd round of the amateur draft by the San Diego Padres
, he reached Major League Baseball
with the 1974 Padres
, appearing in 76 games as a rookie
, all but one of them as a relief pitcher
, winning nine games, saving two, and losing four. He would appear in only 18 more MLB games in 1975-76, with the Padres and Houston Astros
, and spend the rest of his playing career at the Triple-A level of minor league baseball
. In his MLB career, he posted a career earned run average
of 5.29 in 94 games to accompany his 9-4 (.692) record.
Hardy's coaching career began in 1978 as the pitching coach of the Charleston Charlies
of the Triple-A International League
, then Houston's top farm club. He switched to the Toronto Blue Jays
' system in 1980 and served as a manager at the Double-A level as well as a minor league instructor. After coaching in the San Francisco Giants
' organization, Hardy returned to MLB as a coach with the Texas Rangers
on the staff of skipper Johnny Oates
from through .
Hardy resides in Trophy Club, Texas
with his wife.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Hardy threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet, 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg) in his playing days.
Hardy graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
with a degree in business administration. Selected in the 23rd round of the amateur draft by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, he reached Major League Baseball
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...
with the 1974 Padres
1974 San Diego Padres season
The 1974 San Diego Padres season was the 6th in franchise history. The team finished last in the National League West with a record of 60-102, 42 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.- Offseason :...
, appearing in 76 games as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, all but one of them as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, winning nine games, saving two, and losing four. He would appear in only 18 more MLB games in 1975-76, with the Padres and Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, and spend the rest of his playing career at the Triple-A level of minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. In his MLB career, he posted a career earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 5.29 in 94 games to accompany his 9-4 (.692) record.
Hardy's coaching career began in 1978 as the pitching coach of the Charleston Charlies
Charleston Charlies
The Charleston Charlies was the name of the third and most recent Class AAA minor league baseball franchise that was located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. The Charlies played in the International League from 1971 to 1976 as the relocated Columbus Jets franchise. In 1977 the franchise...
of the Triple-A 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...
, then Houston's top farm club. He switched to the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
' system in 1980 and served as a manager at the Double-A level as well as a minor league instructor. After coaching in the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
' organization, Hardy returned to MLB as a coach with the 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...
on the staff of skipper Johnny Oates
Johnny Oates
Johnny Lane Oates was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1981...
from through .
Hardy resides in Trophy Club, Texas
Trophy Club, Texas
Trophy Club is an affluent town located in Denton and Tarrant Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a wealthy northern suburb of the city of Fort Worth and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The population was 8,024 at the 2010 Census...
with his wife.