Willie Crawford
Encyclopedia
Willie Murphy Crawford (September 7, 1946 in Los Angeles
, California
– August 27, 2004 in Los Angeles
, California
) was a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who played with Los Angeles Dodgers
(1964–1975), St. Louis Cardinals
(1976), Houston Astros
(1977) and Oakland Athletics
(1977). Crawford was born in Los Angeles, California
. He batted and threw left-handed. He was the father of former UCLA football DB Willie Crawford who graduated from Beverly Hills H.S. in 1988.
Crawford was a great all-around athlete at Fremont H.S. in Los Angeles. He was All-City in both football (1963) and baseball. With 9.7 speed in 100 yards, he was a highly recruited running back by colleges to play football. But long-time Dodger Tommy Lasorda, who was then a scout, signed Crawford for the Dodgers for $100,000.00 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 baserunners. Also, he was able to get a good jump on the ball and used his full speed to track down deep fly balls.
.312 (5-for-16) with three runs, one double
, and stole
a base. He had a pinch-hit single in Game 1 of the 1965
World Series
, when the Dodgers defeated the Minnesota Twins
.
On April 7, 1970, Reds
pitcher
Gary Nolan defeated the Dodgers, 4–0, on a 2-hitter. Both hits were batted by Crawford, in the 4th and 9th innings.http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Crawford_Willie.stm.
In his best season, , he hit .295, with 14 homers
and 66 RBI
in 145 games. Then, in , he hit .333 and belted a home run against Oakland in the World Series
.
Crawford played for the Dodgers through the end of the 1975 season, compiling a .268 average, with 74 home runs and 335 RBIs in a total of 989 games. He was traded to St. Louis in March 1976. He hit .304 in 120 games for the Cardinals with nine home runs and 50 RBIs. He was traded again after the 1976 season. The Cardinals sent Crawford to the San Francisco Giants
. He never played for the Giants, being traded to Houston in before the 1977 season began. 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 RBI. His career numbers included 507 runs, 152 doubles, 35 triples
, 47 stolen bases, and 431 walks
for a .329 on base percentage
.
At age 57, Willie Crawford died at his home in Los Angeles, apparently of kidney disease.http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/sports/baseball/02crawford.html?ex=1181448000&en=f0b0b65e0996c80b&ei=5070 He was buried in the Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery
.
Helms Athletic Foundaion-Football 1963
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
– August 27, 2004 in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) was a 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...
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...
who played with Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1964–1975), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The 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...
(1976), 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...
(1977) and Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1977). Crawford was born in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. He batted and threw left-handed. He was the father of former UCLA football DB Willie Crawford who graduated from Beverly Hills H.S. in 1988.
Crawford was a great all-around athlete at Fremont H.S. in Los Angeles. He was All-City in both football (1963) and baseball. With 9.7 speed in 100 yards, he was a highly recruited running back by colleges to play football. But long-time Dodger Tommy Lasorda, who was then a scout, signed Crawford for the Dodgers for $100,000.00 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 baserunners. Also, he was able to get a good jump on the ball and used his full speed to track down deep fly balls.
Career
Crawford debuted on September 16, 1964, at the age of 17. As a rookie, he battedBatting 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 :...
.312 (5-for-16) with three runs, one double
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....
, and stole
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...
a base. He had a pinch-hit single in Game 1 of the 1965
1965 in sports
1965 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship Buffalo Bills won 23-0 over the San Diego Chargers* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 23-12 over the Cleveland Browns on January 2, 1966-England:...
World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, when the Dodgers defeated 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...
.
On April 7, 1970, Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
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...
Gary Nolan defeated the Dodgers, 4–0, on a 2-hitter. Both hits were batted by Crawford, in the 4th and 9th innings.http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Crawford_Willie.stm.
In his best season, , he hit .295, with 14 homers
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...
and 66 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 145 games. Then, in , he hit .333 and belted a home run against Oakland in the World Series
1974 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 12, 1974 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaReggie Jackson put the A's on the board first with a solo homer in the top of the second off 20-game winner Andy Messersmith...
.
Crawford played for the Dodgers through the end of the 1975 season, compiling a .268 average, with 74 home runs and 335 RBIs in a total of 989 games. He was traded to St. Louis in March 1976. He hit .304 in 120 games for the Cardinals with nine home runs and 50 RBIs. He was traded again after the 1976 season. The Cardinals sent Crawford to 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....
. He never played for the Giants, being traded to Houston in before the 1977 season began. 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 RBI. His career numbers included 507 runs, 152 doubles, 35 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....
, 47 stolen bases, and 431 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
for a .329 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
.
At age 57, Willie Crawford died at his home in Los Angeles, apparently of kidney disease.http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/sports/baseball/02crawford.html?ex=1181448000&en=f0b0b65e0996c80b&ei=5070 He was buried in the Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery is part of the Forest Lawn chain of Southern California cemeteries. It is at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, on the lower north slope at the far east end of the Santa Monica...
.
External links
The Obit for Willie Crawford- http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_C/Crawford.Willie.Obit.html
Helms Athletic Foundaion-Football 1963
- http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/HELMS/Football/CIFFOOTBALL1963.pdf