Larry Herndon

Larry Darnell Herndon (born November 3, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals (1974), San Francisco Giants (1976–1981), and Detroit Tigers (1982–1988). Currently, Herndon serves as a coach for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Larry Herndon
Herndon with the Lakeland Flying Tigers in 2012
Outfielder
Born: (1953-11-03) November 3, 1953
Sunflower, Mississippi
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 4, 1974, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1988, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
Batting average.274
Home runs107
Runs batted in550
Teams
Career highlights and awards

He won the 1981 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership.[1]

Career

Herndon was originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft. During his first minor league season on the 1971 Gulf Coast League Cardinals, his fellow rookie and roommate was Randy Poffo, who would later go on to be known as wrestler Randy Savage.[2]

By hitting a home run in his final at bat on May 17, 1982 and his first three at bats on May 18, 1982, Herndon shares the major-league record for home runs hit in consecutive at bats (four).

Herndon was particularly known for his time with the Tigers. He hit a two-out, two-run home run in Game 1 of the 1984 World Series against the San Diego Padres that proved to be the game winner, and also caught the final out of the Series—a fly ball to left field off the bat of Padres star Tony Gwynn. Three years later, Herndon hit a solo home run on the final day of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the only run in a 1–0 Detroit victory over the Blue Jays that clinched the American League East division title by two games. Herndon retired with the Tigers and served as the team's major league hitting coach.

Career statistics

In 1537 games played over 14 seasons, Herndon compiled a .274 batting average (1334-for-4877) with 605 runs, 186 doubles, 76 triples, 107 home runs, 550 RBI, 353 base on balls, a .322 on-base percentage and a .409 slugging percentage. Defensively, he posted a .972 fielding percentage at all three outfield positions. In the 1984 World Series and the 1984 and 1987 American League Championship Series he recorded a .310 average (9-for-29) with two home runs and six RBI.

References
  1. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/willie_mac_award.shtml
  2. Thomas Neumann, Teammate remembers 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, ESPN.com, May 20, 2011, accessed May 21, 2011.
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