| Dick Green | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born: (1941-04-21)April 21, 1941 (age 83) Sioux City, Iowa, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 9, 1963, for the Kansas City Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1974, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .240 |
| Home runs | 80 |
| Runs batted in | 422 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Richard Larry Green (born April 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player.[1] He played as asecond baseman inMajor League Baseball from1963 through1974, playing for the Kansas City andOakland Athletics. Green played on the "Swingin' A's" dynasty that won three consecutiveWorld Series championships between 1972 and 1974.[1]
Born inSioux City, Iowa, Green was raised in Yankton and Mitchell, South Dakota, where his ability as a baseball player was first noted.[2]
An outstanding high school quarterback, Green was offered a scholarship by Michigan State University, but did not attend college, and was signed by theKansas City Athletics before the1960 season as an amateurfree agent. Green spent a few seasons in the minor leagues before being called up on September 9, 1963. Green played minimally in 13 games, but did pick up 10hits, including his first major leaguehome run.
In1964, his first full year in themajors, Green played 130 games, with 115hits, 11 of them beinghome runs and posted a .264batting average. He also committed just six errors atsecond base and finished the season with a .990fielding percentage. The following season, Green finished with abatting average of .232 and 110hits in 133 games.
In1966, Green improved, hitting .250, slapping in 127hits in 140 games, and also knocked in 62 runs. However, Green struggled the following season. With 69hits in 122 games, Green coupled his .198batting average with 5home runs and 37RBIs.
After the season, theKansas City Athletics franchise moved toOakland. Green posted better numbers the following two seasons with theOakland Athletics and had a career year in1969 when he finished the season with a .275average, 12home runs, 64RBIs, and 61runs scored.
Green was a member of the1972–1974World Series championship teams, and won theBabe Ruth Award for his performance in 1974.[3][4] He won the award for his fielding, despite not getting a single hit during the World Series, going 0-for-13.[3][4] Green tied a World Series record in game three by starting threedouble plays in one game.[4][5] He started the first two by catchingline drives, and the third was aground ball double play to end the game.[4] In game four, Green also started a game-ending double play.[4] In the eighth inning of the clinching game five, Green made a perfect relay throw to getBill Buckner, representing the tying run, out at third base.[4] The six double plays Green participated in during the 1974 World Series tied the record for most defensive double plays in a five-game series.[4]
Before the1975 season, Green was released by the A's but decided to retire to run the family moving business, thus ending his 12-year career in the majors. He finished his career with a .240 lifetimebatting average, 960hits, 80home runs, 422RBIs and 427runs scored.
On September 19, 2009, another rare South Dakota Major Leaguer--Mark Ellis passed Green for the franchise record for homers by a second baseman with his 77th home run playing second base for the A's.[6]
In 2018, he was named to the Oakland Athletics' 50th anniversary All-Time Team.