| Ralph Garr | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1945-12-12)December 12, 1945 (age 79) Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 3, 1968, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 4, 1980, for the California Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .306 |
| Home runs | 75 |
| Runs batted in | 408 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Ralph Allen Garr (born December 12, 1945), nicknamed "Road Runner", is an American former professionalbaseball player,scout, andcoach. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as anoutfielder from1968 through1980 — most notably as a member of theAtlanta Braves — and eventually with theChicago White Sox andCalifornia Angels.
Garr's career year was1974, when he was a National League (NL)All-Star and won the NLbatting title. Garr was a free swinger[1] who could confound defenses by hitting to all parts of the outfield. He batted .300 or better five times during his career. In 2006, Garr was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame.[2]
Garr was born inMonroe, Louisiana, and worked as a shoe shine boy at a local barber shop growing up.[3] After graduation from Lincoln High School inRuston, Louisiana, he attendedhistorically blackGrambling State University inGrambling, Louisiana.[4] In1967, as asecond baseman for theGrambling State Tigers baseball team, Garr led theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics with a record .585batting average to lead his team to a 35–1 regular-season mark. His accomplishment earned mention inSports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd"[5] right around the same time he was being drafted by theAtlanta Braves in the third round of the1967 Major League Baseball draft.
Though Garr was a fast runner and goodcontact hitter, he was a below averageinfielder.[6] He was converted to an outfielder with the Shreveport Braves in1968, and remained in theoutfield for the rest of his career. After two minor league seasons in which he batted .287 with 53runs batted in (RBI), Garr made the jump from Double A to the majors in September 1968. The speedy Garr appeared in 11 games with the Braves, but never needed his glove once, as he was used as apinch hitter orpinch runner in each of his appearances, and never once was kept in the game. Regardless, he earned an invite tospring training1969, and started the season as the Braves' everydayleft fielder whenRico Carty dislocated his shoulder.[7] Upon Carty's return, Garr was optioned to their Triple A affiliate, theRichmond Braves,[8] then returned in September when rosters expanded. Overall, he batted .222 in 22 games.
Garr again made the Braves out of spring training1970, and resumed the role he had at the end of the 1968 and 1969 seasons. He appeared in 16 games with the Braves through May, but had already earned a reputation as something of a defensive liability at this point in his career, and never once took the field. Garr was optioned back to Richmond at the end of May, and went on to bat anInternational League record .386 with sevenhome runs, 51 RBI, and a league best 39stolen bases.[9] He returned to Atlanta in September as afourth outfielder, and batted .302 in 91plate appearances.
In 1970, Rico Carty injured his left knee playing Winter ball in theDominican Republic,[10] and was lost for the entire1971 season. Garr seized the opportunity, batting over .400 through the middle of May, and earning thenickname "Road Runner" due to his speed. On May 17, againstTom Seaver and theNew York Mets, Garr hit a solohome run with twoouts in the tenthinning to tie the game. He hit a second home run in the 12th for the walk-off victory.[11]
Garr became so popular with fans inAtlanta that the Braves negotiated exclusive big-league baseball rights withWarner Bros. Cartoons to use animated scenes of theLooney Tunes characterRoad Runner on the scoreboard, while the calliope erected behind right field went "beep-beep" like the cartoon character every time Garr reachedfirst base.[12] By the end of the season, Garr's batting average cooled off to .343, good for second best in the NL to theSt. Louis Cardinals'Joe Torre. He also scored a career high 101runs batting second in the Braves'batting order.
Unfortunately, Garr's defensive shortcomings (he led N.L. outfielders with 11errors) caused him to lose his starting job inleft field when Carty returned to the Braves in1972. He still appeared in 134 games and managed a .962fielding percentage manning all three outfield spots. His .325 batting average was again second best in the league (this time to theChicago Cubs'Billy Williams). At the end of the season, Carty was traded to theTexas Rangers, opening a permanent spot for Garr.[13]
Garr again put up solid offensive numbers in1973 (.299 batting average, 11 home runs, 94runs scored, and a career high 55 RBI and 35 stolen bases), but his weak glove made him trade-bait at the 1973Winter meetings. Needing to strengthen theirinfield defense as well, the Braves had a deal in place that would have sent Garr to thePhiladelphia Phillies forshortstopLarry Bowa,[14] however it fell through. Instead, he remained in Atlanta, and put together the best season of his career, flirting with a .400 batting average for much of the first half of the season. He had 149hits heading into theAll-Star break that year, a record which stands to this day, to earn selection to the National League All-Star team (he went 0-for-3 with astrikeout).[15] He ended the season with a league best .353 average, and also led the NL in hits (214) andtriples (17).
Garr spent much of his early career believing he was greatly underpaid by the Braves, so after that career year Garr sought a raise to $114,500 for the1975 season, more than double what he received in 1974, at which the Braves countered with $85,000.[16] The contract dispute went to arbitration, with Garr winning[17] to become the highest paid player on the team, and the first player in major league history to double his salary through arbitration.[18]
Despite an excellent spring, and going into the season with confidence,[19] Garr's average dipped to .278 in 1975. He did, however, lead the league in triples (11) for a second year in a row. Garr andLarvell Blanks were traded to theChicago White Sox forKen Henderson,Dick Ruthven andDan Osborn on December 12, 1975.[20]
Disarray was something of a theme for the1976 White Sox asJorge Orta, the second baseman with the 1975 teamChuck Tannermanaged was used at third and left field in 1976 by new managerPaul Richards.[21] Likewise, Garr's role with the Chisox in 1976 was similar to the one he had with the Braves in 1972; he had no regular outfield position, and his playing time was split evenly between all three outfield spots. The formula proved unsuccessful as the Sox narrowly avoided a hundred losses in 1976. For his part, Garr batted an even .300, and was second on the team to Orta with 63 runs scored.
Bob Lemon replaced Richards at the helm in1977,[22] returning Orta to second base, and returning Garr to left field. The Chisox did a complete 180 that year as they won ninety games to finish third in theAmerican League West. Garr batted an even .300 for the second year in a row, while improving substantially in every other offensive category. His fielding also improved as he logged a career high .987 fielding percentage.
Garr had an off year in1978, putting up career lows in just about every offensive category. His notoriously bad fielding was also becoming an issue again. He and pitcherFrancisco Barrios became embroiled in a fight on August 10, following a loss to theToronto Blue Jays, over an incident in their August 7 matchup with theKansas City Royals. With Barrios pitching, Garr threw a ball he fielded off the wall to the wrong base, allowing a runner to score.[23] It was the second run-in between the two.[24]
Garr started the1979 season in left field, but shortly afterTony La Russa replacedDon Kessinger as White Sox manager, Garr was replaced by a revolving door of left fielders, withAlan Bannister,Thad Bosley,Junior Moore, andWayne Nordhagen all manning the position at one point or another. Rumors circulated that it was by Garr's choice; he refused to take the field following an August 5 rock concert held atComiskey Park that left the field in tattered condition[25] (American League (AL) PresidentLee MacPhail actually canceled games at Comiskey later in the month due to the poor conditions of the outfield). On September 20, with only nine games left on the schedule, Garr's contract was sold to theCalifornia Angels.
Garr was used as adesignated hitter in California, but managed to bat just .167 in that role, and was released on June 6,1980.
Garr became part-owner and a part-time worker at Kaloche doughnut shop inHouston, Texas, following his retirement. When the1984 Winter meetings were held in Houston, Garr attended, seeking a scouting or coaching job. Baseball legend and Garr's former teammate,Hank Aaron, the Braves' director of player development, offered Garr a position as roving scout and minor-league base-running coach.[26]
Garr played professional softball forLima Steele's in theUnited Professional Softball League (UPSL) during their 1982 season.[27][28]
Garr was inducted into theLouisiana Sports Hall of Fame in1985,[29] Grambling State University Alumni Hall of Fame in1991,[30] the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in2006[31] and the International League Hall of Fame in2008.[32] In his2012 film,Trouble with the Curve,Clint Eastwood's character, fictional Braves scout Gus Lobel, is credited with signingDusty Baker,Dale Murphy,Tom Glavine,Chipper Jones, and Garr.[33] The scout who actually signed Garr wasMel Didier.[34]
In 1,317 games over 13 seasons, Garr batted .306 (1,562-for-5,108) with 717 runs scored, 212 doubles, 64 triples, 75 home runs, 408 RBI, 172 stolen bases, 246 walks, anon-base percentage of .339, and aslugging percentage of .416. He compiled a .968fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions.[35]
| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month May 1974 | Succeeded by |
