Kirby Puckett (2001)


Date of Birth: 3/14/1960
Date of Death: 3/6/2006
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
College: Triton College / Bradley University

Kirby Puckett played on his high school baseball team before being drafted by the Minnesota Twins in January, 1982. He spent his first two years with the Twins in their minor league system.

Minnesota Twins

After two years in the minors, Kirby was called up to the Twins in 1984. That season, he batted .296 with 165 hits in 128 games.

Puckett had a good 1985 season, with career highs in games played (161), triples (13), and stolen bases (21). He batted .288 with 199 hits, 29 doubles, and 74 RBIs. He walked 41 times and struck out 87 times. A good defensive player, he led AL center fielders in putouts with 466.

Pucket again played in a career high 161 games in 1986. He had 223 hits, 37 doubles, a career high 31 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 96 RBIs, and a .328 batting average. He won his first of six Silver Slugger awards and his first of six Gold Gloves in 1986.

Puckett won his second Silver Slugger award in 1987, and he led the AL in hits with 207. He batted .332 with 32 doubles, 28 home runs, and 99 RBIs. He also won his second Gold Glove that year. The following season, he won another Silver Slugger award and he again led the league in hits. In 1988, he had career highs in hits (234), RBIs (121), and batting average (.356). He played in 158 games and he had 42 doubles and 24 home runs. He also had an excellent year defensively, winning Gold Glove number three and leading AL center fielders in putouts with 453.

In 1989, Puckett won the American League batting title and a fourth Silver Slugger award, and he once more led the league in hits. He batted .339 with 215 hits, a career high 45 doubles, and 85 RBIs in 159 games. He won his fourth Gold Glove and he again led AL center fielders in putouts with 438. In 1990, he batted .298 with 164 hits, 40 doubles, and 80 RBIs in 146 games.

Puckett had another strong season in 1991, when he batted .319 in 152 games. He had 195 hits, 29 doubles, 15 home runs, and 89 RBIs. He also played well in the postseason, and he won the ALCS MVP award. In that post-season, he batted .333 with 15 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 10 RBIs in 45 at-bats in 12 games. He won his fifth Gold Glove in 1991.

Puckett won his fifth Silver Slugger award in 1992. He led the AL in hits that year with 210. He batted .329 with 38 doubles, 19 home runs, and 110 RBIs in 160 games. The following season, he batted .296 in 156 games. He finished the 1993 season with 184 hits, 39 doubles, 22 home runs, and 89 RBIs. That year, he won the All Star game MVP award and the Branch Rickey award.

Puckett won his sixth and last Silver Slugger award in 1994, and he led the AL in RBIs. It was a strike shortened season, and he finished it with 139 hits, 32 doubles, 20 home runs, 112 RBIs, and a .317 batting average in 108 games. The following season, he batted .314 in 137 games. In 1995, he had 169 hits, 39 doubles, 23 home runs, and 99 RBIs.

Puckett's career was cut short in 1996, at the age of 35, when he lost the vision in one eye from glaucoma. He was given the Roberto Clemente award in 1996.

Awards and MLB Records

  • Gold Glove (6 times)
  • Silver Slugger award (6 times)
  • ALCS MVP
  • All Star Game MVP
  • Branch Rickey award
  • Roberto Clemente award
  • Led AL in hits (4 times)

Career Statistics

Batting statistics for Puckett in 12 seasons (1984-1995) in the major leagues include:

  • 11 seasons with over 150 hits, with a high of 234 in 1988
  • 9 seasons with over 30 doubles, with a high of 45 in 1989
  • 6 seasons with 20 or more home runs, with a high of 31 in 1986
  • 3 seasons with over 100 RBIs, with a high of 121 in 1988
  • 8 seasons with a batting average over .300, with a high of .356 in 1988

Career batting statistics for Puckett include:

  • 1,783 games played
  • 2,304 hits
  • 414 doubles
  • 207 home runs
  • 134 stolen bases
  • 1,085 RBIs
  • 965 strikeouts to 450 walks
  • .318 batting average
  • .360 on-base percentage
  • .837 OPS

Career fielding statistics for Puckett as a center fielder include:

  • 1,432 games played
  • 42 errors
  • 110 assists
  • 3,853 putouts
  • .990 fielding percentage

Post Playing Years

Puckett was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001 on the first ballot with 82.1% of the vote.

Puckett died March 6, 2006, from a massive stroke, a week before his forty-sixth birthday.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Kirby Puckett
ESPN - Kirby Puckett
Baseball Reference - Kirby Puckett

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