Dick Green
Encyclopedia
Richard Larry Green is a former Major League Baseball
player.
He was raised in Rapid City, S.D., where his ability as a baseball player was first noted.
Green, a right-handed player who also batted right, was a second baseman
with the Kansas City Athletics from to and with the Oakland Athletics
from to .
. 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 10 hits
, including his first major league home run
.
In , his first full year in Major League Baseball
, Green played 130 games, with 115 hits
, 11 of them being home runs and posted a .264 batting average
. He also committed just six errors at second base and finished the season with a .990 fielding percentage
. The following season, Green finished with a batting average
of .232 and 110 hits
in 133 games.
In , Green improved, hitting .250, slapping in 127 hits
in 140 games, and also knocked in 62 runs. However, Green struggled the following season. With 69 hits
in 122 games, Green coupled his .198 batting average
with a 5 home runs and 37 RBIs.
After the season, the Kansas City Athletics franchise moved to Oakland. Green posted better numbers the following two seasons with the Oakland Athletics
and had a career year in when he finished the season with a .275 average
, 12 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 61 runs scored
.
Green was a member of the 1972-1974 World Series
championship Oakland Athletics
team, and won the Babe Ruth Award
for his performance in the 1974 World Series
. Green won the award for his fielding, despite not getting a single hit during the World Series. Green tied a World Series record in game three by starting three double play
s in one game. He started the first two by catching line drive
s, and the third was a ground ball double play to end the game. In game four, Green also started a game ending double play. In the eighth inning of the clinching game five, Green made a perfect relay throw to get Bill Buckner
, representing the tying run, out at third base. Overall for the six double plays Green participated in during 1974 World Series tied the record for most defensive double plays in a five game series.
Before the season, Green was released by the Oakland Athletics
, thus ending his 12-year career in the majors. Green finished his career with a .240 lifetime batting average
, 960 hits
, 80 home runs, 422 RBIs and 427 runs scored
.
On September 19, 2009, Mark Ellis
passed Green for the franchise record for homers by a second basemanwith his 77th home run playing second base for the A's.
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...
player.
He was raised in Rapid City, S.D., where his ability as a baseball player was first noted.
Green, a right-handed player who also batted right, was a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
with the Kansas City Athletics from to and with the 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....
from to .
Professional career
Green did not attend college, and was signed by the Kansas City Athletics before the season as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. 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 10 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, including his first major league home run
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...
.
In , his first full year in 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...
, Green played 130 games, with 115 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 11 of them being home runs and posted a .264 batting average
Batting 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 :...
. He also committed just six errors at second base and finished the season with a .990 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. The following season, Green finished with a batting average
Batting 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 :...
of .232 and 110 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 133 games.
In , Green improved, hitting .250, slapping in 127 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 140 games, and also knocked in 62 runs. However, Green struggled the following season. With 69 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 122 games, Green coupled his .198 batting average
Batting 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 :...
with a 5 home runs and 37 RBIs.
After the season, the Kansas City Athletics franchise moved to Oakland. Green posted better numbers the following two seasons with the 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....
and had a career year in when he finished the season with a .275 average
Batting 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 :...
, 12 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 61 runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
.
Green was a member of the 1972-1974 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...
championship 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....
team, and won the Babe Ruth Award
Babe Ruth Award
The Babe Ruth Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. The award, created by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America in honor of Babe Ruth, was first awarded in 1949 to the MVP of the World Series, one...
for his performance in the 1974 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...
. Green won the award for his fielding, despite not getting a single hit during the World Series. Green tied a World Series record in game three by starting three double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s in one game. He started the first two by catching line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
s, and the third was a ground ball double play to end the game. In game four, Green also started a game ending double play. In the eighth inning of the clinching game five, Green made a perfect relay throw to get Bill Buckner
Bill Buckner
William Joseph Buckner is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in , representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6...
, representing the tying run, out at third base. Overall for the six double plays Green participated in during 1974 World Series tied the record for most defensive double plays in a five game series.
Before the season, Green was released by the 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....
, thus ending his 12-year career in the majors. Green finished his career with a .240 lifetime batting average
Batting 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 :...
, 960 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 80 home runs, 422 RBIs and 427 runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
.
On September 19, 2009, Mark Ellis
Mark Ellis
Mark Ellis is the name of:* Mark Ellis , Canadian actor* Mark Ellis , Major League Baseball player* Mark Ellis , English footballer who played for Bradford City...
passed Green for the franchise record for homers by a second basemanwith his 77th home run playing second base for the A's.
Trivia
- led Florida State LeagueFlorida State LeagueThe Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
shortstops with a .933 fielding percentageFielding percentageIn baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
while playing for the Sanford Greyhounds in 1960 - led Northwest LeagueNorthwest LeagueThe Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
third basemen with 25 double plays while playing for the Lewiston Broncs in 1961 - was the first strikeout victim of Seattle PilotsMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
right-hander Dick BatesDick BatesCharles Richard Bates is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was signed by the Kansas City Athletics before the season. After that, Bates also spent time in the Washington Senators organization, and was later drafted by the Seattle Pilots from the Senators as the...
{Sick's StadiumSick's StadiumSick's Stadium, also known as Sick's Seattle Stadium and later as Sicks' Stadium, was a baseball stadium located in Seattle, Washington's Rainier Valley at the corner of S. McClellan Street and Rainier Avenue S. The site was previously the location of Dugdale Park, a 1913 ballpark that was the home...
-- April 27, 1969}