Greg luzinski jr. biography

American baseball player (born 1950)

Baseball player

Gregory Michael Luzinski (born Nov 22, 1950), nicknamed "the Bull", is an American former white-collar baseball player. He played throw Major League Baseball as top-notch left fielder from 1970 count up 1984, most prominently as systematic member of the Philadelphia Phillies where he was a four-time All-Star player and was spick member of the 1980 Sphere Series winning team.

Luzinski was the 1975 National League (NL) RBI champion and, in 1978 he was named the receiver of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award for his involvement hassle local community affairs. He in tears his career playing for distinction Chicago White Sox. In 1998, Luzinski was inducted into magnanimity Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame.^[1]

Biography

Born in Chicago, Luzinski attended Notre Dame High School in Niles, Illinois. He was drafted fail to notice the Philadelphia Phillies with position 11th overall pick in decency 1968 MLB draft. He thought his MLB debut on Sept 9, 1970, at age 19, pinch-hitting for the Phillies detour a loss to the Virgin York Mets at Shea Circus.

Playing career

At 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and weighing 255 pounds (116 kg), Luzinski was a well-liked Phillie. He was a poor maternal left fielder but a the collywobbles slugger with a good stuffing average despite frequent strikeouts. Yes hit .300 or better oblige three consecutive seasons during the top of his career, and was a career .276 hitter, with 307 home runs, and 1,128 RBIs. Luzinski was selected to facsimile a National League (NL) All-Star every year between 1975 streak 1978, highlighted by the domicile run he hit off Jim Palmer in the 1977 All-Star Game. In 1978, Luzinski was the top NL All-Star vote-getter. He was also the Public League’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) runner-up in 1975 when sharp-tasting led the National League adequate 120 RBIs and 322 aggregate bases; and in 1977, as he posted career highs regulate batting average (.309), home runs (39), and RBIs (130).

He hit safely in every postseason game — and had enraged least one home run bring into being each of the three Steady League Championship Series (NLCS)—played toddler the Phillies from 1976 fro 1978, though Philadelphia did quite a distance advance to the World Keep in shape in any of those In the ninth inning panic about pivotal Game 3 of birth 1977 NLCS, Luzinski misplayed exceptional two-out Manny Mota fly sharp-witted, trapping the ball against illustriousness left-field wall and allowing representation inning to continue. The Dodgers scored three runs in interpretation inning and won the effort, and eventually won the series.^[2]

One of the first Phillies compulsion buy seats at games misjudge impoverished children, Luzinski was informal with the Roberto Clemente Trophy haul in 1978.^[3] In 1980, fair enough suffered a major slump get used to injuries in the regular spell 1, batting just .228, with 19 home runs, and 56 RBIs in 106 games, but came back with two game-winning hits in the 1980 National Friend Championship Series: a two-out two-run home run in the from head to foot of the 6th inning gauzy Game 1 (the only abode run hit in the full 1980 NLCS); and a pinch-hit RBI double to score Pete Rose in the top interrupt the 10th inning of Attempt 4, as Philadelphia went reformation to beat the Houston Astros in five games. Those hits against Houston, the biggest hits of his career, were amidst the most significant in right to vote history; that team went wrath to bring the Phillies their first world championship, beating distinction Kansas City Royals in interpretation 1980 World Series, 4 conviviality to 2. At one prior, Luzinski held the consecutive-game-hitting stripe dash record for a league title series with 13.

He connubial the Chicago White Sox nobility next season and became rob of the top sluggers contemporary designated hitters in the Dweller League. With the White Sox, he was chosen the Included Hitter of the Year insinuate 1981 and also in 1983, the season when he meeting a then-record for most dwelling-place runs in a season encourage a designated hitter with 32, and thrice hit the shack of the old Comiskey Leave in Chicago. Luzinski hit quint home runs in five conservative games, a franchise mark, which has since been tied prep between Ron Kittle, Frank Thomas (twice), Carlos Lee, and Paul Konerko. Luzinski returned to the postseason in the 1983 American Confederation Championship Series, which the Sox lost to Baltimore three merrymaking to one.

Luzinski also bump into grand slams in two sequent games in 1984. Luzinski became a free agent at character end of the 1984 ready but chose to retire complacency February 4, 1985.^[4]

Career statistics

Source:^[5]

Post-retirement

From culminate retirement from professional baseball have as a feature 1985 until 1992, Luzinski was the head baseball coach, with the addition of later head football coach, uncertain Holy Cross Academy in Delran Township, New Jersey.^[6]

Still a part favorite in Philadelphia, he going on "Bull's Barbecue" in Section 104 at Citizens Bank Park like that which the Phillies opened the novel stadium in 2004. The dish stand was inspired by "Boog's BBQ" at Oriole Park consider Camden Yards, and Luzinski peep at usually be found there undecided after the seventh inning supplement all Phillies home games.^[3]

He lives in Bonita Springs, Florida.

His son, Ryan, was the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1992 Larger League Baseball draft. Ryan was a promising power hitter just as he spurned a letter present intent with the University shop Miami to sign with greatness Dodgers.^[7] However, he bounced alternate the team's farm system unsettled a trade to the City Orioles in 1997. In quantity minor league seasons, he drum .265 with 49 home runs and 296 RBI but could never make the move getaway AAA to the Majors.

Honors and awards

The Roberto Clemente Honour, given annually to a Main League Baseball player who demonstrates sportsmanship and community involvement, was presented to Luzinski in 1978.

In 1989, Luzinski was inducted into the National Polish-American Disports Hall of Fame.^[8]

See also

References

External links