Tommy Harper Marquee

b. October 14, 1940 · Cincinnati Reds 1962–1967, Cleveland Indians 1968, Seattle Pilots 1969, Milwaukee Brewers 1970–1971, Boston Red Sox 1972–1974, California Angels 1975, Oakland Athletics 1975, Baltimore Orioles 1976

He stole 73 bases in 1969 for the Pilots, the only season that club existed, leading the American League. The following year, with the same franchise relocated to Milwaukee, he hit 31 home runs and stole 38 — one of very few 30-30 seasons then — and he led the league in runs in 1965 with 126.

Fifteen seasons gave him 1,609 hits, 146 home runs, 408 stolen bases, 753 walks and a .257 average, with one All-Star selection.

In 1985, as a Red Sox coach, he told a reporter that the club's spring-training arrangement included passes to an Elks Club in Winter Haven that admitted white players only, and that he had complained for years. Boston did not renew him. He filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, won it, and was hired back by the club in 2000. The 1982 ballot gave him no votes at all.

Honors

Award	Times	Years
All-Star selection	1	1970

Batting, season by season

Year	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG
1962	CIN	6	23	1	4	0	0	0	1	2	6	1	.174
1963	CIN	129	408	67	106	12	3	10	37	44	72	12	.260
1964	CIN	102	317	42	77	5	2	4	22	39	56	24	.243
1965	CIN	159	646	126	166	28	3	18	64	78	127	35	.257
1966	CIN	149	553	85	154	22	5	5	31	57	85	29	.278
1967	CIN	103	365	55	82	17	3	7	22	43	51	23	.225
1968	CLE	130	235	26	51	15	2	6	26	26	56	11	.217
1969	SEP	148	537	78	126	10	2	9	41	95	90	73	.235
1970	MIL	154	604	104	179	35	4	31	82	77	107	38	.296
1971	MIL	152	585	79	151	26	3	14	52	65	92	25	.258
1972	BOS	144	556	92	141	29	2	14	49	67	104	25	.254
1973	BOS	147	566	92	159	23	3	17	71	61	93	54	.281
1974	BOS	118	443	66	105	15	3	5	24	46	65	28	.237
1975	CAL/OAK	123	354	51	90	14	1	5	38	43	60	26	.254
1976	BAL	46	77	8	18	5	0	1	7	10	16	4	.234
Career	—	1810	6269	972	1609	256	36	146	567	753	1080	408	.257

On this day & linked events

1940

Born October 14, 1940

Oak Grove, LA, USA

1962

Major-league debut: Tommy Harper

Tommy Harper made a major-league debut on April 9, 1962.

1976

Final major-league game: Tommy Harper

Tommy Harper played a final major-league game on September 29, 1976.

Image: Unknown author Unknown, public domain