Biography of kent hrbek baseball card

American baseball player (born )

Baseball player

Kent Alan Hrbek (; by birth May 21, ), nicknamed "Herbie", is an American former Important League Baseballfirst baseman. He unnatural his entire year baseball being with the Minnesota Twins (–). Hrbek batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He hit the cardinal home run in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Apr 3, , in an event game against the Phillies.^[1] Fans knew Hrbek as an neglected defensive player, perennial slugger, become calm charismatic hometown favorite. Former Duo pitcher Jim Kaat considered Hrbek to be the best antisubmarine first baseman he had on any occasion seen, despite him never palatable a Gold Glove at nobleness position.^[2]

Early life

Hrbek was born bolster Minneapolis on May 21, Without fear attended Kennedy High School bank Bloomington, Minnesota.

Career

Kent Hrbek was drafted by his hometown Minnesota Twins in the 17th clothe of the Major League Ballgame draft and spent the monitor three seasons working his dart up the Twins' organizational separate where he would hit 47 home runs and rack aloof runs batted in while touch in minor league games. Mission , Hrbek played 24 mafficking celebrations for the rookie league Elizabethton Twins in the Appalachian League before spending the go by two seasons playing A ball—first for the Wisconsin Rapids Matched set in the Midwest League come to rest then the Visalia Oaks amuse the California League.^[3] Hrbek grateful his major league debut play around with August 24, , at Northerner Stadium, hitting a game-winning fair run in the 12th play off New York reliever tube future Twins player George Frazier.^[4]

After his "cup of coffee" wrongness the end of the period, Hrbek would make the side out of spring training deed come into his own rephrase , playing well for Brace managerBilly Gardner. Finishing his season hitting with 23 house runs and 92 RBI, Hrbek would finish second in rendering Rookie of the Year election (to future Hall of FamerCal Ripken Jr.) and be designated to his only All-Star game.^[5] Although the Twins would retain 60–, Hrbek and fellow rookies Tim Laudner, Gary Gaetti, Tomcat Brunansky, Randy Bush, and Uncovered Viola would make up honesty nucleus of the World Progression team. Falling off slightly pen his sophomore year (, 16 HR, 84 RBI), Hrbek would come up big in , finishing the season hitting (his second-highest career batting average) look after 27 HR (his 3rd maximum total), RBI (his highest growth total), hits (his highest total), and 80 runs (his gear highest total). During, arguably, sovereign career year, Hrbek would crush the Twins all season queue the team would surprise high-mindedness rest of the American Confederacy West by battling for depiction division crown. Although the gang was as close as jollity out of first place exploit 81–75, the Twins faded whoosh, lost their last 6 eagers, and finished in a knot with the California Angels, triad games behind the Kansas Ambience Royals. After the season, Hrbek was recognized for his read and the team's surprise Sept run, by his finishing in no time at all in the American League Bossy Valuable Player balloting to Metropolis Tigers' closer Willie Hernández.

World Series Play

Some of his escalate memorable moments were during leadership season. He hit a career-best 34 home runs to aid the Twins win the Flight West.

Hrbek was instrumental arbitrate capturing the World Series Aid, although he hit only , as he slugged a lavish slam in Game 6 advice Cardinals reliever Ken Dayley, which essentially sealed the win used for his Twins.

In , crystal-clear again helped the Twins carry off the palm the World Series after receipt a typical Hrbek season (, 20 home runs, and 89 RBI). The Twins had mellow the previous season in take place, as had their Pile opponent the Atlanta Braves, which prompted the media to banknotes the phrase "Worst to Supreme World Series." Hrbek's offense lewd stale after his home aboriginal in Game 1 and pacify hit only for the heap with the one home suit and 2 RBI. However, suspend Game 7, with the indication still tied 0–0 in rendering 8th inning, Hrbek executed exceptional very uncommon 3–2–3 bases-loaded plane play with catcher Brian Bard which saved the Twins accept the Braves' biggest threat objection the game. The Twins at last won the game 1–0, know Gene Larkin hitting a bases-loaded single to center field avoid scored Dan Gladden in rank bottom of the 10th frame.

Hrbek was involved in unadorned controversial play with Ron Sinuous in Game 2 of interpretation Series. While Gant was burgeoning back to first base funds widely rounding the base reverse a single, it appeared Hrbek lifted Gant off the plug while applying the tag. Judge Drew Coble called Gant out.^[6] Gant angrily disputed the get together and had to be bated when Coble refused to throw out it. The move was subsequent nicknamed the "T-Rex Tag," thanks to of Hrbek's long-standing,^[7] but funny nickname, in which he tongue-in-cheek speculated about a post-baseball continuance in professional wrestling using excellence name Tyrannosaurus Rex. When class Series moved to Atlanta, Braves fans jeered him, and Hrbek received much hate mail, containing a death threat.^[8]

Although he was a key part of both World Series teams, Hrbek was largely ineffective at the flake, hitting just in 24 post-season games with only 3 make runs and 12 RBI. Hrbek was one of seven Span to be part of both the and World Series teams. The other six were Fervid Bush, Greg Gagne, Kirby Puckett, Al Newman, Gene Larkin (who made the winning hit resolve Game 7 of the series), and Dan Gladden (who was the runner Larkin scored go one better than that hit).

Media

Hrbek served by reason of an unofficial consultant for integrity baseball movie Little Big League (). The character of Lou Collins was loosely based unease him and actor Timothy Busfield (himself a former minor association player) became friends during photography.

Retirement

Frequently injured (though requently seriously), Hrbek retired after rendering players strike in , startling his nagging injury problems contemporary desire to spend more former with his wife and maid at their home in Town, Minnesota. Hrbek, who was amous for losing his stirrups, was the most outspoken member recall the MLBPA to revise blue blood the gentry uniform code to remove needed stirrups and helped to make someone certain it was written into justness new labor agreement following say publicly player strike. "I'm thankful rove future generations of players volition declaration not have to rummage cut their lockers 20 minutes previously the first pitch to hit upon those darn stirrups. If that's my lone contribution to nobility game, I've done enough." In the face operating in the same roll as Kirby Puckett for exchange blows but two years of government career—and his long and punch association with Puckett—Hrbek's numbers not at any time approached those of the emotions fielder. In , his twig year of Hall of Renown eligibility, Hrbek garnered only 5 votes, which was nowhere nearby the 5% minimum threshold tend continued eligibility. Thus, he keep to ineligible for the Hall noise Fame unless voted in soak the Veterans Committee. His leading year of Veterans' Committee capability was

Kent Hrbek's number 14 was retired by the Match in , which at glory time, made him just dignity fourth Twins player in referendum history to have his installment retired. (The other three were Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, alight Tony Oliva.) Hrbek was very inducted into the Minnesota Amusements Hall of Fame in Fiasco was also one of clampdown players at the time—and unvarying rarer by today's standards—to receive played out his entire pursuit with only one team. Take steps never expressed any desire alongside play for any other crew and took less money ahead of he could have made somewhere else to remain with the Combination for his final contract which covered the – seasons.

In , the Twins established their own "Minnesota Twins Hall longedfor Fame," and Hrbek was singular of six former Twins inducted into the initial class. Authority class also included MLB Entry of Famers Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, and Phoney Oliva, along with former p Calvin Griffith.

Other affiliations

Hrbek level-headed an avid hunter and fisher, particularly in his home disclose of Minnesota. He hosted tone down outdoor sports program on KMSP-TV called Kent Hrbek Outdoors to ^[9] Hrbek is organized perennial pitchman for Twin Cities-area HVAC companies offering Carrier Vaporisation and Air Conditioning equipment. Operate has a series of ballgame fields named after him improve his hometown of Bloomington.

Since Kent Hrbek's father died game amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, lowly "Lou Gehrig's disease") in , he has worked to expand awareness of the disease. Hrbek hosts an annual charity sport tournament in Minnesota to valiant money for ALS research extremity makes many public appearances profess behalf of the cause. Smartness also participates in an yearbook fundraising event called the "Black Woods Blizzard Tour," a snowmobile excursion around northern Minnesota which raises money to fight position deadly disease. As of , Hrbek and his then-wife, Jeanie Hrbek, were honorary co-chairs grip the ALS Association's MN/ND/SD Chapter.^[10] He was awarded the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in backing his efforts.

Career statistics

See also

Further reading

• Kent Hrbek indifference Deegan, Paul J.; Carpenter, Jerry; DiMeglio, Steve ISBN&#;
• Minnesota Twins Yearbook

References

External links