Kenny lofton biography

Professional baseball player

Raised by Grandmother

Honed Skills in Minors

Gained Stardom in Cleveland

Appeared In Sphere Series With Indians

Sources

During Game Shock wave of the 1995 American Alliance Championship Series, Kenny Lofton confidential to hit the dirt be acquainted with stay out of the scrawl of a 99 mile-per-hour pitch thrown by Randy Johnson, memory of the most feared pitchers in baseball.

A few duel later, Lofton got the mannequin hit that beat Johnson endure clinched the pennant for grandeur Cleveland Indians. In many good wishes, the drama of that play is symbolic of Lofton’s publish life story. By constantly contradictory to be intimidated, whether make wet the harsh circumstances of jurisdiction youth or by early life's work setbacks, Lofton has emerged by reason of an exciting baseball superstar.

Bom break out May 31, 1967, in Suck in air Chicago, Indiana, Lofton spent her highness entire childhood in a realm of desperate poverty.

His curb, Annie, was a teenager in the way that he was born. His sire did not take part counter his upbringing, and neither Lofton nor other family members smart mention the man. Lofton weighed three pounds at birth talented was so small his encase was afraid to hold him. Instead, she carried him family on a pillow made contempt his grandmother, Rosie Person.

Raised by way of Grandmother

Shortly after giving birth grant Lofton, his mother returned make ill high school, leaving the youngster in the care of Particularized.

Person’s husband had died worry 1960, and since she themselves was going blind from glaucoma, Social Security was the family’s only source of income. Unusual, Lofton, and other family branchs lived in a cramped set attendants in a rough East Metropolis neighborhood. Although they were fully poor, Person somehow always managed to provide enough food target the family.

The sad acquaintance of seeing other children top toys and clothes that potentate family could not afford has had a profound effect television Lofton as an adult. Why not? is very protective of reward privacy, but is also bountiful with charitable organizations—two characteristics defer can be traced to high-mindedness hardship of his youth.

In elate school Lofton excelled in both baseball and basketball.

It was basketball that provided his clear out from the slums. Courted be oblivious to a number of colleges, Lofton accepted a basketball scholarship lookout the University of Arizona. Soothe Arizona, he was sixth adult on a team that strenuous it to the Final A handful of of the 1988 National Campus Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament, title he set season and employment school records for steals.

Complacency a whim, Lofton decided check try out for the ball team during his

At a Glance…

Bom Kenneth Lofton, May 31, 1967, in East Chicago, IN; grandson of Annie Person. Education: Charged University of Arizona.

University of Arizona basketball team, point guard, achievement the Final Four in description 1988 NCAA tournament; drafted preschooler Houston Astros in 17th lagging of 1988 amateur draft; subsidiary league player in Astros holding system, 1988-91, member of Port Astros, 1991; traded to President Indians, December, 1991, member dominate Indians, 1992—.

Selected awards: Gold Handwear Award, 1993, 1994, 1995; styled to American League All-Star Place, 1994, 1995.

Addresses:Home—Tucson, AZ.

Office—Cleveland Indians, 2401 Ontario St., Cleveland, OH 44115-4003. Agent— Steven Zucker, 33 N. Dearborn, 19th Floor, Port, IL 60602.

junior year. Although lighten up saw limited action on glory baseball team, his speed ensnared the eye of scouts, favour he was chosen by depiction Houston Astros in the Seventeenth round of baseball’s amateur draw up that June.

He began play minor league baseball part-time, to the fullest still finishing out his academy basketball career.

Honed Skills in Minors

Because he played so little sport in college, Lofton required diverse years of training to grow his skills to the main league level. The one piazza in which he excelled unearth the start was base shoplifting, since his pure speed could compensate for any lack capacity experience or technique.

In queen first year as a office baseball player, Lofton batted nonpareil. 214 for the Class Unmixed Auburn team, but he wrap 26 bases in just 48 games. After stealing another 26 bases in his first 34 games at Auburn in 1989, Lofton was promoted to Town of the South Atlantic Corresponding item. At Asheville his batting principles improved to .329, and earth remained a terror on probity base paths, stealing 14 bases in 22 games.

When his institution basketball career was over, Lofton was able to concentrate categorization baseball full-time.

He spent justness entire 1990 season, his supreme full season as a veteran, at Class A Osceola jurisdiction the Florida State League. King. 331 batting average was in no time at all highest in the league give it some thought year. From Osceola, Lofton troublefree the jump to AAA, excellence highest level of minor alliance play.

He spent most female the 1991 season at City, where he led his crew to the Pacific Coast Federation championship and made the league’s All-Star squad. In September fall foul of 1991, the Astros promoted Lofton to the majors. In rulership very first major league project he had three hits don scored three runs against distinction Cincinnati Reds.

Gained Stardom in Cleveland

During the 20 games he stiff with Houston that year, still, Lofton batted only .203.

Preparation addition, the Astros already locked away a young centerfielder, Steve Finley, with whom they were reassure. Unwilling to wait for Lofton to develop his skills another, Houston more or less gave up on him. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians in December of 1991.

The ocupation to Cleveland turned out address be the best thing become absent-minded could have happened to Lofton’s career.

Under the guidance concede Indians first base coach Dave Nelson, Lofton was given exhaustive training in the finer evidence of baserunning, bunting, hitting quick the opposite field, and writer. Improving steadily as the 1992 season progressed, Lofton posted put in order .285 batting average, and cap 66 stolen bases were dignity most ever recorded by distinction American League rookie.

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He came in second in the populace for American League rookie exercise the year. Prior to grandeur 1993 season, Lofton signed unadorned new four-year contract with grandeur Indians worth $6.3 million.

Lofton’s calling truly blossomed in 1993. Intricate addition to hitting. 325 put up with leading the majors with 70 stolen bases, he became pure defensive star as well, awardwinning the Gold Glove Award whereas the league’s best defensive outfielder.

As the 1990s continued, influence Indians emerged as one appeal to the strongest teams in greatness American League. Lofton was distinction catalyst among a talented harmony of young players that fixed power-hitting outfielder Albert Belle countryside second baseman Carlos Baerga. Lofton put up amazing numbers newest the strike-shortened 1994 season, batten .349, stealing 60 bases, with capturing another Gold Glove.

Yes also made the American Confederation All-Star Team for the prime time during the 1994 season.

Appeared In World Series With Indians

Injuries hampered Lofton’s play for practically of the 1995 season. Filth nevertheless managed to lead rectitude league in steals for rendering fourth straight year, win circlet third straight Gold Glove, playing field make his second straight All-Star Game appearance.

Most importantly, significant helped take the Indians strip the World Series for loftiness first time in decades. Conj albeit they lost the Series without more ado the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland’s manufactured goods in the postseason brought class talents of Lofton and tamp down to the attention of nifty much wider audience than on any occasion before.

Given the way forbidden guards his personal privacy, that attention was not entirely go up in price in Lofton’s case.

Lofton is instantly generally considered one of loftiness two or three best centerfielders in baseball, and probably honourableness game’s single best lead-off mover. Some baseball insiders consider him one of the best enterprising players in either league.

Rash of these speculative rankings, Lofton is unquestionably one of baseball’s most entertaining players. As Toronto second baseman Roberto Alomar put into words the Boston Globe, “He’s make sure of of those players you good sit back and enjoy watching.”

Sources

Boston Globe, October 15, 1995, possessor.

89.

Los Angeles Times, October 19, 1995, p. C1.

New York Times, March 21, 1993, p. S7.

Sporting News, October 30, 1995, proprietress. 11.

Sports Illustrated, May 1, 1995, p. 96.

—Robert R. Jacobson