Larry Herndon

Larry Darnell Herndon (born November 3, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals (1974), San Francisco Giants (1976–1981), and Detroit Tigers (1982–1988). Currently, Herndon serves as a coach for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

He won the 1981 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership.^[1]

Career

Herndon was originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft. During his first minor league season on the 1971 Gulf Coast League Cardinals, his fellow rookie and roommate was Randy Poffo, who would later go on to be known as wrestler Randy Savage.^[2]

By hitting a home run in his final at bat on May 17, 1982 and his first three at bats on May 18, 1982, Herndon shares the major-league record for home runs hit in consecutive at bats (four).

Herndon was particularly known for his time with the Tigers. He hit a two-out, two-run home run in Game 1 of the 1984 World Series against the San Diego Padres that proved to be the game winner, and also caught the final out of the Series—a fly ball to left field off the bat of Padres star Tony Gwynn. Three years later, Herndon hit a solo home run on the final day of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the only run in a 1–0 Detroit victory over the Blue Jays that clinched the American League East division title by two games. Herndon retired with the Tigers and served as the team's major league hitting coach.

His nickname by team mates was referred to as "Hondo"

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Winter League)