Books and articles about Ron LeFlore

Ron LeFlore first played baseball while serving a 5-to-15-year sentence for armed robbery. The native of Detroit, who first claimed to have been born in 1952, then 1950, and finally admitted to 1948, was discovered when Tiger manager Billy Martin visited Jackson State Prison. Signed to a contract in July 1973, he made the majors a year later and was made Detroit's regular centerfielder by manager Ralph Houk to take advantage of LeFlore's blinding speed. Possibly the fastest man in baseball during his prime, he hit .316 with 93 runs and 58 stolen bases in 1976 despite a season-halting leg injury late in the year. He had a 30-game hitting streak, the longest in the AL in 27 years. He added power with 16 HR in 1977 and was the first Tiger since Al Kaline, 22 years earlier, to get more than 200 hits. LeFlore also led AL righthanded batters with a .325 average after a slow start that saw him hitting .230 at the end of May. His life story was published in Breakout, later made into the movie One in a Million.

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In his best season, 1978, he led the AL with 126 runs and 68 stolen bases, had a career-high 62 RBI despite being a leadoff batter, and hit in 27 straight games. After reaching a new personal high of 78 steals in 1979, also hitting .300 with 100 runs scored, he was sent to Montreal in a salary dispute. He led the NL with 97 steals but dropped to .257 with four HR. He retired after two part-time seasons with the White Sox. (SH)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 28, 1976: Yankees Ed Figueroa and Tippy Martinez beat the Tigers 9–5 and hold Ron LeFlore hitless for the first time since April 17th. LeFlore had hit safely in 30 straight games, tying the 3rd longest streak in club history. » August 22, 1978: Ron LeFlore swipes his 27th consecutive base as Detroit beats the Twins 7–3. He began the streak on July 16th. » December 7, 1979: The Cardinals trade OF Jerry Mumphrey and P John Denny to the Indians for OF Bobby Bonds. The Tigers swap OF Ron LeFlore to the Expos for P Dan Schatzeder. » July 28, 1980: At Montreal, the Expos beat the Reds, 5–4, with Fred Norman getting the win over Mario Soto. Ron LeFlore of the Expos steals his 62nd base in the 7th inning and the Montreal scoreboard notes that the first SB was 115 years earlier. As LeFlore stands off base reading the message, he is tagged out. » September 11, 1980: In a 6–5 win over the Cubs, Montreal's Ron LeFlore steals his 91st base of the season and Rodney Scott steals his 58th, breaking the major-league record for stolen bases by teammates in one season. Lou Brock and Bake McBride set the record with the 1974 Cardinals. » September 18, 1980: Willie Wilson steals 2B and 3B in the 2nd inning of Kansas City's 5–2 win over the Angels, giving him an American League-record 28 consecutive stolen bases without being caught. Ron LeFlore had set the previous record in 1978. » November 26, 1980: Outfielder Ron LeFlore, who hit .257 with 97 stolen bases for the Expos last season, signs as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox. » April 11, 1982: At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees finally open with a 7–6 loss to Chicago in 12 innings, then drop a 2–0 nitecap. The grounds crew is feted because of their efforts in getting the snow-covered field ready, and grounds crew chief Esposito tosses out the first ball. Jerry Koosman and Ron Guidry are the starters but Koosman gives up six runs in five 2/3 inning and Guidry four runs in four innings to earn showers. Goose Gossage, the last of four pitchers, gives up a leadoff triple to Bill Almon in the 12th and Ron LeFlore drives him home with one of his three hits on the day. Kevin Hickey wins with an inning of relief.