An excellent line-drive hitter, the Canadian-born Puhl was signed by the Astros as a free agent in 1973. He hit .301 in 60 games as a rookie in 1977, and in 1978 was the lone Astro All-Star, hitting .289 with 32 stolen bases as Houston's left fielder. He started for the Astros through 1984, averaging over 20 steals a year, rarely striking out, and providing sure-handed defense.
A severe hamstring pull in 1985 and an ankle injury in 1986 curtailed his playing time. After 1984 he had only one more season of double-figure steals. In 1987 Puhl emerged as the Astros' best lefthanded pinch hitter, and in 1988, playing in 113 games, he hit a career-high .303.
RELATED LINKS
Around the Web
» Terry Puhl from baseball-reference.com
At the turn of the century, Puhl stood sixth on the Astros' all-time hits list, third in games, sixth in runs, fifth in stolen bases, and fourth in triples. His .526 batting average in the 1980 NLCS set a record for a five-game series that stood until Will Clark hit .650 in 1989. (SCL/JT)
Contribute your recollections of Terry Puhl by clicking here.
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 6, 1978: In a rain-delayed season opener in Cincinnati, Houston's Terry Puhl leads off with a homer against Tom Seaver, who allows five runs in three innings. But led by Joe Morgan's pair of two-run doubles and a homer, the Reds prevail, 11–9. In the bottom of the 7th, with Morgan on 3B and George Foster on 1B, Dan Driessen strikes out and Foster is caught stealing 2B, Ferguson to Roger Metzger. Morgan tries to score on the play and is thrown out on the return. According to Retrosheet, this is apparently the first triple play begun with a strikeout. In 1982, the Twins will start a triple play with a strikeout.
»April 16, 1983: Montreal's Charlie Lea pitches the ML's 2nd one-hitter in as many days, shutting out the Astros 2–0. The only Houston hit is Terry Puhl's pinch single with two out in the 8th inning.
»June 13, 1989:
Houston's Terry Puhl plays in his 1,403rd ML game, a 3–2 loss to the Dodgers, to break Jack Graney's record for Canadian–born players.
BALLPLAYERS | TEAMS | CHRONOLOGY | TODAY | BOOKS | NEWSLETTER | ERRATA | FAQ
