Larry Bowa, baseball player, 1970-1985

Larry Bowa

Born: 12/6/1945 in Sacramento, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1970-04-07 | Final Game: 1985-10-06

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 155 lbs

Full name: Lawrence Robert Bowa

Biography

Larry Bowa, born in 1945, was a prominent figure in Major League Baseball, celebrated for his contributions as a position player from 1970 to 1985. Over the course of his career, Bowa played in 2,247 games, amassing 2,191 hits and demonstrating a keen ability to get on base with a batting average of .260. A dynamic presence on the field, he showcased his speed and agility with 318 stolen bases, while also contributing 15 home runs and 525 runs batted in. Bowa's exceptional defensive skills earned him five All-Star selections, highlighting his status as one of the premier shortstops of his era. Bowa's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, characterized by the increasing importance of speed and defense. He was known for his tenacious playing style and leadership qualities, which helped shape the teams he played for, particularly the Philadelphia Phillies, where he spent the majority of his career. His contributions were instrumental in the Phillies' rise during the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in their 1980 World Series championship. Larry Bowa's legacy endures not only through his statistics but also through the impact he had on the game and the players who followed in his footsteps.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
2247 8418 987 2191 262 99 15 525 318 474 569 0.260 0.300 0.320 0.620 -19913.1

Season-by-Season Batting

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
32 118 11 30 4 0 0 6 9 5 0.254

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1984 NLCS CHN 5 15 1 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0.200
1981 NEDIV PHI 5 17 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.176
1980 WS PHI 6 24 3 9 1 0 0 2 0 0 0.375
1980 NLCS PHI 5 19 2 6 0 0 0 0 3 3 0.316
1978 NLCS PHI 4 18 2 6 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.333
1977 NLCS PHI 4 17 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0.118
1976 NLCS PHI 3 8 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 0.125

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 5 3 9 7 0 2
SS 2222 2181 3314 6857 211 1265

Season-by-Season Fielding

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 5
Shortstop 2222

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1982 Player of the Week Week of 1982-06-25
1978 Gold Glove SS
1978 TSN All-Star SS
1975 Player of the Week Week of 1975-05-16
1975 TSN All-Star SS
1972 Gold Glove SS

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1985 NYN NL $525,000
Total Career Earnings $525,000

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Sacramento City College Sacramento CA 1964, 1965

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1978 Most Valuable Player NL 3rd 189.0 336 3
1977 Most Valuable Player NL 25th 1.0 336 0
1976 Most Valuable Player NL 29th 1.0 336 0
1975 Most Valuable Player NL 22th 3.0 336 0
1970 Rookie of the Year NL 3rd 3.0 24 3