Gary Ward
Born: 12/6/1953 in Los Angeles, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1979-09-03 | Final Game: 1990-10-03
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Gary Lamell Ward
Biography
Gary Ward was a professional baseball player born in 1953, whose career spanned from 1979 to 1990. A versatile position player, he appeared in 1,287 games and made a significant impact during his time in Major League Baseball. Known for his solid batting skills, Ward finished his career with 1,236 hits and a batting average of .276. He demonstrated power at the plate with 130 home runs and drove in 597 runs, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively to his teams. In addition to his offensive prowess, Ward exhibited speed, accumulating 83 stolen bases throughout his career.
Ward was selected as an All-Star twice, reflecting his status as one of the noteworthy players of his era. He played during a transformative time in baseball, where the game began to embrace a more dynamic offensive approach, and his contributions were instrumental in the evolution of the role of the position player. His career achievements solidified him as a respected figure in baseball history, and he remains a significant part of the legacy of the teams he represented.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1287 | 4479 | 594 | 1236 | 196 | 41 | 130 | 597 | 83 | 351 | 775 | 0.276 | 0.328 | 0.425 | 0.753 | 3719.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | MIN | AL | 10 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | MIN | AL | 13 | 41 | 11 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.463 | 0.0 |
| 1981 | MIN | AL | 85 | 295 | 42 | 78 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 29 | 5 | 28 | 48 | 0.264 | -41.9 |
| 1982 | MIN | AL | 152 | 570 | 85 | 165 | 33 | 7 | 28 | 91 | 13 | 37 | 105 | 0.289 | 1893.8 |
| 1983 | MIN | AL | 157 | 623 | 76 | 173 | 34 | 5 | 19 | 88 | 8 | 44 | 98 | 0.278 | 767.5 |
| 1984 | TEX | AL | 155 | 602 | 97 | 171 | 21 | 7 | 21 | 79 | 7 | 55 | 95 | 0.284 | 1397.5 |
| 1985 | TEX | AL | 154 | 593 | 77 | 170 | 28 | 7 | 15 | 70 | 26 | 39 | 97 | 0.287 | 662.5 |
| 1986 | TEX | AL | 105 | 380 | 54 | 120 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 51 | 12 | 31 | 72 | 0.316 | 646.7 |
| 1987 | NYY | AL | 146 | 529 | 65 | 131 | 22 | 1 | 16 | 78 | 9 | 33 | 101 | 0.248 | -1157.1 |
| 1988 | NYY | AL | 91 | 231 | 26 | 52 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 41 | 0.225 | -432.3 |
| 1989 | DET | AL | 105 | 275 | 24 | 69 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 29 | 1 | 21 | 54 | 0.251 | -43.0 |
| 1989 | NYY | AL | 8 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.294 | -43.0 |
| 1990 | DET | AL | 106 | 309 | 32 | 79 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 46 | 2 | 30 | 50 | 0.256 | 25.5 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 54 | 35 | 341 | 26 | 3 | 34 |
| 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1094 | 1025 | 2436 | 81 | 41 | 21 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | MIN | OF | 5 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | MIN | OF | 12 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | MIN | OF | 80 | 73 | 185 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
| 1982 | MIN | OF | 150 | 143 | 343 | 13 | 4 | 3 |
| 1983 | MIN | OF | 152 | 152 | 374 | 24 | 9 | 6 |
| 1984 | TEX | OF | 148 | 146 | 376 | 11 | 5 | 1 |
| 1985 | TEX | OF | 153 | 151 | 304 | 11 | 10 | 2 |
| 1986 | TEX | OF | 104 | 101 | 237 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| 1987 | NYA | 1B | 15 | 13 | 118 | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| 1987 | NYA | OF | 94 | 83 | 200 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1988 | NYA | 1B | 11 | 10 | 90 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 1988 | NYA | 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | NYA | OF | 54 | 45 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | DET | 1B | 26 | 12 | 126 | 14 | 2 | 14 |
| 1989 | DET | OF | 51 | 36 | 101 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 | NYA | OF | 6 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | DET | 1B | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | DET | OF | 85 | 77 | 157 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 54 |
| Third Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 848 |
| Center Field | 181 |
| Right Field | 111 |
| Designated Hitter | 102 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Player of the Week | Week of 1985-05-24 |
| 1984 | Player of the Month | August |
| 1984 | Player of the Week | Week of 1984-08-24 |
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-09-10 |
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-07-02 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | DET | AL | $537,500 |
| 1989 | NYA | AL | $68,000 |
| 1988 | NYA | AL | $625,000 |
| 1987 | NYA | AL | $633,000 |
| 1986 | TEX | AL | $865,000 |
| 1985 | TEX | AL | $720,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $3,448,500 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 32th | 1.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1981 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 9th | 1.0 | 140 | 0 |