Jack Pierce (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Lavern Jack Pierce is a former Major League Baseball
player. He played parts of three seasons in the majors from until for the Atlanta Braves
and Detroit Tigers
. He also played for the Nankai Hawks
in Japan in . However, Pierce is better known for his exploits in minor league baseball
. As of 1998, he ranked 9th all-time in minor league home runs with 395.
in 1971 (tied for second, two behind league leader Charlie Spikes
in his second pro season, 23 homers in the 1972 Southern League
(tied for third, 7 behind leader Mike Reinbach
and 14 in his first season at AAA with the 1973 Richmond Braves
. This earned him a brief call-up to the Atlanta Braves
, where he played eleven games in April and May. However, he managed just one hit in 20 at bat
s and was returned to Richmond.
The next season, Pierce was sent to the Mexican League at a young age for an American prospect. That year he again was a home run runner-up, with 28, while he hit .306/~.431/.609. That earned him a return trip to the American minors, and in September another call-up to Atlanta, where he again managed just a single hit in nine at bats.
for fellow minor league first baseman Reggie Sanders (first baseman)
. He hit .280 with 9 homers for the Evansville Triplets
of the American Association
, earning his last and longest look in the majors, where he hit 8 homers in 170 AB and slugging .424, but with a .235 average. This wasn't enough for the Tigers, who brought up Jason Thompson to take over first base in 1976.
Pierce returned to Mexico, where he homered 36 times, winning the first of three homer crowns. He hit .331/~.410/.599 for Puebla in 1976 and also topped the Liga with 109 RBI.
for the 1977 season. He hit .227/.302/.399 with 13 homers in 291 at-bats. Right before opening day the next year, the Hawks let Pierce go.
. In 1978, he played for the San Jose Missions
, and in 1979 for the Spokane Indians
, both Triple-A farm clubs of the Mariners, without getting to the majors.
In 1984 the Mexican League began using the lively Commando ball and Pierce took advantage better than most - he raised his average 118 points to .364 with an OBP around .438 and a slugging of .659. He was second to Antonio Lora in RBI (117) and third in homers. A year later he cranked out 40 in his second season for the Bravos de León, with 104 runs and 118 RBI, slugging .620. He was third in RBI and second in homers, one behind league leader Andrés Mora
.
1986 saw Pierce set a Mexican League record with 54 home runs for the Braves. The old mark had been 46 by Héctor Espino
- in addition to Pierce, Nick Castaneda (53) and Willie Aikens
(46) at least matched the old record. Pierce hit .381, scored 111, drove in 148, slugged .783 and had an OBP around .464. Pierce also spent some time as Leon's player-manager that year.
After slipping to .277/~.372/.516 with 24 homers in 1987, Pierce retired. As of 2000, his 294 homers in the Liga were 8th in league history, the best by a U.S. native. Pierce had hit .300 and slugged .553 in his 11 years in Mexico.
Pierce was elected to the Salón de la Fama
in 2001.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. He played parts of three seasons in the majors from until for the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. He also played for the Nankai Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
in Japan in . However, Pierce is better known for his exploits in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. As of 1998, he ranked 9th all-time in minor league home runs with 395.
Braves organization
Pierce hit 20 homers in the Carolina LeagueCarolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
in 1971 (tied for second, two behind league leader Charlie Spikes
Charlie Spikes
Leslie Charles Spikes was a Major League Baseball player from 1972 to 1980 for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves. He also played 26 games for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan in . He mostly played the outfield...
in his second pro season, 23 homers in the 1972 Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
(tied for third, 7 behind leader Mike Reinbach
Mike Reinbach
Michael Wayne "Mike" Reinbach was a Major League Baseball player who played in with the Baltimore Orioles.-External links:...
and 14 in his first season at AAA with the 1973 Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
. This earned him a brief call-up to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, where he played eleven games in April and May. However, he managed just one hit in 20 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s and was returned to Richmond.
The next season, Pierce was sent to the Mexican League at a young age for an American prospect. That year he again was a home run runner-up, with 28, while he hit .306/~.431/.609. That earned him a return trip to the American minors, and in September another call-up to Atlanta, where he again managed just a single hit in nine at bats.
Tigers organization
In the spring of 1975, Pierce was traded by the Braves to the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for fellow minor league first baseman Reggie Sanders (first baseman)
Reggie Sanders (first baseman)
Reginald Jerome Sanders , is a retired Major League Baseball player. He played 26 games, mostly at first base, for the Detroit Tigers in .-External links:...
. He hit .280 with 9 homers for the Evansville Triplets
Evansville Triplets
The Evansville Triplets were a minor league baseball team of the American Association from to . In its last season, Evansville was the Triple-A farm team for the Detroit Tigers...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, earning his last and longest look in the majors, where he hit 8 homers in 170 AB and slugging .424, but with a .235 average. This wasn't enough for the Tigers, who brought up Jason Thompson to take over first base in 1976.
Pierce returned to Mexico, where he homered 36 times, winning the first of three homer crowns. He hit .331/~.410/.599 for Puebla in 1976 and also topped the Liga with 109 RBI.
Japan
The next season, Pierce once again found himself in another country, this time Japan, where he signed with the Nankai HawksFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
for the 1977 season. He hit .227/.302/.399 with 13 homers in 291 at-bats. Right before opening day the next year, the Hawks let Pierce go.
Mariners organization
Pierce returned to America in , signing a minor league contract with the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. In 1978, he played for the San Jose Missions
San Jose Missions
The San Jose Missions were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League in 1977 and 1978. The team had been known as the Sacramento Solons prior to 1977, and played its home games in a football stadium there...
, and in 1979 for the Spokane Indians
Spokane Indians
The Spokane Indians are a minor league baseball team located in Spokane, Washington, United States. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Texas Rangers since 2003. The Indians play home games at Avista Stadium...
, both Triple-A farm clubs of the Mariners, without getting to the majors.
Third stint in Mexico
Pierce returned to his old haunts in Mexico, but struggled in his third trip to the Liga, hitting just .198 in 32 games. Jack returned to form somewhat in 1980; while his average was low and he slugged under .500, he did hit a league-best 17 homers in the strike-shortened season, taking his second home run crown.In 1984 the Mexican League began using the lively Commando ball and Pierce took advantage better than most - he raised his average 118 points to .364 with an OBP around .438 and a slugging of .659. He was second to Antonio Lora in RBI (117) and third in homers. A year later he cranked out 40 in his second season for the Bravos de León, with 104 runs and 118 RBI, slugging .620. He was third in RBI and second in homers, one behind league leader Andrés Mora
Andrés Mora
Andrés Mora Ibarra , is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of four seasons in the majors, between and , for the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians. He continued to play professionally in Mexico until , and ranks 3rd all time in home runs in Mexican League history...
.
1986 saw Pierce set a Mexican League record with 54 home runs for the Braves. The old mark had been 46 by Héctor Espino
Héctor Espino
Hector Espino was a Mexican professional outfielder, first baseman and manager.Born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Espino has being considered the greatest player in Mexican League history...
- in addition to Pierce, Nick Castaneda (53) and Willie Aikens
Willie Aikens
Willie Mays Aikens is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He had established himself as one of the top sluggers in the game before drugs derailed his career. In , Aikens was sentenced to twenty years in prison on four counts of crack cocaine distribution and one count of use of a firearm...
(46) at least matched the old record. Pierce hit .381, scored 111, drove in 148, slugged .783 and had an OBP around .464. Pierce also spent some time as Leon's player-manager that year.
After slipping to .277/~.372/.516 with 24 homers in 1987, Pierce retired. As of 2000, his 294 homers in the Liga were 8th in league history, the best by a U.S. native. Pierce had hit .300 and slugged .553 in his 11 years in Mexico.
Pierce was elected to the Salón de la Fama
Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México
The Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México , commonly called the Salón de la Fama is a baseball hall of fame and museum located in Monterrey, Nuevo León. It is dedicated to recognizing people who have either contributed greatly to baseball in México...
in 2001.
Sources
- Great Baseball Feats, Facts & Firsts, by David NemecDavid NemecDavid Nemec is an American baseball historian, novelist and playwright.Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Nemec spent most of his adolescence in Bay Village, Ohio. He played outfield and first base for Ohio State University while earning a BA in English...
- The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statisticsl, by Pedro Treto Cisneros
- Japanbaseballdaily by Gary Garland