Terry Whitfield
Encyclopedia
Terry Bertland Whitfield (born January 12, 1953, Blythe, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
player for the New York Yankees
, San Francisco Giants
, Seibu Lions
of the Japanese Baseball League
, and the Los Angeles Dodgers
. In 1971, Whitfield was a first round draft choice of the New York Yankees, selected 19th overall.
As an outfielder, Whitfield was known more for his hitting than his defense, finishing with a career .281 batting average in 1913 at bats in the major leagues. After seven seasons in the major leagues, Whitfield moved to Japan. From 1981 to 1983, he excelled for the Seibu Lions, putting up good offensive numbers. In 1981, he hit .316 with 22 home runs and 100 runs batted in. In 1982, he hit .272 with 25 home runs and 71 runs batted in. And in 1983, he hit .278 with 38 home runs and 109 runs batted in. The following year, he returned to the major leagues, where he played for three more seasons, from 1984 to 1986.
After his playing career, he opened Future Pro Baseball, a batting cage in Burlingame
, California
, where he also offers private batting instruction. Whitfield also runs a youth baseball camp and is the inventor of a soft-toss machine called the "Terry-Toss" which can be found at his batting cage and as a fan attraction at professional stadiums such as AT&T Park in San Francisco. He previously was the head baseball coach at Burlingame High School
. He has four kids.
Blythe, California
Blythe is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the "Palo Verde Valley" of the Lower Colorado River Valley region, an agricultural area and part of the Colorado Desert along the Colorado River. Blythe was named after Thomas Blythe, a gold prospector who established primary...
) is a former Major League Baseball
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 for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, Seibu Lions
Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group...
of the Japanese Baseball League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
, and the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. In 1971, Whitfield was a first round draft choice of the New York Yankees, selected 19th overall.
As an outfielder, Whitfield was known more for his hitting than his defense, finishing with a career .281 batting average in 1913 at bats in the major leagues. After seven seasons in the major leagues, Whitfield moved to Japan. From 1981 to 1983, he excelled for the Seibu Lions, putting up good offensive numbers. In 1981, he hit .316 with 22 home runs and 100 runs batted in. In 1982, he hit .272 with 25 home runs and 71 runs batted in. And in 1983, he hit .278 with 38 home runs and 109 runs batted in. The following year, he returned to the major leagues, where he played for three more seasons, from 1984 to 1986.
After his playing career, he opened Future Pro Baseball, a batting cage in Burlingame
Burlingame
Burlingame may refer to:People*Anson Burlingame, 19th century American diplomat; a US-China treaty was named after him, along with towns in California and Kansas...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he also offers private batting instruction. Whitfield also runs a youth baseball camp and is the inventor of a soft-toss machine called the "Terry-Toss" which can be found at his batting cage and as a fan attraction at professional stadiums such as AT&T Park in San Francisco. He previously was the head baseball coach at Burlingame High School
Burlingame High School
Burlingame High School is a public high school in Burlingame, California. It is part of the San Mateo Union High School District .-History:...
. He has four kids.