Vada Pinson

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Vada Pinson
Outfielder
Born: August 11, 1938
Memphis, Tennessee
Died: October 21, 1995 (aged 57)
Oakland, California
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 15, 1958
for the Cincinnati Reds
Final game
September 28, 1975
for the Kansas City Royals
Career statistics
Hits     2757
AVG     .286
HR     256
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • All-star in 1959 and 1960
  • Gold Glove in 1961
  • Led NL in At Bats in 1959 (648) and 1960 (652)
  • Led NL in Plate Appearances in 1959 (706) and 1960 (706)
  • Led NL in Runs (131) in 1959
  • Led NL in Hits in 1961 (208) and 1963 (204)
  • Led NL in Doubles in 1959 (47) and 1960 (37)
  • Led NL in Triples in 1963 (14) and 1967 (13)
  • Led NL in Singles (150) in 1961
  • Ranks 53rd on MLB Career Games List (2,469)
  • Ranks 31st on MLB Career At Bats List (9,645)
  • Ranks 46th on MLB Career Plate Appearances List (10,403)
  • Ranks 86th on MLB Career Runs List (1,366)
  • Ranks 46th on MLB Career Hits List (2,757)
  • Ranks 49th on MLB Career Total Bases List (4,264)
  • Ranks 57th on MLB Career Doubles List (485)
  • Ranks 86th on MLB Career Triples List (127)
  • Ranks 63rd on MLB Career Singles List (1,889)
  • Ranks 92nd on MLB Career Runs Created List (1,400)
  • Ranks 61st on MLB Career Extra-Base Hits List (868)
  • Ranks 79th on MLB Career Sacrifice Flies List (78)

Vada Edward Pinson, Jr. (August 11, 1938, Memphis, Tennessee - October 21, 1995, Oakland, California) was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball. Pinson played in the major leagues for 18 years, from 1958 through 1975, and his greatest seasons were with the Cincinnati Redlegs and Reds, for whom he played from 1958-68.

Pinson combined power, speed and defensive ability. As a Red, Pinson twice led the National League in hits (1961, 1963), doubles (1959, 1960), and triples (1963, 1967). He batted .343 in 1961, when the Reds won the NL pennant, but mustered only a .091 (2 for 22) average in the 1961 World Series, which Cincinnati lost to the New York Yankees in five games.

Pinson—who batted and threw lefthanded—was primarily a center fielder. He appeared in 2,469 games for the Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals, notching 2,757 hits and finishing with a career batting average of .286, with 256 home runs and 305 stolen bases. Highly respected throughout the game, he was a coach for the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins after his playing days ended.

Pinson died of a stroke in 1995. He was a graduate of Oakland's famed McClymonds High School, attended by Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson (a Pinson teammate in the major leagues for nine years) and Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell.

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