Kenny Lofton

Kenny Lofton
Texas Rangers – No. 7
Center field
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
September 14, 1991, for the Houston Astros
Career statistics (through 2006)
AVG	.299
OBP	.372
HR	123
SB	599
Teams
Houston Astros (1991) Cleveland Indians (1992-1996, 1998-2001) Atlanta Braves (1997) Chicago White Sox (2002) San Francisco Giants (2002) Pittsburgh Pirates (2003) Chicago Cubs (2003) New York Yankees (2004) Philadelphia Phillies (2005) Los Angeles Dodgers (2006) Texas Rangers (2007-present)

Kenneth Lofton (born May 31, 1967 in East Chicago, Indiana) is a Major League Baseball center fielder who plays with the Texas Rangers.

Previously, Lofton played for the Houston Astros (1991), Cleveland Indians (1992-96, 1998-2001), Atlanta Braves (1997), Chicago White Sox (2002), San Francisco Giants (2002), Pittsburgh Pirates (2003), Chicago Cubs (2003), New York Yankees (2004), Philadelphia Phillies (2005), Los Angeles Dodgers (2006),and Texas Rangers (2007). He bats and throws left-handed. He reached an agreement with the Rangers on December 11, 2006 [1]

Lofton was one of the most dominant players (and perhaps one of the best leadoff hitters) of the 1990s and appeared in 6 all-star games. Through the 2006 season, Lofton has been a .299 hitter with 123 home runs, 120 triples (2nd of all active players), and 1,442 runs (6th of all active players) in 1,967 games.

His 600 stolen bases ranks him 1st among active players and 17th on the all-time list.

He holds the Cleveland Indians record for stolen bases.

In 84 postseason games he has hit .244 with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs.

Kenny hit the triple in the play in Game 5 of the 2002 World Series when J.T. Snow lifted 3 year old batboy Darren Baker, who had gone out to retrieve Lofton's bat, out of harm's way in front of the catcher Bengie Molina and the charging David Bell.

Lofton is best known for his career in a Cleveland uniform. After his rookie season, he was sent to the Indians for Eddie Taubensee. He played with the Tribe until 1996. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with Alan Embree for Marquis Grissom and slugger David Justice. Lofton rejoined the Indians in 1998 when he signed as a free agent, forcing the Tribe to trade Grissom. He played in Cleveland for 3 more years. From 2001 to 2007 Lofton has played for a total of seven teams.

High School Years

Lofton attended Washington High School in East Chicago, Indiana, where he was a standout basketball and baseball player for the Senators.

In basketball, he averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals per game as a senior.

Highlights

• 6-time All-Star (1994-99)
• 4-time Gold Glove Award (1993-96)
• Top 10 MVP (4th, 1994)
• 5-time league leader in stolen bases (1992-96)
• Led league in hits (1994)
• Led league in triples (1995)
• Led league in at-bats (1996)
• Led league center fielders in assists (14, 1992)
• Set American League record for stolen bases by a rookie (66, 1992)
• Tied a majors record by scoring in the first inning (18, 2000)
• Hold the majors record for most different teams played on in the playoffs (6)
• NLCS winning hit in 2002

Fact

• Lofton was also a starting point guard for the University of Arizona men's basketball team.

• Lofton is one of only two men to play in a college basketball Final Four (1988, the first for the Arizona Wildcats) and a Major League Baseball World Series, the feat having also been done, coincidentally, by another East Chicago Washington alumnus, Tim Stoddard.

• Lofton has now homered for 10 different teams. After hitting a home run for the Rangers in April of 2007, he trails only Todd Zeile, who homered for 11 different ballclubs.

See also

• List of major league players with 500 stolen bases
• List of major league players with 2,000 hits
• Major League Baseball titles streaks
• Top 500 home run hitters of all time
• Major League Baseball titles leaders
• List of AL Gold Glove Winners at Outfield
• List of athletes on Wheaties boxes

External links

• Template:Espn mlb
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
• Baseball Library - biography and accomplishments