Albert Belle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Albert Belle | |
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| Outfielder | |
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB Debut | |
| July 15, 1989 for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Final game | |
| October 1, 2000 for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Career Statistics | |
| Slugging Percentage | .564 |
| OPS | .933 |
| Home Runs | 381 |
| Teams | |
| Career Highlights and Awards | |
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Albert Jojuan Belle (born August 26, 1965) is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles. One of the leading sluggers of his time, in 1995 he became the first player to hit 50 doubles and 50 home runs in a single season.
Belle was also considered a model of consistency, compiling a .295 career batting average, averaging 37 home runs and 120 RBI a season over the ten main years of his major league career from 1991 to 2000. Belle is also one of only six players in major league history to have nine consecutive 100-RBI seasons. However, his combative personality combined with occasional angry outbursts created a reputation for surliness that often overshadowed his on-field hitting performance.
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[edit] Early life
Albert Belle, and his fraternal twin, Terry, were born on August 26, 1965, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the son of Albert Belle Sr., a high school baseball and football coach, and Carrie Belle, a former math teacher. Belle attended Huntington High School in Shreveport, where he was a star baseball and football player, a member of the National Honor Society and vice president of the local Future Business Leaders of America. He graduated sixth in his high school class and made the all-state baseball team twice. In 1984, he was selected to play for the USA in the Junior Olympics in which the U.S. won a silver medal. He played outfield and pitched, winning one game. After graduation, Belle was offered many football and baseball scholarships, including one to the University of Notre Dame and an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. However, Belle decided to stay close to home and accepted a baseball scholarship to Louisiana State University.
[edit] College
Belle played college baseball at LSU from 1985–1987 where he made 1st team All-SEC in 1986 and 1987 and played in 184 games, with 585 at bats, 194 hits, 30 doubles, 49 home runs, 172 runs batted in, 157 runs, a .670 slugging percentage, and a .332 batting average.
After college, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians. While in the minor league system he was known as "Joey" (his childhood nickname) and was thought of as a top prospect, but high-risk due to his temper and excessive drinking. Belle underwent counseling and became known as "Albert." Umpire Durwood Merrill, who wrote a book called You're Out, and You're Ugly, Too, tweaked Belle by calling him "Joey" long past the time when Belle was known by that name publicly.
[edit] Major league career
Belle became the fourth player to have eight straight seasons of 30 home runs and 100 RBI, joining Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, and Lou Gehrig. He was a mediocre fielder, but a somewhat effective base stealer, with a career high of 23 steals in 1993, and a surprising 17 steals in 1999 despite hip problems. Belle led the league three times in RBI, three times in total bases, three times in extra-base hits, and twice in slugging. He was a five-time All-Star between 1993 and 1997.
Remarkably, Albert Belle's career highs in home runs, RBI, batting average, runs scored, and walks occurred in five separate seasons.
In 1994, he lost the batting title to the New York Yankees' similarly volcanic outfielder Paul O'Neill, .359 to .357. Belle's postseason record was limited to two heavy-hitting appearances, in which only his batting average suffered: he hit .230/.405/.557 with six home runs and 14 RBIs in 61 at-bats.
In 1995, Belle became the first player in the history of the major leagues to hit 50 homers and 50 doubles in the same season: the last player to reach 40 in both those categories in a season was Willie Stargell in 1973.
His reputation, and more specifically his disdain of the media, almost certainly cost him the 1995 MVP Award; Belle finished second in the media voting to the Boston Red Sox's Mo Vaughn. This result occurred despite his having led the American League that season in runs scored, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and total bases, and despite his outpacing Vaughn head-to-head in every important offensive category except RBI (both men had 126). This was in the middle of a three-year streak in which Albert Belle finished 3rd, 2nd, and 3rd for the American League MVP. Belle had two other top ten MVP finishes, in 1993 (7th) and 1998 (8th).
In the winter of 1996, Belle signed with the Chicago White Sox as a free agent, which made him the highest paid player in baseball for a brief period. While with the White Sox Belle enjoyed two great seasons that included a career high 27 game hitting streak from May 3-June 1, 1997, a selection to the MLB All-Star team in 1997, and his 300th career home run. Additionally, when Cal Ripken ended his record consecutive game streak in September 1998, it was Belle who took over as the major league's active leader in the category. Belle also came close to having another 50/50 season in 1998 with 49 home runs and 48 doubles.
In October 1998, Belle filed for free agency after the White Sox neglected to give him a raise. His contract had a unique clause allowing him to demand that he would remain one of the 3 highest paid players in baseball. He again became the game's highest paid player, signing a five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately for him and his new team, Belle ended his career just two seasons later, retiring at age 34 as a result of degenerative osteoarthritis in his hip. However, he was kept on Baltimore's active 40-man roster for the next three years, as a condition of the insurance policy which largely reimbursed the Orioles for the remainder of Belle's contract.
Albert Belle homered in the final at-bat of his major-league career on October 1, 2000.
[edit] Awards and accomplishments
College (LSU):
- 1st team All-SEC (1986, 1987)
- South 1 Regional Tournament MVP (1986)
- 2nd team All-America (1986)
- 3rd team All-America (1987)
Major League Baseball (Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles):
- AL Home Run leader (1995)
- AL RBI leader (1993, 1995-tie, 1996)
- AL Doubles leader (1995)
- AL Runs leader (1995)
- AL Slugging Percentage leader (1995, 1998)
- AL Outfield Assist leader (RF) (1999-tie)
- Named to Silver Slugger Team (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998)
- All Star (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
- First player to ever hit 50 HR and 50 Doubles (1995)
- The Sporting News Player of the Year (1995)
- Baseball Digest Player of the Year (1995)
- Led Major Leagues in the 1990s with 1,099 RBI
- Led Major Leagues in Extra Base Hits in the 1990s with 711
- 4th player ever to have 8 straight seasons with 30 HR and 100 RBI
- Inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (June 2005)
| Preceded by Frank Thomas |
American League Player of the Month June 1994 |
Succeeded by Frank Thomas |
| Preceded by Garret Anderson |
American League Player of the Month August & September 1995 |
Succeeded by Frank Thomas |
| Preceded by Ken Griffey, Jr. |
American League Home Run Champion 1995 |
Succeeded by Mark McGwire |
| Preceded by Rafael Palmeiro |
American League Player of the Month July 1998 |
Succeeded by Derek Jeter |
| Preceded by Derek Jeter |
American League Player of the Month September 1998 |
Succeeded by Manny Ramirez |
| Preceded by Rafael Palmeiro & Iván Rodríguez |
American League Player of the Month September 1999 |
Succeeded by Jermaine Dye |
| Preceded by Edgar Martinez |
American League Player of the Month June 2000 |
Succeeded by Johnny Damon |
[edit] Controversy
Belle was involved in controversial incidents during his major league career. He was suspended in 1994 for using a corked bat. He was fined in 1996 for knocking down Brewers infielder Fernando Viña, who had blocked his way on the basepaths (though many observers felt the collision was a legitimate play). He also had unpleasant interactions with the public. In 1990, he threw a baseball into the stands, where it struck a fan who had been taunting him about his alcohol rehab. He also chased down rowdy trick-or-treating vandals who were celebrating Halloween by throwing eggs at his home; Belle bumping one of the vandals with his car. In 1986, he went after a heckler in the stands who was shouting racist insults at him; he was suspended while his team played in the College World Series.
Sports reporters resented Belle's refusal to grant interviews before a game. A profane outburst directed at a group of reporters in his team's dugout, including NBC Sports personality Hannah Storm, was widely reported during the 1995 World Series. The incident cemented Belle's image in the media, which was further fueled by his unrepentant attitude: "The Indians wanted me to issue a statement of regret when the fine was announced, but I told them to take it out. I apologize for nothing."
Eventually, Belle routinely refused to speak with the media. "I don't get excited talking about myself", he explained. "Guys such as Sandy Koufax, Joe DiMaggio, and Steve Carlton did not interview, and it was no big deal. They were quiet. I am also quiet. I just want to concentrate on baseball. Why does everyone want to hear me talk, anyway?" Belle rarely even conducted interviews regarding his various charitable donations and scholarships.
In 2001, following Belle's retirement, the New York Daily News's venerable columnist Bill Madden wrote: "Sorry, there'll be no words of sympathy here for Albert Belle. He was a surly jerk before he got hurt and now he's a hurt surly jerk....He was no credit to the game. Belle's boorish behavior should be remembered by every member of the Baseball Writers' Association when it comes time to consider him for the Hall of Fame." The New York Times sportswriter Robert Lipsyte observed:
In Belle's first year of Hall of Fame eligibility (2006), he garnered only 7.7% of the baseball writers' votes—missing election by an extremely wide margin.[1] Belle did however secure enough votes to keep him on the ballot for the following year.
In February 2006, Belle was arrested on suspicion of stalking a woman who was identified in court as a former licensed escort.[2] He was again arrested in charges related to the same case on May 17, 2006.[3] On July 27, 2006, Belle plead guilty to one count of stalking and he was sentenced on August 24 to 90 days in jail and five years supervised probation.[4] Belle issued an apology to the woman stating, "I have made mistakes in my life, but I have admitted my mistakes and learned from them to be a better person."[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Ultimate Albert Belle - comprehensive site about Albert Belle
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
Categories: 1966 births | Major league players from Louisiana | American League All-Stars | American League home run champions | African American baseball players | Baltimore Orioles players | Chicago White Sox players | Cleveland Indians players | Eagle Scouts | Fraternal twins | Living people | LSU Tigers baseball players | Major league left fielders | People from Louisiana | People from Baton Rouge | Kinston Indians players
