{{short description|American baseball player (born 1951)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name =Larry Milbourne | image =Larry Milbourne.jpg | caption =Milbourne in 1976 | position =Infielder | positionplain = | birth_date ={{birth date and age|1951|2|14}} | birth_place=Port Norris, New Jersey, U.S. | bats =Switch | throws =Right |debutleague = MLB | debutdate =April 6 | debutyear =1974 | debutteam =Houston Astros |finalleague = MLB | finaldate =September 29 | finalyear =1984 | finalteam =Seattle Mariners | statyear = |statleague = MLB | stat1label =Batting average | stat1value =.254 | stat2label =Home runs | stat2value =11 | stat3label =Runs batted in | stat3value =184 | awards = *1974 Topps All-Star Rookie Team | teams = * Houston Astros ({{mlby|1974}}–{{mlby|1976}}) * Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1980}}, {{mlby|1984}}) * New York Yankees ({{mlby|1981}}–{{mlby|1982}}, {{mlby|1983}}) * Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|1982}}) * Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|1982}}) * Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1983}}) }}
'''Lawrence William Milbourne''' (born February 14, 1951) is an American former professional baseball utility infielder whose career spanned 15 seasons, 11 of which were spent in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Houston Astros (1974–76), Seattle Mariners (1977–1980, 1984), New York Yankees (1981–82, 1983), Minnesota Twins (1982), Cleveland Indians (1982), and Philadelphia Phillies (1983).
Although Milbourne spent most of his big league career playing second base, he also played shortstop, third base, and left field. Milbourne compiled a career MLB batting average of .254, with 71 doubles, 24 triples, 11 home runs, and 184 runs batted in (RBI), in 989 games played. During his playing days, he stood {{convert|6|ft|m}} tall, weighing {{convert|161|lb|kg}}. Milbourne was a switch hitter who threw right-handed.
==Early life== Milbourne was born on February 14, 1951, in the Port Norris section of Commercial Township, New Jersey.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150102201945/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=119047&c_id=nyy#gameType=%27R%27 Larry Milbourne], New York Yankees. Accessed July 23, 2014.</ref> He attended and played baseball at Millville Senior High School in New Jersey from which he graduated in 1969. His batting average improved from .263 as a sophomore to .439 as a senior.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Seiler |first1=Joseph |title='Great' Being a Big Leaguer, Milbourne Says in Interview |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103536239/great-being-a-big-leaguer-milbourne/ |access-date=11 June 2022 |work=The Millville Daily |date=22 June 1974 |page=10}}</ref> He attended Cumberland County College in Vineland, New Jersey.<ref name="ba">{{cite web|title=Larry Milbourne Stats|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=milbola01|work=Baseball-Almanac.com|publisher=Baseball Almanac|access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref>
==Professional career==
===Early career=== On June 18, 1969, Milbourne signed as an amateur free agent with the Baltimore Orioles.<ref name="trades">{{cite web|title=Larry Milbourne Trades and Transactions|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=milbola01|work=Baseball-Almanac.com|publisher=Baseball Almanac|access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> Baltimore assigned him to their rookie-level minor league affiliate, the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League. With Bluefield that season, Milbourne batted .305 with 75 hits, 10 doubles, six triples, and four home runs in 68 games played. Defensively, he played shortstop. On April 7, 1970, he was released by Baltimore.<ref name=trades /> At the start of the 1971 season, after being out of professional baseball for a season, Milbourne was signed by the San Francisco Giants. The Giants assigned him to their Class-A affiliate, the Decatur Commodores of the Midwest League. In 123 games with the Commodores that season, he batted .301 with 69 runs scored, 156 hits, 23 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 38 runs batted in (RBIs), and 21 stolen bases. In the field, Milbourne primarily played second base, but also saw limited time at shortstop and third base. He led the league in hits, plate appearances (543), and at-bats (518) that season.<ref>{{cite web|title=1971 Midwest League Batting Leaders|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=12559&sort_by=H|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref>
At the end of the 1971 season, Milbourne was selected by the California Angels in the minor league draft.<ref name=trades /> During the 1972 season, Milbourne played his first and only season in the Angels organization. He was assigned to the Double-A Shreveport Captains of the Texas League. He batted .264 with 110 hits, 14 doubles, five triples, and two home runs in 122 games played that year. On defense, he only played second base. After the season, Milbourne was again selected in the minor league draft, this time by the St. Louis Cardinals.<ref name=trades /> In 1973, the Cardinals assigned him to the Triple-A Tulsa Oilers, where he batted .283 with 104 hits, 13 doubles, six triples, and five home runs in 111 games played. The Cardinals added Milbourne to their 40-man roster after the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wise, Carbo Go To Bosox|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oXAsAAAAIBAJ&pg=5865,5435694&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|work=Herald-Journal|access-date=November 28, 2010|date=October 27, 1973}}</ref>
===Houston Astros=== Milbourne was selected by the Houston Astros from the Tulsa Oilers in the Rule 5 draft on December 3, 1973.<ref>{{cite web|title=Phillies draft Crosby in first round|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u3gsAAAAIBAJ&pg=6706,1201842&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|work=Lakeland Ledger|access-date=November 28, 2010|date=December 4, 1973}}</ref> He started the season with the Astros in 1974. On April 6, against the San Francisco Giants, Milbourne made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut, but did not make a plate appearance.<ref name="74log">{{cite web|title=Larry Milbourne 1974 Batting Gamelogs|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=milbola01&t=b&year=1974|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> His offensive debut came on April 9, against the San Diego Padres, where he went hitless in one at-bat.<ref name=74log /> Milbourne got his first MLB hit on April 11, against the Padres.<ref name=74log /> In his first major league season, Milbourne batted .279 with 31 runs scored, 38 hits, two doubles, one triple, and nine RBIs in 112 games played. In the field, he played 87 games at second base, eight games at shortstop, and four games in left field. After the season, Milbourne was named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cards' McBride Tips Rookie Team|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=guAoAAAAIBAJ&pg=5010,3703163&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|work=The Milwaukee Journal|access-date=November 28, 2010|date=November 6, 1974}}</ref>
At the start of spring training in 1975, Milbourne failed to report to the Houston Astros, and his whereabouts were unknown.<ref>{{cite web|title=Phils, Braves begin trade talks on Allen|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8oFRAAAAIBAJ&pg=1651,5261725&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|work=The Milwaukee Sentinel|access-date=November 28, 2010|date=February 27, 1975}}</ref> However, he did eventually report and made his season debut on April 8, against the Atlanta Braves.<ref name="75log">{{cite web|title=Larry Milbourne 1975 Batting Gamelogs|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=milbola01&t=b&year=1975|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> On September 23, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Milbourne hit his first career MLB home run.<ref name=75log /> That season, Milbourne batted .212 with 17 runs scored, 32 hits, one double, two triples, one home run, and nine RBIs in 73 games played. Defensively, Milbourne was positioned at second base for 43 games, and 22 at shortstop. He also played in 24 games in the minor leagues that season with the Astros Triple-A affiliate, the Iowa Oaks. With the Oaks, Milbourne batted .221 with nine runs scored, 17 hits, three doubles, one triple, one home run, and six RBIs in 86 at-bats. He made the Astros major league roster out of spring training in 1976. On May 2, 1976, in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets, Milbourne hit a game-winning single in the ninth inning.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mets, Astros Split Pair|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KAMOAAAAIBAJ&pg=5103,147522&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=May 3, 1976}}</ref> In the majors that year, he batted .248 with 22 runs scored, 36 hits, four doubles, and seven RBIs in 59 games played. In the field, he played exclusively at second base. In June 1976, Milbourne was optioned to the minor leagues.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transactions|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bIksAAAAIBAJ&pg=4831,6732814&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|work=Lakeland Ledger|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=June 24, 1976}}</ref> In the minors that season, he played with the Triple-A Memphis Blues, batting .325 with 45 runs scored, 95 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 31 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 71 games played.
===Seattle Mariners=== On March 30, 1977, the Seattle Mariners acquired Milbourne from the Houston Astros in exchange for Roy Thomas.<ref name=trades /><ref>{{cite web|title=Sports in Brief|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cfAjAAAAIBAJ&pg=4249,4276959&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=March 31, 1977}}</ref> Milbourne delivered the Mariners first game-winning hit on April 8, 1977.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mariners Firsts|url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/history/club_firsts.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914190422/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/history/club_firsts.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 14, 2007|work=MLB.com|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> During the 1977 season, he batted .219 with 24 runs scored, 53 hits, 10 doubles, two home runs, and 21 RBIs in 86 games played. On defense, he played 41 games at second base, 40 games at shortstop, and one game at third base. He also played one game as the Mariners designated hitter. He again made the Mariners roster in 1978.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baseball: American League|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=65BZAAAAIBAJ&pg=2742,125848&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|work=The Leader-Post|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=February 16, 1978}}</ref> Milbourne commented on his role as the Mariners utility infielder that year by saying, "I know it's my role to fill in. [...] I'd prefer to play more".<ref>{{cite web|title=Royals reek in Seattle|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YVoyAAAAIBAJ&pg=2238,4222390&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|work=Lawrence Journal-World|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=May 23, 1978}}</ref> On August 3, Milbourne got another game-winning hit, this time against the Minnesota Twins.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nelson|first=John|title=Mariners 6, Twins 5|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M24dAAAAIBAJ&pg=6770,4024050&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|work=The Times-News|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=August 4, 1978}}</ref> On the season, he batted .226 with 31 runs scored, 53 hits, six doubles, two triples, two home runs, and 20 RBIs in 93 games played. Milbourne played 32 games at third base, 23 games at shortstop, and 15 games at second base. In 10 games that season, Seattle used Milbourne as the designated hitter.
In 1979, Milbourne made the Mariners Opening Day roster for the third consecutive season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mariners set roster|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iYsuAAAAIBAJ&pg=2397,886713&dq=larry+milbourne&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|work=Tri City Herald|access-date=November 29, 2010|date=April 3, 1979}}</ref> In 123 games played that year, he batted .278 with 40 runs scored, 99 hits, 13 doubles, four triples, two home runs, and 26 RBIs. Defensively, Milbourne played 65 games at shortstop, 49 at second base, and 11 at third base.
===Later career=== In 1980, the Seattle Mariners traded him to the New York Yankees. He was dealt along with John Pacella and Pete Filson from the Yankees to the Twins for Butch Wynegar and Roger Erickson on May 12, 1982.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/13/sports/yankees-acquire-wynegar-in-trade-beat-angels-by-6-5.html Durso, Joseph. "Yankees Acquire Wynegar in Trade, Beat Angels by 6–5," ''The New York Times'', Thursday, May 13, 1982.] Retrieved October 31, 2020</ref> A few months after, the Twins traded him to the Cleveland Indians. After the 1982 season, the Indians sold him to the Philadelphia Phillies, who sold him back to the Yankees in 1983. After the 1983 season, the Yankees traded him back to the Mariners. Seattle released him following the 1984 season, and Milbourne subsequently retired.
==See also== * Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
==References== ;General references #{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/milbola01.shtml|title=Larry Milbourne Stats|date=2010|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 28, 2010}} #{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=milbou001law|title=Larry Milbourne Minor Leagues Statistics & History|date=2010|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 28, 2010}}
;Inline citations {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|mlb=119047|espn=346|br=m/milbola01|fangraphs=1008858|brm=milbou001law|retro=M/Pmilbl001}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milbourne, Larry}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:African-American baseball players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada Category:Baseball players from Cumberland County, New Jersey Category:Bluefield Orioles players Category:Calgary Cannons players Category:Cleveland Indians players Category:Decatur Commodores players Category:Gold Coast Suns (baseball) players Category:Houston Astros players Category:Iowa Oaks players Category:Major League Baseball second basemen Category:Major League Baseball shortstops Category:Major League Baseball third basemen Category:Memphis Blues players Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:New York Yankees players Category:Orlando Juice players Category:People from Commercial Township, New Jersey Category:Philadelphia Phillies players Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Shreveport Captains players Category:St. Lucie Legends players Category:Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:Millville High School (New Jersey) alumni Category:20th-century American sportsmen