Leon Durham
From BR Bullpen
Leon Durham
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.
- High School Woodward High School (Cincinnati)
- Debut May 27, 1980
- Final Game September 17, 1989
- Born July 31, 1957 in Cincinnati, OH USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Leon Durham played a decade in the majors and was a two-time All-Star. Since his playing days, he has been a longtime minor league coach.
Durham was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 1976 amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 15th overall pick. He reached the majors with the team in 1980, hitting .271 with 8 home runs while mostly seeing action in the outfield. After the season, he was dealt along with Ken Reitz to the Chicago Cubs for future Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter.
Durham became the regular in rightfield for the Cubs in his first summer in Chicago, hitting 10 homers. The following year, he had perhaps his finest big league season, hitting .312 (third in the National League) with 22 home runs and 28 stolen bases, while being named to the All-Star and Silver Slugger teams. After another All-Star season in 1983, he replaced Bill Buckner as the Cubs first baseman in 1984. He hit 23 homers and recorded a career-high 96 RBI as Chicago won the NL East, reaching the postseason for the first time in almost forty years. He clubbed a pair of home runs in the NLCS but made a key error in Game Five, as his club ultimately fell to the San Diego Padres.
Durham hit over 20 home runs for the Cubs in each of the next three season, hitting a career-best 27 in 1987. Following a slow start in 1988, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Pat Perry, but he ended up missing much of that season while in drug treatment. Released by the Reds after that year, he returned to the Cardinals, but he again missed much of 1989, his final big league campaign, due to a drug suspension.
After his major league career, he played with the St. Paul Saints of the independent Northern League and paced the circuit with 11 home runs in 1993.
Durham has been a minor league coach since 1996, starting with the Lake Elsinore Storm. He coached the Vancouver Canadians in 1997 and 1998, and the Edmonton Trappers in 1999 and 2000. Moving from the California Angels organization to the Detroit Tigers, he has been hitting coach for the Toledo Mud Hens since 2001.
Away from the diamond, Durham appeared in the 1994 movie Little Big League.
Durham's son Lance Durham signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a 14th round pick in the 2009 amateur draft.
Leon coached for Team USA in the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament, 2011 Baseball World Cup and 2011 Pan American Games.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 2-time NL All-Star (1982 & 1983)
- NL Silver Slugger Award Winner (1982/OF)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 5 (1982 & 1984-1987)
