Toby Harrah
From BR Bullpen
Colbert Dale Harrah
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut September 5, 1969
- Final Game October 4, 1986
- Born October 26, 1948 in Sissonville, WV USA
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[edit] Biographical information
Toby Harrah was a multi-talented player who spent 17 years in the big leagues. He played several infield positions, had some power, drew walks well, and stole a lot of bases. He also served as a major league manager for half of 1992, a major league coach for several seasons and a minor league manager.
A four-time All Star, Harrah broke in with the 1970 Washington Senators and moved to Texas with them in 1972, the year he was named to the All-Star team for the first time. He played nine years with the team. He had some hitting peaks during that time, with 27 home runs in 1977, 109 walks in the same year, 93 RBI in 1975, and 31 stolen bases in 1978 (getting caught only 8 times).
Harrah then spent five years with the Cleveland Indians (at the time of Joe Charboneau), scoring 100 runs twice and posting his high batting average of .304 in 1982. He finished out his career playing one year with the New York Yankees and two with his original team, the Texas Rangers. He had 113 walks with Texas in 1985.
Harrah was the last member of the expansion Senators to play in the majors.
In 1989, Harrah played for the West Palm Beach Tropics of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He hit .318 in 63 games with the team.
After his playing days ended, Harrah managed the Oklahoma City 89ers in 1987 and 1988. He was a Rangers coach from 1989 to 1992, also managing the club for part of the season in his last year there. After a stint as skipper of the Norfolk Tides in 1995, he was later a member of the Indians staff in 1996 and was Colorado Rockies bench coach from 2000 to 2002.
In one American Legion Baseball game, he threw a no-hitter.
| Preceded by Bobby Valentine | Texas Rangers Manager 1992 | Succeeded by Kevin Kennedy |
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 4-time AL All-Star (1972, 1975, 1976 & 1982)
- AL Bases on Balls Leader (1977)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 5 (1974, 1975, 1977, 1979 & 1982)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1980 & 1982)
[edit] Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Oklahoma City 89ers | American Association | 69-71 | 4th | Texas Rangers | |
| 1988 | Oklahoma City 89ers | American Association | 67-74 | 7th | Texas Rangers | |
| 1995 | Norfolk Tides | International League | 86-56 | 1st | New York Mets | Lost league Finals |
[edit] Further Reading
- Thomas Boswell: "All of Us Bear the Marks of the Lash", in How Life Imitates the World Series, Penguin Books, New York, 1982, pp. 98-100.
