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Darrell Evans was a professional baseball player who played for 21 seasons in the Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on May 26, 1947, in Pasadena, California, and started his baseball career in 1967 when he was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics. However, he made his MLB debut in 1969 with the Atlanta Braves.
Evans played primarily as a
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Darrell Evans was a professional baseball player who played for 21 seasons in the Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on May 26, 1947, in Pasadena, California, and started his baseball career in 1967 when he was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics. However, he made his MLB debut in 1969 with the Atlanta Braves.
Evans played primarily as a third baseman, but he also played as a first baseman and outfielder. He was known for his power-hitting ability and his patience at the plate. He had a career batting average of .248, but he hit 414 home runs and had 1,347 runs batted in (RBIs).
Evans played for several teams during his career, including the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers. He had his best seasons with the Braves and Giants, where he was a two-time All-Star and won a Silver Slugger award.
In 1973, Evans hit 41 home runs for the Braves, which was a National League record for a third baseman at the time. He also led the league in walks that season with 124. In 1978, he hit 30 home runs and had 101 RBIs for the Giants, which helped him earn his first All-Star selection.
Evans was also known for his defensive skills. He won two Gold Glove awards in 1978 and 1979 for his play at third base. He was a versatile player who could play multiple positions, which made him valuable to his teams.
In 1984, Evans signed with the Detroit Tigers, where he played for five seasons. He was a key player on the Tigers' 1984 World Series championship team, where he hit two home runs in the series. He also hit a home run in the 1987 American League Championship Series, but the Tigers lost to the Minnesota Twins.
Evans played his final season in 1989 with the Texas Rangers. He retired at the age of 42 with 2,446 hits, 1,348 RBIs, and a .248 batting average. He also had 1,605 walks, which was the fourth-highest total in MLB history at the time.
After his playing career, Evans became a hitting coach for several teams, including the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and San Francisco Giants. He also worked as a broadcaster for the Giants and as a special assistant to the general manager for the Tigers.
In conclusion, Darrell Evans was a power-hitting third baseman who played for 21 seasons in the MLB. He was a two-time All-Star, won two Gold Glove awards, and was a key player on a World Series championship team. He retired with impressive career statistics, including 414 home runs and 1,347 RBIs.
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Atlanta Braves vs San Francisco Giants - Radio Broadcast / On Thursday, September 14, 1978, the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants faced off at Candlestick Park. The Braves sent Jim Bouton to the mound, an experienced right-hander who had a unique career trajectory, transitioning from a successful starter to a knuckleball reliever after a series of arm troubles. The Giants countered with Ed Halicki, a towering 6'7" right-hander known for his no-hitter in 1975. At this point in the season, the Braves were in the middle of the pack in the National League West, while the Giants were struggling to keep pace. The 1978 season was marked by the Yankees and Dodgers' fierce competition, each leading their respective leagues, while Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds was in pursuit of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak record.
The game got off to a slow start, with the Braves scoring an unearned run in the second inning due to errors by Halicki and John Tamargo. The Giants responded with a run of their own in the third, capitalizing on an error by Bouton. The Braves' Dale Murphy, who would later become a two-time MVP, made an impact on the base paths by stealing second base and later scoring due to the Giants' errors. In the sixth inning, the Giants threatened to score with a runner on second, but Bouton managed to get out of the jam, maintaining the slim lead.
The Braves broke the game open in the seventh inning, scoring two more runs thanks to key hits from Glenn Hubbard and Jerry Royster. The Giants, however, struggled to generate offense against the Braves' pitching. After Bouton's solid six innings of work, Craig Skok and Gene Garber held the Giants hitless over the final three innings. The Braves added an insurance run in the eighth, securing a 4-1 victory.
The win improved the Braves' standing in the NL West, although they would ultimately finish the season in the middle of the pack. The Giants, meanwhile, continued to struggle, ending the year near the bottom of the division. The 1978 season would conclude with the New York Yankees defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The Braves' Dale Murphy, despite his team's middling performance, began to show signs of the player he would become in the 1980s, one of the most dominant in the National League. This game, while not a highlight of the season, was a good representation of the Braves' potential and the Giants' struggles in the 1978 season.