Who is Ellis Valentine in Major League Baseball?
Ellis Clarence Valentine (born July 30, 1954) is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is remembered for having one of the all-time great throwing arms. “There’s a plateau where you can’t throw the ball any harder and you can’t be any more accurate”, said former Montreal manager Felipe Alou.
What was Ellis Valentine’s batting average in 1977?
While the team’s winning ways didn’t continue, Valentine’s hitting did. Though he had a .238 batting average when he was demoted to Triple A, he finished the season with a .279 average, 7 home runs and 39 RBIs. The Expos made substantial changes prior to the 1977 season.
Where did Ellis Valentine live as a child?
Ellis Clarence Valentine was born on July 30, 1954, in Helena, Arkansas, to Ellis Valentine Jr. and his wife, Bertine. When Ellis was 3 the family moved to Los Angeles, where his father worked for the City of Los Angeles as a trash collector and his mother operated a beauty salon out of the family home.
Where did Ellis Valentine become a free agent?
Valentine was selected by just one team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the MLB re-entry draft when he became a free agent at the end of the season. When the California AngelsBobby Clark suffered a back injury playing Winter ball in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, it opened up a vacancy in the Angels’ outfield.
Where did Ellis Valentine go to high school?
Valentine played football and baseball at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles. He was the first professional athlete ever signed out of Crenshaw when the Montreal Expos selected him in the second round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. He was quickly recognized as one of the top prospects in the Expos’ lauded farm system.
When did Ellis Valentine get hit in the face?
On May 30, 1980 Valentine was hit in the face with a pitch by Roy Thomas of the St. Louis Cardinals. His cheekbone cracked in six places, and he was forced to miss over a month of action. At the time of the incident, Valentine was leading his team with 27 RBIs, and was batting just under .300.