Hank Small (baseball)

Hank Small

First baseman

Born: July 31, 1953
Atlanta, Georgia

Died: March 3, 2010 (aged 56)
Atlanta, Georgia

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

MLB debut

September 27, 1978, for the Atlanta Braves

Last MLB appearance

September 27, 1978, for the Atlanta Braves

MLB statistics

Games played

At bats

Teams

Atlanta Braves (1978)

George Henry Small (July 31, 1953 – March 3, 2010) was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Atlanta Braves during the 1978 season. Listed at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 205 lb., Small batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia.

Small attended University of South Carolina, where he hit 48 career home runs from 1972 through 1975 to set a USC record that stood for more than three decades until Justin Smoak hit 62 in 2008. In the nine-year period leading to his first season, USC hit 42 home runs. Small hit six more than that the next four years himself.

In 1972 Small hit for a .379 batting average with four home runs as a freshman, then slumped to .282 with eight homers as a sophomore in 1973. After aluminium bats were allowed in 1974, he raised his average to .360 and belted a USC record 17 home runs in his junior season, garnering a second-team All-American selection.

In April 1974, USC hosted an exhibition game at Sarge Frye Field between the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Prior to the game, a home run hitting contest included Thurman Munson of the Yankees, Duffy Dyer of the Mets and Small, who won with a decisive home run over the left field fence.

Then, as a senior in 1975, Small batted .390 and broke his record with 19 home runs. Besides Small, the USC team featured future major league players as Garry Hancock, Greg Keatley, Ed Lynch and Jim Pankovits. USC finished second at the College World Series that year, and he earned first-team All-America honors. USC lost the championship game to University of Texas, 5–1, with Small’s homer accounting for the only run.

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Wikipedia