Terry Puhl

Terry Puhl

Terry Puhl at his Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Induction
Sport(s)	Baseball
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	UHV Jaguars
Conference	Red River Athletic Conference
Record	220–175
Biographical details
Born	(1956-07-08) July 8, 1956 (age 60) Melville, Saskatchewan
Playing career
1977–1990	Houston Astros
1991	Kansas City Royals
Position(s)	Outfielder
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2007–present	UHV Jaguars
Head coaching record
Overall	220-175
Tournaments	20-15
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Association of Independent Institutions (2008) Association of Independent Institutions (2009)
Awards
NL All-Star (1978) Canadian Baseball Player of the Year (1981) Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1994) Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (1995) Texas Baseball Hall of Fame (2006)

Terry Stephen Puhl (born July 8, 1956) is a Canadian retired professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball, mostly with the Houston Astros. Puhl is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ontario. He is the head coach of University of Houston–Victoria's baseball team and was the manager of the Canada national baseball team.

Puhl was born and raised in Melville, Saskatchewan. In high school, he played baseball, volleyball, track and football. Pitching on a Midget League team, he led the club to a Canadian championship and was named the nation's outstanding pitcher. He was signed by the Houston Astros in 1973. Astros scout Harry Morgan signed Puhl to play in the outfield, a role that the pitcher had never played before.

Puhl made his professional debut with the rookie-league Covington Astros the following season, batting .284. Over the next three seasons, he advanced through the Astros' farm system, playing with the single-A Dubuque Packers in 1975, then splitting the season between the double-A Columbus Astros and the triple-A Memphis Blues in 1976, and finally with the triple-A Charleston Charlies in 1977.

Puhl was called up to the majors in July 1977, and never returned to the minor leagues. He was quickly installed as the club's regular left fielder, replacing Jim Fuller. In his first major league game on July 12, Puhl entered as a defensive replacement for Fuller. The following day he got his first hit in the 13th inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers off relief pitcher Elías Sosa. Later that inning, he scored the winning run on Bob Watson's double. He finished the 1977 season with a .301 batting average in 60 games.