Ryan LaMarre at bat during record setting swipe
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Cincinnati Reds minor leaguer Billy Hamilton bolted to his record 146th stolen base of the season and kept running Tuesday night, swiping four in the first game of Double-A doubleheader.
Hamilton added his 147th steal in the final inning of Pensacola's 4-2 loss to Montgomery. Hamilton stole 104 in the first half of the season with Class A Bakersfield, then was promoted to the Southern League.
Hamilton broke the record for steals by minor league teams affiliated with big league organizations set by Vince Coleman in 1983 with 145 for Macon in the Class A South Atlantic League.
The modern major league record was set by Rickey Henderson with 130 in 1982.
Hamilton stole second base in the first inning, then swiped second and third in the third inning to eclipse Coleman's mark. Hamilton made a headfirst slide for the record-breaker and Pensacola manager Jim Riggleman, who was coaching third base, gave him a hearty handshake as the crowd rewarded the speedster with a standing ovation.
Hamilton's teammates came out of the dugout to applaud him. Ryan LaMarre, who was batting at the time for the Blue Wahoos, came down the third base line to congratulate him.
The 21-year-old Hamilton has been caught stealing 33 times this season. He has forced many errors and balks while on the bases.
Hamilton has played 120 games this year. Coleman played 113 games during his record-setting season and was caught stealing 31 times.
EDIT: Source - The Sporting News.
Ryan LaMarre is an outfileder that played for UM
August 22nd, 2012 at 3:47 PM ^
...Maize & Blue Wahoo's favorite minor league baseball side.
August 22nd, 2012 at 3:57 PM ^
First, I'm guessing you don't normally make a point of writing in exactly the style of a professional news journalist. Which suggests to me that what we're reading here is lifted wholesale from somewhere else. Which means YOU SHOULD ATTRIBUTE this writing to its original writer, provide a link, etc. Not quoting a whole article, and properly attributing, are both part of officially stated MGoPolicy.
Second, it's worth reminding your audience who Ryan LaMarre is. Not everyone on MGoBlog follows the Michigan baseball team particularly closely, and without that reference, this thread is beyond OT.
/Board Police
August 22nd, 2012 at 4:35 PM ^
August 22nd, 2012 at 4:59 PM ^
He sounds fast.
August 23rd, 2012 at 12:04 AM ^
there's a good chance Hamilton is the fastest baseball player in the history of the game.
August 22nd, 2012 at 5:02 PM ^
August 22nd, 2012 at 5:31 PM ^
i can't say i'm much of a baseball fan, but records these days, in any sport, don't mean much. It's like saying it was a huge accomplishment when all the football records were shattered because of the bowl game stats counting as season stats.
120 games to 113 for the former record holder who probably took the record from a guy who played 100 games.
In 25 years people will be shocked when the record is broken again by a guy who played 140 games.
August 22nd, 2012 at 6:26 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 12:44 AM ^
I have a "cool story bro" tale involving La Marre, but I will spare the board. However, Ryan is super nice and seemed to enjoy talking Blue with my brother and I during their weekend home opener.