Larry Bowa Stats & Facts
Larry Bowa
Position: Shortstop
Bats: Both • Throws: Right
5-10, 155lb (178cm, 70kg)
Born: December 6, 1945 in Sacramento, CA
High School: McClatchy HS (Sacramento, CA)
School: Sacramento City College (Sacramento, CA)
Debut: April 7, 1970 (Age 24-122d, 10,569th in MLB history)
vs. CHC 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: October 6, 1985 (Age 39-304d)
vs. MON 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Lawrence Robert Bowa
Nicknames: Gnat, Bo or Pee Wee
Pronunciation: \BO-ah\
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject
Relatives: Uncle of Nick Johnson
“Larry Bowa is the best shortstop I’ve ever seen, and I played with Mark Belanger and Luis Aparicio.” — teammate Davey Johnson, in 1977
Fast feet, a strong arm, soft hands, a quick temper, and unlimited determination characterized Bowa’s years as an outstanding ML shortstop. Often at odds with teammates, managers, and members of the media, Bowa never let distractions influence his play in the field. When he finished his playing career in 1985, he held the NL record for games played at shortstop (2,222), years leading NL shortstops in fielding (6), and for fewest errors in a season of 150 or more games (9). He also holds the ML record for the highest fielding percentage for a career (.980) and for a season of over 100 games (.991).
A powerless switch-hitter early in his career, he developed into a tough out, hitting .280 or better four times, with a high of .305 in 1975, and seldom striking out. He was always a good base stealer, finishing with 318 for his career. With Bowa at short, the Phillies won division titles from 1976 to 1978 and the world championship in 1980.
Managing, coaching, and broadcasting career
San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies
After retiring, Bowa was named manager of the San Diego Padres in 1987, but his aggressive and often angry style were ineffective, and he was fired a year later. Bowa returned to managing, joining the Phillies in 2001, and was honored as Manager of the Year after bringing the team within two games of the division title; they had finished in last place in 2000. He was fired with two games remaining in the 2004 season after failing to finish within 10 games of first place in his last three years.
ESPN and XM radio
After leaving the Phillies and before accepting his job with the Yankees, Bowa served as an analyst for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight and co-hosted a baseball talk show on XM Radio.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On November 5, 2007, the Los Angeles Dodgers hired him to be the team’s new third base coach, following the hire of new manager Joe Torre. He previously served as a third base coach under managers Lee Elia, John Vukovich, Nick Leyva, Jim Fregosi, Terry Collins, and Lou Piniella.
On April 1, 2008 Bowa, was thrown out in the second game of the season due to arguing with an umpire about standing out of the coaches box (he eventually threw a watercooler in the dugout). Bowa was subsequently suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount. His position with the Dodgers ended with the retirement of Joe Torre at the end of the 2010 season.
Notable Events and Chronology for Larry Bowa Career
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