Last time the voting went, in order, cake-gum-cake-gum-cake-gum-cake-gum-cake-gum: a 5-5 tie. Who will win here? And will we get another fun vote pattern?
Ron LeFlore's first experience playing organized baseball came when he
was in prison for armed robbery. An inmate with connections to Tigers
manager Billy Martin (who but Billy would have prison connections for
baseball talent?) convinced Martin to give LeFlore a tryout. LeFlore was
released from prison in July of 1973, and a year later he was in the
major leagues. He immediately became a star, as one of the fastest
players in the league and an excellent hitter as well. From 1976 to 1979
he was one of the best hitters in the American League. He hit .300 in
three of those four seasons, and in 1978, hitting .297, he led the AL
with 126 runs and 68 stolen bases. However, his continuing association
with drug dealers and mob figures led new Tigers manager Sparky Anderson
to trade LeFlore to Montreal. In his one season with the Expos LeFlore
led the NL with 97 stolen bases, though he hit just .257. After the
season LeFlore signed a big free agent contract with the White Sox. In
Chicago LeFlore's baseball skill rapidly declined, while he continued to
make bad decision off the field. At the end of the 1982 season, he was
arrested for drug and gun possession. He failed to make the White Sox
roster in spring training of 1983 and retired. After his career he
worked in a variety of jobs, even attending umpire school. He was also
arrested twice for failure to pay child support. At last report he was
retired and living in Florida.
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