MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) — Lenny Randle, a major leaguer for 12 seasons who spoke five languages, performed stand-up comedy, was called “the most interesting man in baseball” and was suspended for hitting his Texas Rangers manager. deceased. He was 75 years old.
Randle died Sunday at his home in Murrieta, Calif., one of his sons, Bradley, said Tuesday. Bradley said Randle’s wife, Linda, asked that the cause of death not be publicly disclosed.
Randle helped win the 1969 College World Series with Arizona State, where he also played football. He was selected 10th overall by Washington in the secondary round of the 1970 amateur draft and made his debut with the Senators on June 16, 1971. He got his first hit on an infield single against Vida Blue.
Randle hit .257 with 27 home runs, 322 RBIs and 156 stolen bases for the Senators/Rangers (1971-76), New York Mets (1977-78), New York Yankees (1979), Cubs of Chicago (1980) and the Seattle Mariners (1981-82).
But he was known more for a string of memorable moments than for his on-field accomplishments and was dubbed “the most interesting man in baseball” by Rolling Stone magazine, a title used for a 2015 MLB Network documentary.
Randle was on the bench during the Senators’ final game in 1971 when fans invaded the field. worn on the right side to collide with Cleveland pitcher Milt Wilcox in 1974 and start a fight, in retaliation for a pitch thrown behind him; was at second base during the Ten Cent Beer Night Riot in Cleveland later that season; was in the batter’s box to face Ray Burris of the Chicago Cubs when the power went out at Shea Stadium during the July 13, 1977 blackout; was the Yankees’ replacement for Thurman Munson after the catcher’s death in August 1979; and famous got down on all fours to commit Amos Otis’ slow foul on May 27, 1981.which home plate umpire Larry McCoy ruled was against the rules and ruled it a hit.
“I called foul on the ball. I didn’t mess up,” Randle told MLB Network in January 2024, saying he kept saying, “Foul.”
In his role as a youth baseball coach, Randle handed out T-shirts that read, “Don’t waste it, go to college.”
Randle’s tenure with the Rangers ended when he punched manager Frank Lucchesi on March 28, 1977. Randle had lost his second base job to Bump Wills during spring training and asked to be traded if he wasn’t going to play regularly. Lucchesi told the media that he was tired of complaints from “$80,000-a-year punks.”
Randle punched Lucchesi three times before a spring training game against Minnesota, and the manager suffered a triple fracture of his right cheekbone and required plastic surgery. Randle said he approached Lucchesi along the third-base line to talk to him and Lucchesi said, “What do you have to say, punk?”
“All I wanted to do was talk to him.” Randle then said. “I never thought it would come to this, but I guess these things happen sometimes in life.”
Texas suspended Randle for 30 days, fined him $10,000 and withheld $13,407.90 of his $80,000 salary..
Randle issued a public apology. He was charged with aggravated battery by Orange County, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and was fined $1,050. In 1978, he settled a civil action brought by Lucchesi.
Randle was traded to the Mets on April 26 for a player to be named, who turned out to be second baseman Rick Auerbach. Randle agreed to a five-year contract with the Mets and briefly held out during spring training in 1978 in hopes of a restructured deal.
He was released by the Mets in March 1979 and signed with the Giants in May. After spending a month and a half at Triple-A, Randle was traded to Pittsburgh. His contract was purchased by the Yankees in August.
After his release by the Mariners, Randle became the first American to play in the Italian baseball league, with Nettuno in 1983. He kept a home in Anzio.
“Playing baseball in Italy was like finding the fountain of youth,” Randle said in 1995, when he attempted a return to MLB with the California Angels. “Guys go out there and learn to relax and enjoy the game. It’s easy because there’s no stress.
Randle performed at stand-up clubs after games and released a funk song “Kingdom” by Lenny Randle and the Ballplayers.
He is survived by his wife, the former Linda Bradley; three sons, Bradley, Kumasi and Ahmad; and three grandchildren. A celebration of life is planned.
