Rangers History Today: Harrah Reaches Base in 41 Straight Games
On this date in Texas Rangers history, Toby Harrah completed a team-record 41 straight games reaching base as the Rangers defeated the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
On May 31, 1985, Harrah hit leadoff for the Rangers and went 3-for-5 while driving in a run.
Harrah’s streak started on April 8, which was Opening Day in Baltimore. Harrah also hit leadoff that day, going 1-for-4. During the 41-game streak, Harrah hit .291 with 37 hits, two home runs, nine RBI, and 49 walks. Harrah’s streak ended the next day, June 1, as he went 0-for-4 against Boston in a 6-0 loss.
Harrah's streak was eventually taken over by Julio Franco, when he set the Rangers record with 46 consecutive games reaching base from July 28 through September 19 in 1993.
By 1985, Harrah was playing out the final two years of his career with the franchise he broke in with in 1969, when the Rangers were the Washington Senators. The Sissonville, West Virginia native wasn’t drafted coming out of high school because most MLB teams expected him to go to college. Instead, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Harrah out of a factory job in Marion, Ohio.
From there, Harrah rose through the minor leagues, earned a starting job with the Senators and then came with the Rangers when the franchise moved to Arlington in 1972.
In a 17-season career that saw him play with the Rangers, the New York Yankees, and Cleveland Indians, Harrah had a career average of .264 with 195 home runs and 918 RBI. Harrah made four All-Star Game appearances, including the Rangers’ first All-Star Game appearance in 1972.
Harrah then became a bench coach with the Rangers under Bobby Valentine, eventually taking over as Rangers manager in the wake of Valentine’s firing in 1992. Harrah went 32-44 as the interim skipper but was replaced before the 1993 season by Kevin Kennedy. He also spent time as a bench coach with Cleveland, Detroit, and Colorado, working for old Rangers teammates like Mike Hargrove, Buddy Bell and Larry Parrish.
Also on this date …
May 31, 1975: Rangers designated hitter César Tovar broke up a no-hit bid by Jim ‘Catfish’ Hunter with a hit in the sixth inning of the Rangers’ 6-0 loss to the Yankees. Tovar had the only hit.
May 31, 2008: Josh Hamilton wrapped up his second month as a Texas Ranger, and shortly after would become the first American League player to win the league’s Player of the Month award in April and May. In April, Hamilton hit .333 with six home runs and 32 RBI. He followed that by hitting .322 with eight home runs and 29 RBI in May.
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