This article is about the former pro baseball and college basketball player. For the pro basketball player, see Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Baseball player
Kenny Lofton
Lofton in 2019
Center fielder
Born: (1967-05-31) May 31, 1967 (age 56) East Chicago, Indiana, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 14, 1991, for the Houston Astros
Last MLB appearance
September 29, 2007, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average
.299
Hits
2,428
Home runs
130
Runs batted in
781
Stolen bases
622
Teams
Houston Astros (1991)
Cleveland Indians (1992–1996)
Atlanta Braves (1997)
Cleveland Indians (1998–2001)
Chicago White Sox (2002)
San Francisco Giants (2002)
Pittsburgh Pirates (2003)
Chicago Cubs (2003)
New York Yankees (2004)
Philadelphia Phillies (2005)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2006)
Texas Rangers (2007)
Cleveland Indians (2007)
Career highlights and awards
6× All-Star (1994–1999)
4× Gold Glove Award (1993–1996)
5× AL stolen base leader (1992–1996)
Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame
Kenneth Lofton (born May 31, 1967) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Lofton was a six-time All-Star (1994–1999), four-time Gold Glove Award winner (1993–1996), and at retirement, was ranked 15th among all-time stolen base leaders with 622.[1][2] During his career, he played for the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.
Lofton attended the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship. The Wildcats made it to the Final Four in 1988. He did not join the school's baseball team until his junior year.
Lofton made 11 postseason appearances, including World Series appearances in 1995 and 2002 with the Indians and Giants, respectively. From 2001 to 2007, Lofton did not spend more than one consecutive season with a team. For his career, the Indians were the only team he played with for longer than one season and the only franchise he played for more than once. Lofton played 9+1⁄2 seasons with the Indians, helping the organization win six division titles. In 2010, he was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
During his professional baseball career, Lofton's single-season stolen base count led the American League (AL) on five occasions and all of Major League Baseball (MLB) three times. In 1994, he led the American League in hits, and in 1995 he led the majors in triples. Lofton holds the all-time postseason stolen base record with 34, having broken Rickey Henderson's record in 2007. Of his base running, Frank White said, "Lofton has out-thought a lot of major-league players" and later, "a smart, complete baseball player."[3]
^"Career Leaders for Stolen Bases". Baseballalmanac.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
^"Kenny Lofton sets postseason record for stolen bases". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 17, 2007.
^White, Frank; Fulks, Matt (2004). Good as Gold: Techniques for Fundamental Baseball. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing. p. 149. ISBN 1-58261-741-4. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
Kenneth Lofton (born May 31, 1967) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Lofton was a six-time All-Star (1994–1999), four-time...
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Lofton is the nephew of the former Major League Baseball center fielder KennyLofton. Lofton's first major role on a TV series...
Astros who, with a surplus of outfielders, were willing to part with KennyLofton. Lofton finished second in AL Rookie of the Year balloting with a .285 average...
for the position. Players such as Rickey Henderson, Ichiro Suzuki, and KennyLofton are often considered as archetypal leadoff hitters. In recent years,...
Major League Baseball. October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010. "KennyLofton". statistical listing. Major League Baseball. October 11, 2010. Retrieved...
Giants also acquired KennyLofton from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for two minor leaguers. Sanders, Bell, Shinjo, and Lofton helped bolster a Giants...
was also the first player to collect 300 career stolen bases. With KennyLofton's retirement in 2007, 2008 was the first season since 1967 in which no...
spring training in Goodyear, Arizona and was joined by former teammates KennyLofton, Sandy Alomar Jr., and Carlos Baerga. In spite of this, Belle declined...
Notorious B.I.G. and samples "Nothing Even Matters" by Lauryn Hill. "KennyLofton" samples "Hurt" by The Manhattans. "Chris Tucker" interpolates "Niggas...
was through a sample. Even J. Cole, I was listening to a song of his ("KennyLofton"), and it was based on the sample from the Manhattans version of 'Hurt'"...
shortstop John Lofton (1941–2014), American political commentator Kenneth Lofton Jr. (born 2002), American basketball player KennyLofton (born 1967), Major...
per game), home runs (207), and stolen bases (132). Led by speedsters KennyLofton and Omar Vizquel, along with Carlos Baerga at the top of the order, the...
Game. Chicago (NL) won the series, 4–3. Former Indians and Cubs player KennyLofton threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 while Rachel Platten sang...
King Kenny Lofton, baseball outfielder Kenny Loggins (born 1948), American singer and songwriter Kenny Lowe, English football manager Kenny Mayne, American...
with outfielder Marquis Grissom to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder KennyLofton and relief pitcher Alan Embree. He hit .329 with a .418 OBP and .596...
YouTube Ben Walker (July 21, 1995). "The World Series may come down to KennyLofton vs. Deion Sanders". Associated Press News. Retrieved February 12, 2015...
batterymates have won Gold Gloves together more than once: Iván Rodríguez and Kenny Rogers won with the Texas Rangers in 2000, and again with the Detroit Tigers...
appeared in the postseason as a member of six teams, tied for the most with KennyLofton, and won two World Series titles. Following his 2007 retirement, Wells...
the 100-triple mark, doing so with the New York Giants in 1886. With KennyLofton's retirement after the 2007 season, 2008 was the first season since 1885...
was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. March 25, 1997: KennyLofton was traded by the Cleveland Indians with Alan Embree to the Atlanta Braves...
groundout, Matsui scored on Jorge Posada's sacrifice fly. In the sixth, KennyLofton hit a leadoff home run off of knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Sheffield...
scored on McGriff's single, but in the third, an error by center fielder KennyLofton on Gary Sheffield's fly ball allowed him to reach third, then after a...
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