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Nancy Lopez

Related Biography: Baseball Player Ray Knight



Ray Knight was born and raised in Albany, Georgia, in a close-knit family. His father, who supervised the recreational facilities for the parks department, began playing baseball with him when he was just two years old. Knight joined the Cincinnati Reds farm system after attending Albany Junior College. Replacing Pete Rose at third base in 1979, he was named the team's most valuable player.



Traded to the Houston Astros in 1983, Knight struggled with injuries. While playing in the minor leagues he had been hit by pitches twice. One pitch broke his cheek bone; the other hit him in the temple and he spent four days in intensive care. By 1986 Knight had undergone five surgeries and had suffered kidney stones, a variety of pulled muscles, and bone chips in his throwing arm. To top it all off, in 1984 he began suffering bouts of vertigo. Benched then traded to the New York Mets in late 1984, Knight struggled through 1985. In 1986 a change in his stance at the plate revived his bat, and he earned comeback player of the year honors. He was also named the most valuable player of the 1986 World Series, in which he batted .371 with one homerun and five runs-batted-in.

Knight played in Baltimore in 1987 and in Detroit in 1988 before retiring. He served as the manager, albeit with little success, of the Reds for two seasons, 1996 and 1997. After his retirement he spent more time on tour with Lopez and served as her caddy for a time.

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Famous Sports StarsGolfNancy Lopez - Nationally Ranked Amateur, Sensational Rookie Year, Chronology, Slumps Then Rebounds, Related Biography: Baseball Player Ray Knight