Bill Madlock

Four-time National League batting champion and 1979 World Series winner with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock, Jr. (born January 12, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from 1973 to 1987. Madlock is notable for being a four-time National League batting champion. His four batting titles as a third baseman was a record until Wade Boggs attained his fifth in 1988. Since 1970, only Tony Gwynn has won more National League batting titles (eight). Madlock is one of several right-handed hitters to have won multiple National League batting titles since 1960, joining Roberto Clemente (four) and Tommy Davis (back-to-back in 1962 and 1963), among others.

Quick Facts

Position: Third baseman
Bats: Right
Born: 12 January 1951
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: September 7
Debut year: 1973
Debut team: Texas Rangers

Lore & Background

Bill Madlock was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but grew up in Decatur, Illinois, where he graduated from Eisenhower High School. At Eisenhower High he played basketball, football and baseball. He received 150 scholarship offers for his skills as a basketball player, around 100 for his skills as a football player and two for his skills as a baseball player. He accepted one of the two baseball scholarships, at Southeastern Community College in Keokuk, Iowa, because of his preference for playing a less hazardous game. He was considered for the baseball draft by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969, but would not sign with the Cardinals. By the time Madlock was ready to sign with a major league baseball team, he had decided to go with an offer from the Washington Senators organization. Madlock has four children with his late wife Cynthia: Sara, Stephen, Douglas and Jeremy.

Reader's Guide

Madlock was drafted by the Washington Senators in the 5th round of the secondary phase of the 1970 amateur draft. After spending a few years in the minor leagues, with a season with the Ossining Oxen in the team's only season, he made his debut with the Texas Rangers on September 7, 1973, and played 21 games with them, batting .351. He was traded along with Vic Harris from the Rangers to the Chicago Cubs for Ferguson Jenkins on October 25, 1973. Madlock replaced Ron Santo as the Cubs' third baseman and hit .313.

In 1975 Madlock won his first batting title with a .354 average. In 1976 Madlock repeated as batting champion with a .339 average. During the advent of MLB free agency following the 1976 season, Madlock demanded a multiyear contract with an annual salary of about $200,000, but was rejected by team owner Philip K. Wrigley. Madlock and Rob Sperring were dealt to the San Francisco Giants for Bobby Murcer, Steve Ontiveros and minor-league right-handed pitcher Andy Muhlstock on February 11, 1977.

Madlock, an average fielder at best, was moved to second base (the Giants already had Darrell Evans at third), and batted .302 and .309 in 1977 and 1978 respectively. Madlock was acquired along with Lenny Randle and Dave Roberts by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Giants for Al Holland, Ed Whitson and Fred Breining on June 28, 1979. He was a starting third baseman again on a ballclub that eventually won the 1979 World Series. He batted .328 with the Pirates during the regular season and .375 in the World Series.

In 1980 Madlock's average dropped to .277. Madlock won two more batting titles, in 1981 and 1983. In August 1985 the Pirates traded him to Los Angeles. In 1987, the Dodgers released Madlock, who signed a few days later with the Detroit Tigers. Madlock became a free agent at the end of the 1987 season and played for the Lotte Orions in Japan in 1988.

Did You Know?

Madlock is one of 102 players in MLB history with 2,000 hits and a batting average of .300.
Madlock's four batting titles is the most of any player in major league baseball history who is not enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Madlock was ejected from 18 games as a player and three games as a Tiger coach.