Lloyd Moseby

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in Portland, Arkansas, Moseby graduated from Oakland High School in Oakland, California. His primary sport in high school was basketball and he did not take baseball seriously until his sophomore year. He had committed to play college basketball for St. Mary's, one of 75 schools to offer him a basketball scholarship, if he had not decided to sign with the Blue Jays. Drafted 2nd overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1978 amateur draft, he made his major league debut on May 24, 1980. In the mid-1980s, he was part of the powerful "Killer B's" outfield trio for the Jays, playing center field between George Bell and Jesse Barfield. On April 19, 1983, he hit a walk-off two-run home run against Dan Spillner to give the Blue Jays a 9-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians. On August 16, 1987, Moseby took part in an unusual baserunning play where he stole first base and then second base on a throwing error. After the 1989 season, Moseby signed with the Detroit Tigers, saw limited action for two seasons, and then traveled to Japan to play with the Yomiuri Giants in 1992 and 1993. Moseby served as the Blue Jays' first base coach in 1998 and 1999. In 2018, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

On April 19, 1983, the tension broke as Moseby connected for a walk-off two-run home run against Dan Spillner, delivering a dramatic 9-7 win over the Cleveland Indians. Later in his career, on August 16, 1987, he created one of baseball's strangest plays. Starting at first base, he attempted to steal second but saw the catcher's throw land with the center fielder. Seizing the chaos, Moseby reversed direction to run back toward home plate, effectively "stealing" first base. When the center fielder tried to relay the ball to first for a potential pickoff, he threw it wide and hard, allowing Moseby to race all the way back to second base on the error.

Reader's Guide

Moseby developed into a well-polished batter, fielder, and base-runner, driving in nearly 100 runs in three seasons (1984, 1986, and 1987) and regularly stealing 30-plus bases. He finished in the top 25 for the American League Most Valuable Player Award twice—1983 and 1984. He led the American League in triples in 1984 and was an All-Star in 1986. Over his career, Moseby had 869 runs, 169 home runs, 737 runs batted in, and 280 stolen bases with a career batting average of .257. He ranks in the top 10 for Toronto Blue Jays career leaders in WAR, games played, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, walks, stolen bases (franchise leader), and extra-base hits.

Did You Know?

• Moseby's nickname 'Shaker' came from his ability to shake defenders on the basketball court.
• He was drafted 2nd overall by the Blue Jays in 1978.
• He was part of the 'Killer B's' outfield trio with George Bell and Jesse Barfield.
• Moseby once stole first base and then second base on the same play in 1987.