Facing off against Cuba at the 1987 Pan-American games all tied up in the ninth, Larry Lamphere fell behind 0-2, The Chicago Tribune wrote.
"At that point," Lamphere told The Tribune, "I was looking for any way to get on base."
He ended up rolling into a pitch and getting hit, The Tribune wrote. The move set up the game-winning home run from the next batter, Ty Griffin.
Lamphere went on from the Pan-Am Games to turn pro. His pro career lasted three seasons. He made high-A.
Lamphere's pro career began in 1988, taken by the Astros in the 14th round of the draft out of Central Michigan University.
Lamphere looked back on his Pan Am time in May 1988 to The Detroit Free-Press, time which also included Lamphere and the team traveling to Cuba and playing there in front of Fidel Castro.
"We beat them twice there, and he sent us a letter before the gold-medal game," Lamphere told The Detroit Free Press. "He said we were a very gutty ball club."
With the Astros, Lamphere started at short-season Auburn. He hit .212 in 54 games. He then moved to single-A Asheville for 1989. He hit .223 in 134 games. He also stole 67 bases.
That June in 1989, he spoke to The Asheville Citizen-Times about clubs making adjustments to Asheville runners.
"Earlier in the year, I had the OK to steal when I wanted," Lamphere told The Citizen-Times. "But lately, the other teams are cracking down by pitching out a lot and throwing to the base more often, so you have to pick your pitches."
Lamphere then played 1990 at high-A Osceola. He saw 74 games and hit .186. That season proved his last as a pro.
Lamphere soon returned home to Michigan and eventually became a high school athletic director.
- Chicago Tribune, Aug. 16, 1987: U.S. stuns Cuba on dramatic homer
- Detroit Free Press, May 17, 1988: CMU senior took one for the USA
- Asheville Citizen-Times, June 10, 1989: Speed
Made the Majors:1,399-32.3%
Never Made Majors:2,937-67.7%-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors:352
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