MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) — Lenny Randle, a big league player for 12 seasons who spoke five languages, performed stand-up comedy, was dubbed “The Most Interesting Man in Baseball” and was suspended for punching his Texas Rangers manager, has died. He was 75.
Randle died Sunday at his home in Murrieta, California, one of his sons, Bradley, said Tuesday. Bradley said Randle’s wife, Linda, asked that the cause of death not be publicly disclosed.
Randle helped win the 1969 College World Series with Arizona State, where he also played football. He was selected 10th overall by Washington in the secondary phase of the 1970 amateur draft and made his debut for the Senators on June 16, 1971. He got his first hit when he beat out an infield single against Vida Blue.
Randle hit .257 with 27 homers, 322 RBIs and 156 stolen bases for the Senators/Rangers (1971-76), New York Mets (1977-78), New York Yankees (1979), Chicago Cubs (1980) and Seattle Mariners (1981-82).
Randle was on the bench for the Senators’ last game in 1971 when fans invaded the field; bunted to the right side to collide with Cleveland pitcher Milt Wilcox in 1974 and spark a brawl, in retaliation for a pitch being thrown behind him; was at second base during the Ten Cent Beer Night riot at Cleveland later that season; was in the batter’s box to face the Chicago Cubs’ Ray Burris when power went out at Shea Stadium during the blackout on July 13, 1977; was the Yankees’ roster replacement for Thurman Munson following the catcher’s death in August 1979; and famously got on his hands and knees to blow Amos Otis’ slow roller foul on May 27, 1981, which plate umpire Larry McCoy decided was against the rules and ruled a hit.
“I yelled at the ball foul. I didn’t blow it,” Randle told MLB Network in January 2024, saying he kept repeating: “Go foul.”
In his role as a youth baseball coach, Randle distributed T-shirts that read: “Don’t Blow It, Go to College.”
Randle’s tenure with the Rangers ended when he punched manager Frank Lucchesi on March 28, 1977. Randle had lost his second base job to Bump Wills during spring training and asked to be traded if he wasn’t going to play regularly. Lucchesi told media he was tired of “$80,000‐a‐year punks” complaining.
Randle punched Lucchesi three times before a spring training game against Minnesota, and the manager sustained a triple fracture of his right cheekbone and needed plastic surgery. Randle said he approached Lucchesi along the third base line to talk to him and Lucchesi told him: “What do you got to say, punk?”
“All I wanted to do was talk to him,” Randle said then. “I never thought it would come to this, but I guess these things happen in life sometimes.”
Texas suspended Randle for 30 days, fined him $10,000 and withheld $13,407.90 of his $80,000 salary.
Randle issued a public apology. He was charged with felony aggravated battery by Orange County, pled no contest to misdemeanor battery and was fined $1,050. In 1978, he settled a civil suit filed by Lucchesi.
Randle was traded to the Mets on April 26 for a player to be named, who turned out to be second baseman Rick Auerbach. Randle agreed to a five-year contract with the Mets and briefly held out during spring training in 1978 in hope of a restructured deal.
He was released by the Mets in March 1979 and signed in May with the Giants. After spending 1 1/2 months at Triple-A, Randle was traded to Pittsburgh. His contract was purchased by the Yankees that August.
After his release by the Mariners, Randle became the first American to play in the Italian baseball league, with Nettuno in 1983. He kept a home in Anzio.
“Playing baseball in Italy was like finding the fountain of youth,” Randle said in 1995, when he attempted an MLB comeback with the California Angels. “Guys go over there and learn how to relax and enjoy the game. It’s easy, because there’s no stress.”
Randle performed at stand-up clubs after games and released a funk song “Kingdome” by Lenny Randle & the Ballplayers.
He is survived by his wife, the former Linda Bradley; three sons, Bradley, Kumasi and Ahmad; and three grandchildren. A celebration of life is planned.
Photo Credit: Wiki Commons
