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Lenny Randle

Lenny Randle
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 94 of 1218 players
Randle
Leonard Shenoff Randle
Born: February 12, 1949 at Long Beach, Cal.
Throws: Right Bats: Both
Height: 5.10 Weight: 175

Lenny Randle was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on April 24, 2003, April 25, 2003, February 15, 2006, February 12, 2007, November 17, 2012, January 24, 2015, and December 25, 2020.

3b 2b of ss

First Mets game: April 30, 1977
Last Mets game: September 29, 1978

Share your memories of Lenny Randle

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

MFM
One of few bright spots for the Mets in 1977. Set stolen base record (then) for Mets in 1977 with 33. Batted a solid .300 (the ONLY Met to do so that year.) Feel that he was a lot better player than media led on to be. I feel he was the Mets BEST PLAYER FOR 1977!

Logan Swanson
April 16, 2001
Lenny went on to play in Italy(!) for awhile in the early 80's. He also had a recording career, releasing a track, which, I believe was called, "I'm a Ballplayer".

It gives one pause that Lenny's 1977 campaign was the best performance by a Met third baseman in 10 years.

Mr. Sparkle
April 27, 2001
I loved this guy back in 77. He had a great year for that lousy team. He was always very exciting. Punched his manager Frank Luchessi in the head so he was traded to the Mets. Good move for at least that one year. He was a character.

Alan
January 7, 2002
When Grant signed him, he made such a stink about it, you'd have thought he signed Pete Rose. Lenny was a nice player, nothing more.

G.E. Superadio lll
March 28, 2002
One of few bright spots for the Mets in 1977. Set stolen base record (then) for Mets in 1977 with 33. Batted a solid .300 (the ONLY Met to do so that year!) He was a lot better player than media led on to be. He was the Mets BEST PLAYER IN 1977! Traded in 1978 and wasn't happy. At that time the Mets were among the worst franchises in baseball, just before Payson family sold to Doubleday and Co. Lenny played 110% and was a fierce competitor! Too bad we didn't have him at third base earlier in his career!

Joe Figliola
September 19, 2002
The excitement Lenny generated throughout his brief tenure with the Amazin's is perfectly portrayed on his 1978 Topps baseball card. It shows him diving back to first base during a game against the San Diego Padres.

I remember being disappointed that he held out prior to the 1978 season. I think that was the reason why his numbers went south that year.

I never thought of him as a character the way other people made him out to be. I did, however, privately wish when he was playing in Texas that he would join the Mets (I also made that wish for a young St. Louis Cardinal named Keith Hernandez). See, dreams can come true!

Ernie
March 15, 2003
We forget Randle didn't become the starting 3rd baseman in 77 until May 31 when Joe Torre took over as Manager.

Randle was unusual becasue he was always talking to the fans, even during the game.

I recall one time the Mets were on the NBC saturday game of the week (an extreme rarity back then) against the Dodgers at Shea. Randle's coming up then the Dodgers make a pitching change. Instead of going back to the on-deck circle or the dugout the camera's showing Randle hanging around along the railing chatting up with the fans.

He was great for that, a rare breed indeed.

snw
April 3, 2003
I remember him striking out looking on three straight pitches, turning around and sprinting back to the dugout. Funniest thing I ever saw a player do after a strikeout.

Mike Melioris
May 27, 2003
One of few bright spots for the Mets in 1977. Set stolen base record (then) for Mets in 1977 with 33. Batted a solid .300 (the ONLY Met to do so that year!) He was a lot better player than media led on to be. He was the Mets BEST PLAYER IN 1977! At that time the Mets were among the worst franchises in baseball, just before Payson family sold to Doubleday and Co. Lenny played 110% and was a fierce competitor! Too bad we didn't have him at third base earlier in his career!

snapolit
September 21, 2003
Randy did great for the Mets. As a young kid I used to write to a number of Met players asking for autographed pictures. Some guys never responded at all, many others sent the basic autographed pic. I was so impressed with Lenny on the Mets that I wrote him telling him he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'll never forget the really nice postcard he sent me with an inscription thanking me, etc. Apparently his Met pictures weren't ready yet so he sent me a Rangers picture. I was walking on air for weeks. Years later everything I've read suggested that he was a great guy and Frank L. was an obnoxous bigot who got what he deserved.

Kiwiwriter
July 1, 2004
Great hot dog, and a better ring record. Frank Lucchessi's two mistakes:

1. Yelling at the smart and sensitive Randle. 2. Getting into a fight with the karate-trained Randle.

I remember Lenny standing at bat when the blackout hit. He thought he'd been hit by a pitch where it counted and for the last time. Like most of the Mets, he drove his car into the infield to light up the park and spent the evening chatting with fans in the box seats and signing autographs until they kicked everyone out.

Maxwell Kates
November 16, 2004
After the 1981 baseball strike, the Seattle Mariners aired several humourous commercials to entice the fans to recapture their interest in the sport. One featured Tom Paciorek wearing Groucho glasses, while another saw Julio Cruz break into Rene Lachemann's house. Then there was this one with Lenny, parodying the "Mack the Knife" scene in the Three Penny Opera.

When the Mariners Beat the Red Sox Hitting home runs Out of sight

All the children 14 and under Will want to stay for Free Jacket Night

For the record, Boston won 5-3.

Jonathan Stern
January 14, 2005
I remember an Old Timer's Game a few years ago. Outside Shea, a crowd gathered around a charismatic guy for autographs. I couldn't figure out who who this man was, but I knew he was probably a ex-player who wasn't from 1969 or 1973. I remember him laughing and holding his hand up for space because the fans were crowding him.

Then comments filled the air. "That's Lenny Randle." "Yeah, Lenny Randle." "Didn't he beat up his manager?" "Yep, he beat up his manager, all right." "I'm not gonna get his autograph." "Wasn't much of a player." Etc.

Of course, Lenny's hands were kept occupied anyway. Still, it seems sad to me that the man clearly will be remembered more for his fight with Frank Lucchesi than anything else. Especially since other evidence indicates that he was quite a likable player and personality. On that Old Timer's Day, I even saw a little of that myself.

Mitch45
July 27, 2005
The highlight of Lenny's Met career was the fact that he was at the plate when the lights went out at Shea, signifying the start of the infamous 1977 New York blackout.

LenDog
August 27, 2005
Another contender for career highlight - getting down on his hands and knees and trying to blow a bunted ball foul.

I think he did this with the Mets. Maybe it was with another team.

He will also be remembered for assaulting his manager, Frank Luchessi.

Mets Maniac
October 4, 2005
Lenny was my favorite Met back in 1977, when I was 8 years old. Now, almost 30 years later, I have the privilege of being able to write a book with him! If anyone has any great memories that they would like to share about Lenny, please e-mail me at ryanswritings- at-yahoo.com. I would love to hear what you all have to say.

Herman - If you are interested in sharing your story of Lenny jumping in the stands to sign autographs, please get in touch with me!

Trisha

=Chuck=
November 3, 2006
I was only 12 years old during the '77 season but I remember watching Randle play, and he always played hard. He was a good hitter too. Can you imagine players today jumping into the stands to sit next to, and have conversations with fans? I really miss those days.

Louiemaz
September 23, 2007
I met Lenny at Shea last year. He is a friend of Willie Randolph and frequents Shea a lot.He also promotes his youth baseball camps across the country. I first met him during batting practice. He was on the field with the team, then came over to sign autographs and take pictures with us fans. He was a very friendly guy. I told him I remembered when he hit .300 on a very bad 1977 team. I also remembered he was at bat when the 77 NY blackout hit. After the game my buddy Darren and I saw Lenny again in the parking lot. He hung out and talked baseball with us a while. He spoke highly of Ted Williams, his first manager with the old Washington Senator team. He still loves the game and enjoys coaching kids. Check out his site at LennyRandle.com








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