Paul Molitor

Paul Leo Molitor (born August 22, 1956), nicknamed "Molly" and "the Ignitor", is an American former professional baseball player and manager.

After graduating from Cretin High School, he was selected in the 28th round of the 1974 MLB draft as a pitcher by the St. Louis Cardinals.

He opted instead to attend college at the University of Minnesota, where he was a three-year starter for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Molitor earned All-American honors as a shortstop for his sophomore year.

Between his sophomore and junior seasons, Molitor suffered a broken jaw.

With his jaw wired shut for eight weeks, Molitor lost 40 lbs.

After his junior year in college, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Molitor in the first round, with the third overall selection, in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.

He signed with the Brewers and began his professional career with the Class A Burlington Bees of the Midwest League.

In 64 games with Burlington, Molitor hit for a .346 batting average, 8 home runs, 50 runs batted in (RBI) and 14 stolen bases.

Molitor began as a shortstop, then moved to second base when Robin Yount returned from a brief injury.

During his 21-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB), he played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1978–1992), Toronto Blue Jays (1993–1995), and Minnesota Twins (1996–1998).

He was known for his exceptional hitting and speed.

He made his MLB debut in 1978, playing in 125 games and hitting .273 with six home runs, 45 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.

Molitor struggled with injuries for much of his early career, being placed on the disabled list six times between 1980 and 1986.

In 1981, he spent time at center field and right field to avoid the injuries associated with infield play.

Molitor was moved to third base before the 1982 season.

Molitor was part of a young Milwaukee Brewers team that lost the 1982 World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Molitor batted .355 during the series.

In Game 1, he had five hits, a World Series record.

During the 1982 season, he hit .302 and led the American League (AL) with 136 runs scored.

On May 12, he hit three home runs against the Royals in a 9-7 loss.

In 1984, Molitor struggled with elbow problems, played in only 13 games and ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery in an attempt to salvage his career.

He played in 140 games in 1985, hitting .297 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs.

He followed that with a .281 average, 9 home runs and 55 RBI in 1986.

That year he suffered a hamstring injury, returned for a few days, then reinjured it.

He played in 105 games that season.

Molitor attracted national media attention in 1987 during his 39-game hitting streak.

Near the end of the streak, columnist Mike Downey wrote that "the amazing thing about Paul Molitor's recent bat-o-rama is not that he has hit in 33 straight games but that he has played in 33 straight games."

The streak ended with Molitor in the on-deck circle when Rick Manning got a game-ending hit to beat the Cleveland Indians on August 26, 1987.

Fans booed Manning for driving in the winning run and thus depriving Molitor of one last chance to reach 40 games.

He made seven All-Star Game appearances, and was the World Series Most Valuable Player in 1993.

Molitor currently ranks tenth on the all-time MLB career hits list with 3,319.

He is one of only five players in history with 3,000+ hits, a lifetime .300+ batting average, and 500+ career stolen bases.

Molitor grew up in Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota before beginning his MLB career.

After his retirement as a player, he served as a coach for the Seattle Mariners and the Twins.

In 2004, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming one of the first players enshrined after spending a significant portion of his career as a designated hitter.

He was a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

On November 3, 2014, Molitor was announced as the 13th manager of the Twins.

He managed the team for four seasons and was fired in October 2018.

Molitor was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota.