When one looks back at the legacy of former MLBbro Kenny Lofton, the words versatility and consistency always come up. The Indiana native is one of only two players to play in both the Final Four and the World Series. The other is Tim Stoddard, who coincidentally went to the same high school as Kenny — Washington High School in East Chicago, Indiana.
A product of the University of Arizona, Lofton was a member of the Wildcats’ 1988 Final Four squad as a backup point guard to Steve Kerr. However, in his junior season, he tried out for the baseball team and changed his athletic life forever.
Although he played just five games for Arizona, Lofton’s speed and overall ability made an instant impact. His performance impressed several Major League teams, including the Houston Astros. The team later selected Lofton in the 17th round of the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft.
By 1991, Lofton was set to make his MLB debut with the Astros. In his first game, Lofton went 3-for-4 with a double and scored three runs against the Cincinnati Reds. However, a logjam of outfielders on Houston’s roster would lead him to another destined path of his athletic life.
The team traded Lofton to the Cleveland Indians along with Dave Rohde for catcher Eddie Taubensee and right-handed pitcher Willie Blair during the offseason. It was the first of three separate stints in Cleveland.
During his first season with Cleveland, in 1992, Lofton hit .285. His 66 stolen bases broke the all-time record for an American League rookie. He finished second to Milwaukee’s Pat Listach in the AL’s Rookie of the Year balloting.
After one season with Cleveland, Lofton agreed to a four-year, $6.3 million contract. The following season, Lofton broke his own Cleveland single-season stolen-base record, recording 70 (which led the Majors). The 1994 season also saw Lofton’s first All-Star Game selection.
For the campaign, Lofton again led the AL with 60 stolen bases. His 160 hits on the season were highest in the AL and his .349 batting average was a career-best. He established himself as one of the game’s best leadoff hitters.
Playing on a roster that included young stars like Albert Belle and Carlos Baerga, as well as future Hall of Famers Eddie Murray and Jim Thome, Lofton proved to be the backbone of one of the game’s most dominant lineups. “We had an attitude that we couldn’t be beaten,” said Lofton speaking on WNHH FM’s “Outside The Box.” “We were cocky and played with a confidence that set us apart from a lot of teams in baseball.
“We were a well-rounded team because we had speed and power. We also didn’t strikeout a lot and we put the ball in play. The fact that we had multiple weapons in our lineup made it tough when teams came into Jacobs Field.”
In 1994, the only thing that stopped Cleveland was the MLB players’ strike and ensuing cancellation of the regular season. In 1995, Lofton was one of six Cleveland starters who batted .300 or higher (.310). He also had an MLB-best 13 triples. His 54 stolen bases led the AL for the third consecutive season as the Indians finished 100-44 and won the AL Central. In a season that started late by 18 games due to the strike, Cleveland was the first team in AL history to win 100 games in a season that had fewer than 154 games.
After sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS, Cleveland defeated Seattle in the ALCS in six games. Lofton helped to lead the Indians to their first World Series since 1954 and it was one of Lofton’s signature plays that led to the clinching victory.
In the eighth inning of game six, Lofton had an infield bunt, stole second base, and scored from second on a passed ball between pitcher Randy Johnson and catcher Dan Wilson. The Indians won the game 4–0. The media described it as “the run that demoralized the Mariners.”
However, Cleveland would fall to the Atlanta Braves, 4-2, in the Fall Classic. Lofton finished with a .200 batting average and six stolen bases in his first World Series appearance. A year later, Cleveland again had MLB’s best record (99–62) and Lofton’s stolen-base total (75) led MLB for the second time in four years.
He hit .317 and had a career-high 67 RBIs during the regular season. However, Cleveland would be eliminated in the American League Division Series as Baltimore won the series in four games. Heading into the final year of his contract, Lofton appeared to be set to re-sign with Cleveland.
However, at the end of Spring Training in 1997, Lofton and pitcher Alan Embree were traded to the Atlanta Braves for outfielders Marquis Grissom and David Justice. The loss of Albert Belle from the previous season was used by management as the catalyst for the deal.
Lofton had a solid season in Dixie (.333 batting average and 27 stolen bases) and helped lead the Braves to the NL East title with an MLB-best 101–61 record. After sweeping the Astros in the National League Division Series, Atlanta would fall to the eventual World Series champion Marlins in the NLCS. That offseason, Lofton would have the first of his two subsequent stints back in Cleveland. He returned to the AL and the Indians when he signed a three-year, $24 million contract. He would spend the remainder of his career in search of that elusive World Series crown.
From 2002 to 2007, Lofton played for eight teams (White Sox, Giants, Pirates, Cubs, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, Rangers) and made it to the postseason with four of them. This included a World Series appearance with San Francisco in 2002. One of his many managers, Joe Torre, said after Lofton had been to the playoffs in 11 of the past 13 seasons and played for 11 clubs in his career, “He bounced around a lot of clubs for a reason: They felt he could help them. He did a hell of a job.”
Lofton added, “What I always appreciated was that no matter where I played, I was always in the playoffs. I played 17 seasons and was in the postseason in 11. Teams were always looking for a player like myself because of my skill set and what I brought to the game.”
His 622 stolen bases ranked him 15th all-time when he retired in 2007. He holds the Indians’ record for stolen bases with 452. Lofton had tallied a .299 career batting average with 130 home runs, 116 triples, and 1,528 runs in 2,103 games. He was also a three-time MLB Player of the Week. Lofton played in 95 postseason games. In the playoffs for his career, he hit .247 with seven home runs and 34 RBI. Baseball historian Bill James named Lofton the “fastest player” and “best bunter” of the 1990s.
On January 27, 2010, Lofton was selected as a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. He was inducted on August 7. He became eligible for Cooperstown in 2013, but did not receive the necessary number of votes to remain on the ballot for 2014 and beyond.
Despite his career stats, accolades, and relatively clean reputation during the steroid era, Lofton has often been considered by many fans as one of the most egregious exclusions, and has been used as an example of criticism towards the process.
In retirement, Lofton has developed his own television production company, FilmPool, Inc. and has appeared on The Wayans Bros. and George Lopez. He also served as a commentator on the Fox Sports West and is an advisor for a baseball-related venture called Sluggball.
As far as his legacy… “I just want folks to take an honest look at my numbers and let them speak for themselves,” said Lofton. “I want the opportunity to be compared with all the other players in the Hall of Fame and see where I rank.”
