View source for Terry Puhl

{{short description|Canadian baseball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
 | name=Terry Puhl
 | position=[[Outfielder]]
 | image=Terry Puhl Astros.jpg
 | birth_date={{Birth date and age|1956|7|8|mf=y}}
 | birth_place=[[Melville, Saskatchewan]], [[Canada]]
 | death_date=
 | bats=Left
 | throws=Right
 |debutleague = MLB
| debutdate=July 12
 | debutyear=1977
 | debutteam=Houston Astros
 |finalleague = MLB
| finaldate=May 29
 | finalyear=1991
 | finalteam=Kansas City Royals
 |statleague = MLB
| stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
 | stat2label=[[Home run]]s
 | stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
 | stat1value=.280
 | stat2value=62
 | stat3value=435
 | teams=
*[[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1990}})
*[[Kansas City Royals]] ({{mlby|1991}})
 | highlights=
*[[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1978]])
*[[Houston Astros#Astros Hall of Fame|Houston Astros Hall of Fame]]
| hofcolor= #EC1C40
| hoflink= Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
| hoftype= Canadian 
| hofdate= 1995
|module=
{{Infobox college coach|embed=yes
| name = Terry Puhl
| image =
| current_title = 
| current_team = 
| current_conference = 
| current_record = 	
| contract = 
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| alma_mater = 
| player_years1 = 
| player_team1 = 
| player_years2 = 
| player_team2 = 
| player_positions = 
| coach_years1 = 2007–2022
| coach_team1 = [[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|UHV Jaguars]]
| overall_record = 	{{Winning percentage|333|353|record=y}}
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 5–6 (NAIA)
| championships = 2 [[NAIA independent schools|AII]] tournament (2009, 2010)
| awards = Canadian Baseball Player of the Year (1981)<br />[[Tip O'Neill Award]] (1984)<br />Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1994)<br />Texas Baseball Hall of Fame (2006)
| coaching_records = 
}}}}

'''Terry Stephen Puhl''' (born July 8, 1956) is a Canadian former professional [[baseball]] player and [[Coach (baseball)|coach]].  He played in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) as an [[outfielder]] from 1977 to 1991, most prominently as a member of the [[Houston Astros]], where he helped the franchise win its first-ever [[National League West]] division title and [[1980 Major League Baseball postseason|postseason]] berth in {{mlby|1980}}.  He also played for the [[Kansas City Royals]].

A [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] in [[1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1978]], Puhl also won the first-ever [[Tip O'Neill Award]] in 1984.  He excelled defensively as an outfielder, committing just 18 errors in 1,300 career games.  Puhl's .993 [[fielding percentage]] is the best among outfielders in Astros history and ranks 8th all-time among all outfielders in NL history.<ref name="Houston Astros Hall of Fame">{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/astros/history/hall-of-fame/inductees/terry-puhl |title=Houston Astros Hall of Fame |work=MLB.com |accessdate=28 December 2022}}</ref>

Following his playing career, Puhl served as the head coach of the [[Texas A&M University–Victoria|University of Houston–Victoria]]'s [[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|baseball team]] and the manager of the [[Canada national baseball team]]. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and, into the [[Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1995. He was inducted into the Houston Astros Hall of Fame in 2022.<ref name="Houston Astros Hall of Fame"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseballhalloffame.ca/hall-of-famer/terry-puhl/ |title=Terry Puhl at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame |work=baseballhalloffame.ca |accessdate=28 December 2022}}</ref>

==Early life==
Puhl was born and raised in [[Melville, Saskatchewan]]. In high school, he played baseball, volleyball, track and football. Pitching on a Midget League team, he led the club to a Canadian championship and was named the nation's outstanding pitcher. He was signed by the [[Houston Astros]] in {{baseball year|1973}}. Astros scout Harry Morgan signed Puhl to play in the outfield, a role that the pitcher had never played before.<ref name=McRae>{{cite news|last=McRae|first=Earl|title=Hometown boy makes good|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19790721&id=XO4yAAAAIBAJ&pg=3592,474287|access-date=December 25, 2013|newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]]|date=July 21, 1979}}</ref>

== Playing career ==

=== Minor league career ===
Puhl made his professional debut with the rookie-league [[Covington Astros]] the following season, batting .284. Over the next three seasons, he advanced through the Astros' farm system, playing with the single-A [[Dubuque Packers]] in {{baseball year|1975}}, then splitting the season between the double-A [[Columbus Astros]] and the triple-A [[Memphis Blues (minor league)|Memphis Blues]] in {{baseball year|1976}}, and finally with the triple-A [[Charleston Charlies]] in {{baseball year|1977}}.

=== Major league career ===
Puhl was called up to the majors in July 1977, and never returned to the minor leagues. He was quickly installed as the club's regular [[left fielder]], replacing [[Jim Fuller (outfielder)|Jim Fuller]]. In his first major league game, on July 12, Puhl entered as a defensive replacement for Fuller. The following day, he got his first [[Hit (baseball)|hit]] in the 13th inning of a game against the [[1977 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]], off [[Relief pitcher|reliever]] [[Elías Sosa]]. Later that inning, Puhl scored the winning run on [[Bob Watson]]'s double.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU197707130.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston Astros Box Score, July 13, 1977|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> He finished the 1977 season with a .301 batting average in 60 games.

The following year, he was the sole Astro selected as a National League [[1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]]. He played in 149 games and batted .289 while having 169 hits, 25 doubles, and 32 stolen bases (the most he would ever have in a season). The following year, he would play 157 games (the most he would play in one season) while having his numbers rise and drop slightly, such as batting .287/.352/.377 while having 172 hits, 22 doubles, 49 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. Puhl played a key part in the Astros making 1980 a banner year. He played in 141 games while batting .282 with 151 hits, 24 doubles, and 27 stolen bases. In the [[1980 National League West tie-breaker game]] versus the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]], he led off the game by reaching first base on an error and then scored the first run of the game when he charged into the catcher when running from third to home that dislodged the ball. The Astros won 7–1 to win their first NL West title. In the [[1980 National League Championship Series]] against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], Puhl set a then NL-championship series record with a .526 batting average in a losing cause, the best performance ever by a hitter in a play-off series at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/d809c38f|title=Terry Puhl {{!}} Society for American Baseball Research|website=sabr.org|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref> As of 2019, Puhl has the 19th best lifetime fielding percentage by an outfielder (.993). He committed only 18 errors in 2,660 [[total chances]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/fielding_perc_of_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Fielding % as OF|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> In 1981, he was named Canadian Baseball player of the year. That year, he played in 96 games while batting .251 while having 88 hits, 19 doubles, and 22 stolen bases. Puhl recorded his 1,000th hit off [[Tim Lollar]] on August 4, 1984, doing so on a single.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU198408040.shtml|title=San Diego Padres at Houston Astros Box Score, August 4, 1984|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

A pulled hamstring in 1985 and an ankle injury in 1986 reduced Puhl's playing time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1985/06/14/for-the-record/f7375e84-5578-4b0a-9401-f7cf49aa3a21/|title=FOR THE RECORD|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2020-01-16|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> He would play just 57 games in 1985, 81 in 1986, and 90 in 1987 (batting .284, .244, and .230 respectively). He would have one more return to effective hitting in 1988, batting .303/.395/.389 in 113 games, having 71 hits and 22 stolen bases.

Puhl was granted free agent status in 1990, and signed with the [[New York Mets]] on December 13, 1990. He was released by the Mets during [[spring training]] on April 1, 1991, and signed by the [[Kansas City Royals]] on April 25, 1991. Puhl's final MLB game was on May 29, 1991, after which he was released by the Royals on June 9, ending his MLB career. Puhl's career statistics included a .280 batting average, 62 home runs, 676 runs, 435 RBIs, and 217 stolen bases. He accumulated 1,361 hits in 1,531 games. Puhl was particularly effective in postseason play, batting .372 in 13 games over three series. As of 2020, Puhl still ranks in the top ten in numerous categories for the Astros, such as WAR (10th, 28.5), games played (5th, 1,516), and hits (8th, 1,357).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/leaders_bat.shtml|title=Houston Astros Top 10 Career Batting Leaders|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

== Post-playing career ==
[[File:Terry Puhl can HOF.jpg |thumb|left|200px|Puhl at his [[Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]] induction]]
After Puhl's retirement in [[1991 in sports|1991]], he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in [[1994 in sports|1994]] and to the [[Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1995. In November 2006, Puhl was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.

In August 2006, Puhl coached the Canadian National Senior team at the Olympic qualifier in [[Cuba]]. Canada advanced to the next round of qualifiers in 2007. In a 15–12 defeat of Panama, Puhl replaced catcher David Corrente with pinch hitter Reed Eastley in the eighth inning, despite the fact Corrente had four hits in four at bats. Eastley hit a three-run home run to tie the game. In the bottom of the ninth, Reed Eastley came to bat for a second time, this time with the bases loaded and the game on the line. Puhl instead called on pinch hitter Jeremy Ware, whose grand slam won the game for Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.ca/eng_news_story.cfm?NewsID=979|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226074642/http://baseball.ca/eng_news_story.cfm?NewsID=979|url-status=dead|title=Walk-off Grand Slam Lifts Canada Over Panama|date=September 2, 2006|archivedate=December 26, 2013|website=baseball.ca}}</ref>

In November 2006, Puhl was announced as the first head baseball coach at the [[Texas A&M University–Victoria|University of Houston–Victoria]]. The [[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|UHV Jaguars]] were previously an independent team of the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]], but would become a member of the NAIA's [[Red River Athletic Conference]] in the 2015–16 season.<ref name=UHV>{{cite web|title=UHV names former Astro Terry Puhl head baseball coach|url=http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=123|publisher=[[Texas A&M University–Victoria|University of Houston–Victoria]]|access-date=December 25, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226080204/http://www.uhv.edu/car/newswire/release.asp?id=123|archive-date=December 26, 2013}}</ref> He won his 300th career game on January 30, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uhvjaguars.com/article/3130|title=Jaguars hand Puhl 300th career coaching win|website=[[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|University of Houston–Victoria Athletics]]|date=January 30, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008032731/https://www.uhvjaguars.com/article/3130|archive-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref>

Puhl's son, Stephen Puhl, was a minor league baseball player. Selected in the 17th round (514th overall) of the [[2006 Major League Baseball draft]] by the [[New York Mets]], Stephen was originally a catcher in the Mets system in 2006 then pitched for the organization in 2007 and 2008.<ref name=Stephen>{{cite web|title=Stephen Puhl Minor League Player Page|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=puhl--001ste|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=December 25, 2013}}</ref>

On January 27, [[2022 Houston Astros season|2022]], it was announced Puhl would be inducted into the [[Houston Astros#Astros Hall of Fame|Houston Astros Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Houston Astros - The Houston Astros announced today former All-Star outfielder Terry Puhl and former front office executive Tal Smith have been elected into the Astros Hall of Fame presented by Houston Methodist. {{!}} Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/Astros/photos/a.230777475430/10165797262665431/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}}</ref> In March 2022, Puhl announced he would retire from coaching the Jaguars at the end of the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/advosports/uhvs-puhl-to-retire-at-end-of-season/article_35053174-a42e-11ec-b33e-2f554a57236a.html | title=UHV's Puhl to retire at end of season | date=March 15, 2022 }}</ref>

On October 28, 2022 Puhl was selected to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Game One of the [[2022 World Series]] between Houston and Philadelphia.

In retirement, Puhl entered the world of wealth management in Houston, partnering with former Astros teammate Craig Reynolds.

=== Head coaching record ===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type =coach | conference = | postseason= | poll =}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|UHV Jaguars]]
 | conference= [[NAIA independent schools|Independent]]
 | startyear = 2008
 | endyear   = 2015
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2008
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 28–5
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference tournament
 | season       = 2009
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 34–17
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = NAIA Opening Round
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference tournament
 | season       = 2010
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 33–22
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = NAIA Opening Round
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2011
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 30–25
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2012
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 20–29
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2013
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 21–22
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2014
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 25–33
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = NAIA Opening Round
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2015
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 28–21
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|UHV Jaguars]]
 | conference= [[Red River Athletic Conference]]
 | startyear = 2016
 | endyear   = 2022
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2016
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 23–26
 | conference   = 20–10
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2017
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 21–24
 | conference   = 14–14
 | confstanding = 7th
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2018
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 14–31
 | conference   = 10–17
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2019
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 18–30
 | conference   = 11–16
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2020
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 3–11
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = Season canceled due to [[COVID-19]]
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2021
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 11–31
 | conference   = 7–17
 | confstanding = 6th
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = 2022
 | name         = UHV
 | overall      = 24–26
 | conference   = 15–18
 | confstanding = 8th
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = UHV
 | overall    = {{Winning percentage|333|353|record=y}}
 | confrecord = {{Winning percentage|79|96|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
 | overall     = {{Winning percentage|333|353|record=y}}
 | conference  = {{Winning percentage|79|96|record=y}}
 | poll        = no
 | polltype    = no
}}

==See also==
*[[List of Major League Baseball players from Canada]]
*[[Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars|UHV Jaguars]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Baseballstats| mlb=120795 |espn=226 |br=p/puhlte01 |fangraphs=1010562 |brm=puhl--001ter |retro=P/Ppuhlt001 }}
*{{SABR Baseball Biography Project|d809c38f}}

{{Tip O'Neill Award}}
{{Canada 2008 Olympic Baseball Team|state=collapsed}}
{{Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame}}
{{Houston Astros Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puhl, Terry}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Baseball people from Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:Canada national baseball team managers]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Norwegian descent]]
[[Category:Cardenales de Lara players]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate baseball players in Venezuela]]
[[Category:Charleston Charlies players]]
[[Category:Columbus Astros players]]
[[Category:Covington Astros players]]
[[Category:Dubuque Packers players]]
[[Category:Houston Astros players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Royals players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball outfielders]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Canada]]
[[Category:Memphis Blues players]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Sugar Land, Texas]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Melville, Saskatchewan]]
[[Category:UHV Jaguars baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]