Larry Landreth

Larry Robert Landreth

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.
• High School Stratford Central Secondary School
• Debut September 16, 1976
• Final Game September 30, 1977
• Born March 11, 1955 in Stratford, ON CAN

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Biographical Information

Larry Landreth was the first Canadian player to make the major leagues after being signed and developed by the Montreal Expos, beating Bill Atkinson by two days. When Landreth made his big-league debut with the Expos on September 16, 1976, he became the first Canuck to start a game for a Canadian-based major-league team (Claude Raymond had pitched for the Expos before him, but solely in relief).

Landreth won his big-league debut by pitching six shutout innings against the Chicago Cubs. It was the only win of his major-league career. He returned to the Expos in 1977, also as a September call-up. In 1978, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers alongside Gerry Hannahs in return for Mike Garman, but he never appeared in a game for them.

Landreth retired from professional baseball just after his 25th birthday. He finished his big-league career with a 1-4 record and 6.64 ERA in seven appearances. He compiled a 62-56 record and a 3.89 ERA in seven minor-league seasons, although his ERA was inflated by pitching over half of that time in home-run havens in Denver, CO and Albuquerque, NM.

Further Reading

• Gary Belleville: "September 16, 1976: Larry Landreth, Expos’ first Canadian starting pitcher, wins big-league debut," SABR Baseball Games Project.

Related Sites

• Larry Landreth at the SABR Bio Project