Willie Norwood

Willie Norwood

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• School California State University, Long Beach, La Verne College
• High School Long Beach Polytechnic High School
• Debut April 21, 1977
• Final Game October 4, 1980
• Born November 7, 1950 in Greene County, AL USA

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Biographical Information

Willie Norwood played four seasons as an outfielder with the Minnesota Twins from 1977 to 1980.

He was a 3rd round selection by the Twins in the 1972 amateur draft out of La Verne College. He had some success in the minors before reaching the majors, including batting .309 with 10 homers and 91 RBIs for the Lynchburg Twins in 1974 and .303 with 15 homers and 16 RBIs for the Tacoma Twins in 1976. In 1977, in a season split between AAA and the majors, he batted .412 in 53 games for Tacoma.

Norwood was the Twin's regular left fielder in 1978, when he .244 in 125 games, with 8 homers and 46 RBIs. The Twins had lost starting OFs Larry Hisle and Lyman Bostock to free agency before that season, opening some spots for youngsters, and as a result, Norwood, Hosken Powell and Bombo Rivera saw regular playing time that season. He hit .248 as a part-time player in 1979, then was traded to the Seattle Mariners following the 1980 season, when he appeared in just 34 games at the major league level in return for P Byron McLaughlin. Neither player involved in the trade appeared in any major league games for his new team, although McLaughlin did play again a couple of years later. In 1981 and 1982, he played in the Mexican League for the Broncos de Reynosa.