17 Facts About Charley Lau

Charles Richard Lau was an American professional baseball player and a highly influential hitting coach.

Charley Lau was the incumbent hitting coach of the Chicago White Sox when he died, aged 50, from colorectal cancer in 1984.

Charley Lau began his playing career in the Tigers' farm system in 1952, missing 1953 and 1954 due to military service, and was called up for his first MLB audition in September 1956.

Charley Lau spent all of 1960 with the Braves as the primary backup catcher to veteran Del Crandall, but he hit only.

In 1961, with Crandall sidelined by a sore shoulder, Charley Lau appeared in 28 early-season games, 24 as starting catcher, into June.

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Charley Lau had shown flashes of power in the Tigers' farm system, reaching double figures in home runs three times between 1955 and 1959.

In 1965, Charley Lau began the transition to full-time pinch hitter, working in 35 games as a catcher, and collecting eight hits and seven bases on balls in 36 appearances as an emergency batsman; he batted a career-best.

Charley Lau did not play in the Fall Classic; the Orioles used no pinch hitters in their four-game sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Charley Lau spent one more season in the majors as a pinch hitter in 1967; after only one hit in eight at-bats with the Orioles, he was sold back to the Braves, now in Atlanta, where he closed his MLB career with nine hits and four walks in 49 plate appearances.

Charley Lau spent only the 1968 season as a minor-league skipper before returning to the majors as a coach.

Charley Lau began as bullpen coach on Earl Weaver's staff in Baltimore, then became the first-base coach of the 1970 Oakland Athletics, gradually assuming the extra duties of hitting coach during his early coaching career.

In 1971, Charley Lau became the hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals.

Charley Lau held the post through 1978, with the exception of the early part of the 1975 season, when he was the team's roving minor-league hitting instructor after his temporary ouster from the Royals' staff by then-skipper Jack McKeon.

Charley Lau worked with Hal McRae, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson and George Brett.

Contrary to popular belief, Charley Lau did not emphasize releasing the top hand after making contact with the pitch and following through with only the lower hand on the bat.

Charley Lau did suggest this measure to hitters who—for whatever reason—could not fully extend their arms during their swings.

Charley Lau developed a list of "Absolutes" about hitting, which included:.