Julio Cesar Franco Robles was born on August 23,1958 and is a Dominican former professional baseball player and coach, who is a hitting coach for the farm team of the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization.
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39 Facts About Julio Franco
2.
Julio Franco spent most of his playing career in Major League Baseball, entering the major leagues in 1982 and last appearing in 2007, at which time he was the oldest active big league player.
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3.
Julio Franco was the all-time hits leader among Dominican-born players until surpassed in 2011 by Vladimir Guerrero.
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4.
Julio Franco made his MLB debut as a shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies.
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5.
Julio Franco debuted in the major leagues in 1982, playing 16 games for the Phillies.
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6.
In June 1986, Julio Franco received a two-game suspension from the Indians after he arrived at the ballpark but then left before the game started.
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7.
Indians manager Pat Corrales said that Julio Franco left due to a personal problem, but he said that Julio Franco had left without permission and that he had already been given a warning after missing a game in 1985.
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8.
Julio Franco averaged over 20 stolen bases per season from 1983 through 1991.
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9.
Julio Franco batted with a long whip-like swing with the heaviest bat allowed.
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10.
Julio Franco is seventh on the all-time list in ground-ball double plays and has just over 300.
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12.
In 1991, Julio Franco had his only 200-hit season and won the American League batting title.
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13.
Julio Franco later said that the injury helped him to realize the importance of taking care of his physical condition.
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14.
Julio Franco spent 1993 as a designated hitter before opting to become a free agent and signing with the Chicago White Sox.
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15.
Julio Franco went on to win his fifth Silver Slugger Award and first as a Designated hitter.
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17.
Chiba Lotte had the best season in its history in 1995, and Julio Franco won the Japanese equivalent of the Gold Glove Award as a first baseman.
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18.
In 2000, Julio Franco was back in Asia but, this time, in South Korea to play for the Samsung Lions.
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19.
In September 2001, Julio Franco was a 43-year-old who had just one major league at bat in the previous three seasons.
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20.
Julio Franco played well defensively as a first baseman and was a good hitter against left-handed pitchers.
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21.
Julio Franco was talking in the weight room in August 2003 with Jason Marquis, when he leaned on a stand and an 80-pound weight rolled over his finger, breaking it.
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23.
Julio Franco had been the oldest player in the major leagues from 2004 to 2007, and was the last active player who was born in the 1950s.
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24.
Julio Franco hit a three-run homer on September 30,2006, in Washington to extend his own record.
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25.
Julio Franco was the oldest player ever to hit a grand slam, a pinch-hit home run, two home runs in one game, and to steal two bases in a game.
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26.
On July 29,2006, against the Atlanta Braves, Julio Franco became the oldest player ever to pinch run, when he came in for Carlos Delgado after Delgado was hit by pitch.
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27.
On September 19,2006, a day after the Mets clinched the division title, Julio Franco started at third base in a game against the Florida Marlins.
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28.
Julio Franco began the 2008 season — his 31st in professional baseball — as a first baseman for the Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Mexican League.
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29.
On May 2,2008, Julio Franco officially announced his retirement from baseball to his Mexican League team, the Quintana Roo Tigers.
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30.
Julio Franco said that retiring was the hardest decision he had ever made, but he pointed to his decreasing production as a player and said that he felt like it was time to retire.
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31.
Julio Franco was hired in March 2009 as the manager of the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets.
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32.
Julio Franco led the team to its first league championship in 20 years.
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33.
Soon thereafter, Julio Franco was hired as the manager of the Pericos de Puebla for the 2012 Mexican League season.
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37.
On February 8,2015, Ishikawa Million Stars of the professional Japanese Independent baseball league Baseball Challenge League announced that Julio Franco had been signed as a player-manager for the 2015 season.
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38.
Julio Franco said that he did not think he would appear often as a player, but 14 games into the season, Julio Franco had played in ten games owing to an injury to a key player.
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39.
On February 5,2022, Julio Franco returned to the Mexican League as he was named hitting coach of the Acereros de Monclova.
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