Mike Payne (baseball)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mike Payne | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 15, 1961 Woonsocket, Rhode Island, U.S. | |
| Died: August 4, 2002 (aged 40) Dunnellon, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 22, 1984, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 17, 1984, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 0–1 |
| Earned run average | 6.35 |
| Strikeouts | 3 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Michael Earl Payne (November 15, 1961 – August 4, 2002) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. In 1979, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the sixth round, and he played eight seasons in the Minor Leagues and one season in the Major Leagues with them.
Baseball
Payne attended Williston High School in Williston, FL, where he played baseball. He threw five no-hitters and had a 0.55 earned run average during his senior year. He set a Florida state record for most batters struck out in a single game.[1]
In 1976, Payne entered a contest and won a trip to St. Louis to attend a three-game series of the Atlanta Braves. He also served as batboy for the Braves that weekend.[2]
Payne was offered a baseball scholarship from University of Florida but declined the offer. In 1979, he was drafted by the Braves, and subsequently played eight seasons for various minor league affiliates of the Braves, during which time he pitched four shutout games. He played three major league games for the Braves in 1984. In 1987, he played one season for a minor league affiliate of the Montreal Expos. Due to an arm injury, he retired from the MLB.[1][2][3]
Later life
In 1986, Payne moved back to Williston where he co-owned an auto shop with his father. Later, he worked as assistant coach at Williston High, serving under Paul Runge, a former teammate for the Braves. In the mid-1990s he took a job as the head coach at Dunnellon High School in Dunnellon, FL. In 2000, the Dunnellon Tigers won 26 games, which set a new school record, and Payne was named Class 3A coach of the year. In 2001, the Tigers won the district championship.[1][2]