What is Kirk Gibson’s Net Worth?
Kirk Gibson is an American former professional baseball player and manager who has a net worth of $14 million. Kirk Gibson was an MVP, two-time World Series Champion, and Manager of the Year. He is remembered for hitting a home run off of Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Early Life
Kirk Harold Gibson was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on May 28, 1957. After attending Waterford Kettering High School, he went on to Michigan State University where he was an All-American wide receiver in football. He helped lead the Spartans to a tie for the Big Ten title and starred in the Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl. He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017. During his only year of college baseball, Gibson hit .390 with 16 homers and 52 RBIs in 48 games garnering the attention of MLB. He was drafted not only by his hometown Detroit Tigers in the first round, but also by the St. Louis Cardinals football team of the NFL in the seventh round. He ultimately chose to pursue baseball.
Playing Career
Kirk Gibson entered the Detroit Tigers organization in 1979 and played for the Major League team from 1983 to 1987. He proved to be a versatile power hitter and speed player and helped the Tigers win the 1984 World Series while being named the American League Championship Series MVP. Kirk finished in the top 10 in home runs three times in his career and ranked in the top 10 for stolen bases four times. He went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1988-1990), Kansas City Royals (1991), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1993-1995) before returning to the Tigers in 1993 through 1995. His second World Series Championship came with the Dodgers during the 1988 season, and he was awarded the Silver Slugger Award. Over his entire playing career, Kirk Gibson posted a .268 batting average to go with 985 runs scored, 255 home runs, 870 runs batted in, 284 stolen bases, 260 doubles, 54 triples, a .352 on-base percentage, and a .463 slugging percentage in 1,635 games across 17 seasons. He also compiled a .976 fielding percentage covering all three outfield positions.
Career Earnings
During his major league career, Kirk Gibson earned a total of $15.7 million in salary alone. After adjusting for inflation, that’s the same as earning around $35 million in today’s dollars.
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Coaching
Gibson became a coach with the Detroit Tigers from 2003 to 2005 and with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2007 to 2010. From 2010 to 2014, he served as manager for the Diamondbacks. He was named NL Manager of the Year in 2011 after leading the team to their first NL West title since 2007. Gibson was fired on September 26, 2014, ending his four-year tenure with a regular season record of 353-375 and a 2-3 post-season record. Kirk Gibson then spent five years as a television analyst in Detroit.
Personal Life
Kirk Gibson married JoAnn Sklarski in 1985 in a double ceremony along with Tiger pitcher Dave Rozema and JoAnn’s sister, Sandy. The couple has four children together—Colleen, Cam, Kirk, and Kevin—and resides in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Kirk’s son Cam was also drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2015 MLB draft. His son Kevin is a defenseman for the Fort Wayne Komets ice hockey team of the ECHL.