View source for Paul Molitor

{{short description|American baseball player and manager (born 1956)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Paul Molitor
|image=Paul_Molitor_white_house.jpg
|caption=Molitor in 2005
|position=[[Designated hitter]] / [[Infielder]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|team=
|number=
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|mf=yes|1956|8|22}}
|birth_place=[[Saint Paul, Minnesota]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 7
|debutyear=1978
|debutteam=Milwaukee Brewers
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 27
|finalyear=1998
|finalteam=Minnesota Twins
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.306
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=3,319
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=234
|stat4label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=1,307
|stat5label=[[Stolen base]]s
|stat5value=504
|stat6label=Managerial record
|stat6value=305–343
|stat7label=Winning %
|stat7value={{Winning percentage|305|343}}
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1978}}–{{mlby|1992}})
* [[Toronto Blue Jays]] ({{mlby|1993}}–{{mlby|1995}})
* [[Minnesota Twins]] ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|1998}})
'''As manager'''
* [[Minnesota Twins]] ({{mlby|2015}}–{{mlby|2018}})
'''As coach'''
* [[Minnesota Twins]] ({{mlby|2000}}–{{mlby|2001}})
* [[Seattle Mariners]] ({{mlby|2004}})
|highlights=
* 7× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1980]], [[1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1985]], [[1988 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1988]], [[1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1991]]–[[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1994]])
* [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1993}})
* [[World Series MVP]] (1993)
* 4× [[Silver Slugger Award]] (1987, 1988, 1993, 1996)
* [[Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award|AL Manager of the Year]] (2017)
* [[Milwaukee Brewers#Retired numbers|Milwaukee Brewers No. 4]] retired
* [[Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor]]
* [[American Family Field Walk of Fame]]
* [[Major League Baseball All-Time Team]]
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[2004 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2004]]
|hofvote=85.2% (first ballot)
}}
'''Paul Leo Molitor''' (born August 22, 1956), nicknamed "'''Mollie'''" and "'''the Ignitor'''", is an American former professional [[baseball]] player and manager. During his 21-year playing career in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), he played for the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] (1978–1992), [[Toronto Blue Jays]] (1993–1995), and [[Minnesota Twins]] (1996–1998). He was known for his exceptional hitting and speed. He made seven [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] appearances, and was the [[World Series Most Valuable Player]] in 1993. Molitor ranks tenth on the [[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders|all-time MLB career hits list]] with 3,319. He is one of only five players in history with 3,000+ [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], a lifetime .300+ [[batting average]], and 500+ career [[stolen base]]s. 

Considered one of the most "clutch" hitters in baseball history, Paul Molitor still has the best career postseason batting average in MLB history (minimum 100 at-bats) at .368. <ref> https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask?q=highest+batting+average+playoffs+career%2C+minimum+100+at-bats </ref>

Molitor was described as “the most nondescript superstar in baseball,” with Sports Illustrated calling him “The Complete Player” and “a template of the refined ballplayer.” Ted Williams said, “I watch him and I say to myself, ‘There is probably the best hitter in the game today.’ He's the closest thing to Joe DiMaggio in the last 30 years. Matter of fact, every time I watch him, I say, ‘There's Joe.‘“ <ref> http://mobile.dudasite.com/site/seamheads?url=https%3A%2F%2Fseamheads.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F12%2F13%2Fthe-ignitor-sic-paul-molitors-misspelled-misconstrued-and-misunderstood-hall-of-fame-career%2F&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F</ref>

Molitor grew up in Minnesota and attended the [[University of Minnesota]] before beginning his MLB career. After his retirement as a player, he served as a coach for the [[Seattle Mariners]] and the Twins. In [[2004 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2004]], he was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility, becoming one of the first players enshrined after spending a significant portion of his career as a [[designated hitter]]. He was a finalist for the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]. On November 3, 2014, Molitor was announced as the 13th manager of the Twins.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brackin  |first=Dennis |date=November 4, 2014 |title=It's official: Paul Molitor named Twins manager |url=https://www.startribune.com/it-s-official-paul-molitor-named-twins-manager/279631372/ |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>http://www.ManagerMolly.com {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104193038/http://www.managermolly.com/ |date=November 4, 2014 }}</ref>  He managed the team for four seasons, from 2015 to 2018.

==Early life==
Molitor was born in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]].  After graduating from [[Cretin High School]],<ref name="highschool">{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/baseball/2001-06-28-mauer-honored.htm|title=USA's best of 2 sports worlds|last=Weir|first=Tom|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=June 29, 2001|access-date=2010-03-25}}</ref> he was selected in the 28th round of the [[1974 Major League Baseball draft|1974 MLB draft]] as a [[pitcher]] by the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. He opted instead to attend college at the [[University of Minnesota]], where he was a three-year starter for the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers]]. Molitor earned [[All-America]]n honors as a [[shortstop]] for his sophomore year. Between his sophomore and junior seasons, Molitor suffered a broken jaw.<ref name=Jaw>{{cite web |url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/paul-molitor/|title=Paul Molitor |first1= Daniel R. |last1=Levitt |first2=Doug |last2=Skipper |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research|SABR]]|access-date=May 10, 2021}}</ref> With his jaw wired shut for eight weeks, Molitor lost {{convert|40|lbs}}.<ref name=Hurting>{{cite news|last=Justice|first=Richard|title=Now, it's pitchers, not Paul Molitor, who are hurting|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-16-sp-1841-story.html|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 16, 1987}}</ref>

After his junior year in college, the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] selected Molitor in the first round, with the third overall selection, in the [[1977 Major League Baseball draft]]. He signed with the Brewers and began his professional career with the Class A [[Burlington Bees]] of the [[Midwest League]].<ref name="Davis2003">{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Hank|title=Small-Town Heroes: Images of Minor League Baseball|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0T6QCyo7qrwC&pg=PA314|access-date=April 3, 2012|date=January 1, 2003|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|isbn=9780803266391|page=314}}</ref> In 64 games with Burlington, Molitor hit for a .346 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], eight [[home run]]s, 50 [[run batted in|runs batted in]] (RBI) and 14 [[stolen base]]s.<ref name=MiLB>{{cite web|title=Paul Molitor Minor League Statistics & History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=molito002pau|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref>

==Playing career==
===Milwaukee Brewers (1978–1992)===
[[File:Paul Molitor.png|thumb|left|Molitor with the Brewers, {{c.|1982}}]]
Molitor began as a [[shortstop]], then moved to [[second base]] when [[Robin Yount]] returned from a brief injury. He made his MLB debut in 1978, playing in 125 games and hitting .273 with six home runs, 45 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.<ref name=BR>{{cite web|title=Paul Molitor Statistics and History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/molitpa01.shtml|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref> In 1981, he spent time at [[Center fielder|center field]] and [[right field]] to avoid the injuries associated with infield play.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|title=Sports People; Carter Close to Deal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/05/sports/sports-people-carter-close-to-deal.html|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 5, 1981}}</ref> Molitor was moved to [[third base]] before the 1982 season. Molitor was part of a young [[Milwaukee Brewers]] team that lost the [[1982 World Series]] in seven games to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. Molitor batted .355 during the series. In Game 1, he had five hits, a World Series record. During the 1982 season, he [[hit (baseball)|hit]] .302 and led the [[American League]] (AL) with 136 [[run (baseball)|runs]] scored. On May 12, he hit three home runs against the Royals in a 9-7 loss.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B05120KCA1982.htm|title=Paul Molitor 3-home run Game Boxscore at Retrosheet|website=retrosheet.org|accessdate= April 17, 2024}}</ref>

Molitor struggled with injuries for much of his early career, being placed on the [[disabled list]] six times between 1980 and 1986. In 1984, Molitor struggled with elbow problems, played in only 13 games and ultimately underwent [[Tommy John surgery]] (becoming the first position player to undergo the surgery) in an attempt to salvage his career.<ref name=Hurting/> He played in 140 games in 1985, hitting .297 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs. He followed that with a .281 average, 9 home runs and 55 RBI in 1986.<ref name=BR/> That year he suffered a hamstring injury, returned for a few days, then reinjured it.<ref name=Feat>{{cite news|last=Downey|first=Mike|title=Molitor's feat Is just in playing|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-19-sp-763-story.html|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 19, 1987}}</ref> He played in 105 games that season.<ref name=BR/>

Molitor attracted national media attention in 1987 during his 39-game [[hitting streak]]. Near the end of the streak, columnist Mike Downey wrote that "the amazing thing about Paul Molitor's recent bat-o-rama is not that he has hit in 33 straight games but that he has played in 33 straight games."<ref name=Feat/> The streak ended with Molitor in the on-deck circle when [[Rick Manning]] got a game-ending hit to beat the [[Cleveland Indians]] on August 26, 1987. Fans booed Manning for driving in the winning run and thus depriving Molitor of one last chance to reach 40 games. The streak stands as the fifth-longest in modern-day baseball history, and remains the longest since [[Pete Rose]]'s 44-game hit streak in 1978.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats-streak.shtml|title=Consecutive Games Hitting Streaks|access-date=2008-11-23|work=Baseball Almanac}}</ref>

===Toronto Blue Jays (1993–1995)===
[[File:Blue Jays Win the 1993 World Series.jpg|thumb|right|Fireworks after the [[1993 World Series]] win]]
Although Molitor wanted to remain with Milwaukee when he became a free agent after the 1992 season, the franchise offered him a one-year contract with a $900,000 pay cut (to $2.5 million), while the Toronto Blue Jays offered a three-year, $13 million deal (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|13|1993|fmt=c|r=2}} million in {{Inflation/year|US}}), leading to his signing with the Blue Jays. Agent Ron Simon said, "I was also talking with Milwaukee, but it became clear to us that Milwaukee didn't have the same kind of interest in signing Molitor, perhaps because of their financial situation."<ref name=Chass>{{cite news|last=Chass|first=Murray|title=Baseball; Jays re-sign Carter and swipe Molitor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/08/sports/baseball-jays-re-sign-carter-and-swipe-molitor.html|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 8, 1992}}</ref>

Molitor quickly became an offensive juggernaut. In 1993, Molitor led the AL in plate appearances (725) and hits (211)<ref name=BR/> and hit .332 with 22 home runs and 111 RBI.<ref name=BR/> Returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1982,<ref name=Jauss>{{cite news|last=Jauss|first=Bill|title=Molitor, Sprague chase jitters with their bats|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/10/06/molitor-sprague-chase-jitters-with-their-bats/|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 6, 1993}}</ref> he was a key part of the Blue Jays' second [[World Series Trophy|World Series Championship]]. Molitor hit 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs in the Series, earning the [[World Series MVP Award]] and tied a World Series record by batting .500 (12-for-24) in the six-game [[1993 World Series|series]]. In addition, after serving as a DH all season, Molitor played Game 3 of the World Series at first base and Games 4 and 5 at third base in the games played at Philadelphia.

In 1994, a strike-shortened season, Molitor hit .341 and led the AL in games played (115) and singles (107). He also stole 20 bases that season without ever being caught, one short of [[Kevin McReynolds]]' 1988 major league record of 21.<ref name="Szalontai2010">{{cite book|last=Szalontai|first=James D.|title=Small Ball in the Big Leagues: A History of Stealing, Bunting, Walking and Otherwise Scratching for Runs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcG-cEGlwqYC&pg=PA234|access-date=April 3, 2012|date=September 29, 2010|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786437931|page=234}}</ref> Molitor's average dropped to .270 in 1995, his lowest mark in more than ten years.<ref name=BR/>

===Minnesota Twins (1996–1998)===
He left the Blue Jays after the {{mlby|1995}} season, and joined his hometown [[Minnesota Twins]] for the final three seasons of his career. He acquired his 3,000th hit on September 16, 1996 against the [[Kansas City Royals]] at [[Kauffman Stadium]]. He was the first player to reach the 3,000 hits plateau with a [[Triple (baseball)|triple]]. Molitor was relishing the opportunity to play with Twins superstar [[Kirby Puckett]], but Puckett developed career-ending [[glaucoma]] during [[spring training]] in 1996 and never played again. In 1996, Molitor became the second 40-year-old, after Hall of Famer [[Sam Rice]], to have a 200-hit season, leading the league with 225, while also leading the league in singles with 167. Molitor also remains the last MLB player to drive in 100 or more runs in a season while hitting fewer than 10 home runs (nine HR, 113 RBIs).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/statitudes/news/1999/09/06/rbis_homers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001011090900/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/statitudes/news/1999/09/06/rbis_homers/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2000|title=Long gone|first=Ryan|last=Hunt|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=September 8, 1999|access-date=2009-06-15}}</ref>

Molitor hit .305 in 1997, his twelfth season to finish with a batting average higher than .300. In 1998, he hit .281 with four home runs, 69 RBI and nine stolen bases. Other than his very brief 1984 season, the 1998 season was the first in Molitor's career in which he did not reach double-digit stolen base totals.<ref name=BR/> He retired in December, saying, "My heart tells me I've done what I can do on the field and in this game," Molitor said. "I'm happy to leave it playing my last season in a Twins uniform... Now I'm going to redirect my efforts to find out what else the future holds."<ref name=Quits>{{cite web|title=Molitor calls it quits|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1998/12/03/molitor_quits/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010514142741/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1998/12/03/molitor_quits/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 14, 2001|publisher=[[CNNSI.com]]|date=December 4, 1998}}</ref>

==Coaching and managerial career==
===Early career===
After retiring as a player, Molitor remained with the Twins as a broadcaster in 1999 and bench coach for two seasons. He was considered a leading candidate to manage the team when [[Tom Kelly (baseball)|Tom Kelly]] retired after 2001, but he declined in part because the Twins were still being targeted for potential [[2001 Major League Baseball contraction plan|contraction]]. Molitor was a hitting coach with the Mariners in 2004. He then spent the 2005 to 2013 seasons in the Twins organization as a minor league baserunning and fielding instructor. Molitor joined the Twins coaching staff in 2014 to oversee baserunning, bunting, infield instruction, and positioning.<ref name="Bollinger">{{cite web|last1=Bollinger|first1=Rhett|title=Hall of Famer Paul Molitor preparing for role as Twin coach|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/66545260/hall-of-famer-paul-molitor-preparing-for-role-as-twin-coach/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305040016/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/66545260/hall-of-famer-paul-molitor-preparing-for-role-as-twin-coach|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2016|website=[[MLB.com]]|date=January 13, 2014}}</ref>

===Minnesota Twins===
The Twins hired Molitor to fill their manager vacancy for the [[2015 Minnesota Twins season|2015 season]], and introduced him in a press conference on November 4, 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11821148/paul-molitor-introduced-new-manager-minnesota-twins | title=Molitor: Twins 'where I'm supposed to be'| date=2014-11-04}}</ref>
At the end of the [[2017 Minnesota Twins season|2017 season]], the Twins announced that Molitor would receive a three-year contract extension through 2020. Molitor was rewarded for his efforts in leading the Twins back to the postseason after losing 103 games the season prior, the first team in history to achieve this feat, by being named [[Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award|American League Manager of the Year]] in November 2017. He became only the second person to be elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] as a player and win the Manager of the Year Award behind [[Frank Robinson]], who was named AL Manager of the Year in 1989 while managing the [[Baltimore Orioles]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/torey-lovullo-paul-molitor-win-manager-honors-c261897234 | title=Torey Lovullo, Paul Molitor win manager honors| website=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>
On October 2, 2018, the Twins fired Molitor as manager, but expressed that they had interest in having him continue to maintain a role with the team in some capacity. He finished with a record of 305 wins and 343 losses in 648 games.<ref name="managerial record">{{cite web |title=Paul Molitor |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/molitpa01.shtml |website=Baseball Reference |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> Molitor later rejoined the Twins as a special assistant, with roving instructor duties for the team's minor league affiliates.<ref>{{cite news |last=KSTP Sports |date=July 20, 2021 |title=Q&A: Paul Molitor is back working for the Twins |url=https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/paul-molitor-back-working-for-twins-as-special-assistant/6177869/ |work=KSTP TV |location=Saint Paul, MN}}</ref>

===Managerial record===

{{updated|games played on September 30, 2018}}

{| class="wikitable" Style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team!!rowspan="2"|From!!rowspan="2"|To!!colspan="4"|Regular season record!!colspan="4"|Post–season record
|-
!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}!!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}!!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}!!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}!!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}!!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}!!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}!!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}
|-
|[[Minnesota Twins]]||[[2015 Minnesota Twins season|2015]]||[[2018 Minnesota Twins season|2018]]
|648|||{{WinLossPct|305|343}}
|1||{{WinLossPct|0|1}}
|-
!colspan="3"| Total
!648!!{{WinLossPct|305|343}}
!1!!{{WinLossPct|0|1}}
|-
!colspan="11"|{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}:<ref name="managerial record"/>
|}

==Accomplishments==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = milret4.PNG
|Name   = Paul Molitor
|Number = 4
|Team   = Milwaukee Brewers
|Year   = 1999
|}}
Molitor's lifetime statistics include 2,683 games played, 1,782 runs scored, 3,319 hits, 605 doubles, 114 triples, 234 [[home run]]s, 1,307 [[run batted in|runs batted in]], 1,094 walks, a .306 batting average, and 504 [[stolen base]]s. His 3,319 hits rank him tenth all-time. In addition, he batted .368 in five [[playoff|postseason]] series (currently best in MLB history with a minimum 100 at-bats), and was an [[all-star]] seven times. Molitor recorded these statistics while missing nearly 500 games due to various injuries throughout his career. In 1999, Molitor ranked No. 99 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and he was nominated as a finalist for the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]. Molitor was elected to the [[Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame]] in 1999.

On June 11, 1999, the Brewers retired Molitor's uniform number 4. During the ceremony at [[Milwaukee County Stadium]], Molitor announced that if he went into the Hall of Fame, he would do so as a Brewer. On January 6, 2004, he was elected to the Hall in his first year of eligibility, [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2004|with 85.2% of the votes]]. True to his word, he joined [[Robin Yount]] as the only Hall of Famers to be depicted on their plaques with Brewers caps. At the time of his induction, Molitor was the hitting coach for the [[Seattle Mariners]].<ref name="seatimes20040725">{{cite news|last=Stone|first=Larry|title=Man about Cooperstown: Molitor takes his place with game's best|work=Seattle Times|date=July 25, 2004|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2001987767_molitor25.html|access-date=2008-02-05}}</ref>

Molitor is one of five players in major league history with at least 3,000 hits, a .300 lifetime batting average, and 500 stolen bases. The other four are [[Ty Cobb]], [[Honus Wagner]], [[Eddie Collins]] and [[Ichiro Suzuki]]. Only Ichiro and Molitor played beyond 1930. Molitor is the only player ever to accomplish those feats and hit at least 200 home runs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/tiny/x1h6x|title=For combined seasons, in the regular season, requiring Batting Average >= .300 and Hits >= 3000 and Stolen Bases >= 500, sorted by descending Home Runs.|website=Stathead|date=October 22, 2025}}</ref> Molitor is also the first player in World Series history to have at least two home runs, two doubles, and two triples in one series (1993). He is a member of an exclusive club, hitting .300 or better in full seasons across three decades (1970s, 80s, and 90s). He hit better than .300 a dozen times in his career. Including Game 1 of the 1982 World Series, he recorded eight 5-hit games and four 200+ hit seasons in his 21 year major league career. Molitor also compiled 56 4-hit games in his MLB career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/PX_molip001.htm|title=Paul Molitor Top Performances at Retrosheet|website=retrosheet.org|accessdate= April 17, 2024}}</ref>

As of today, Molitor is the last Major League player to execute the rare feat of stealing home plate at least ten times over the course of their career.<ref>{{cite web|title=Major League Baseball Records for Stealing Home Base|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_stbah.shtml}}</ref>

==Personal life==
During the early years of his career, Molitor began using [[cocaine]] and [[Marijuana (drug)|marijuana]]. During the trial of a drug dealer in 1984, Molitor admitted that he had used drugs.<ref name=Fancy>{{cite news|last=Missanelli|first=M. G.|title=Molitor captures a nation's fancy|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1987/08/27/molitor-captures-a-nations-fancy/|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=August 27, 1987}}</ref> Many years later, he said, "There are things you're not so proud of — failures, mistakes, dabbling in drugs, a young ballplayer in the party scene. Part of it was peer pressure. I was young and single, and hung around with the wrong people. ... You learn from it. You find a positive in it. It makes you appreciate the things that are good."<ref name=LAJ>{{cite news|title=Playing baseball helped Molitor open doors to hearts|url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/072504/pro_072504069.shtml|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Lubbock Avalanche-Journal]]|date=July 25, 2004}}</ref> He claims to have stopped using drugs in 1981, and has since visited schools to lecture about the dangers of drug use.<ref name="seatimes20040725"/>

Molitor married Linda Kaplan in 1981, and had a daughter, Blaire. Before their 2003 divorce, it was revealed that he had fathered a son, Joshua, in an extramarital affair with Joanna Andreou, and was paying child support.<ref name=marriages>Daniel R. Levitt and Doug Skipper, [https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/f9d60ca6 Paul Molitor], SABR, Cronkite School at ASU, accessed April 19, 2017.</ref><ref name="Rogers">{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Phil|title=Chaotic lives, blessed careers|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/07/26/chaotic-lives-blessed-careers/|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 26, 2004}}</ref> During his legal separation from Linda, he fathered another child, daughter Julia, with the woman who would become his second wife, Destini. Molitor and Destini married in 2014, and went on to have another child, son Benjamin.<ref name=marriages/><ref>{{Cite web | title=Paul Molitor Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News {{!}} MLB.com | url=https://www.mlb.com/player/paul-molitor-119236#:~:text=Paul%20Leo%20Molitor...,in%20summer%20of%201975... | access-date=2025-08-11 | website=www.mlb.com}}</ref>

During his Hall of Fame induction speech, Molitor mentioned his difficult family relationships; the divorce from Linda caused such hard feelings that his ex-wife and their daughter almost did not attend his induction ceremony.<ref name="Rogers">{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Phil|title=Chaotic lives, blessed careers|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/07/26/chaotic-lives-blessed-careers/|access-date=March 9, 2014|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 26, 2004}}</ref><ref name="marriages" />

Molitor's nephew is professional disc golfer Cale Leiviska.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2020 |title=Pro disc golf tourney to be hosted in Minnesota by Paul Molitor's nephew |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/sports/cale-leiviska-pro-disc-golfer/89-a34bbed0-58c9-4b99-8d7c-b37dbd1b3ddf |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=kare11.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball hit records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball doubles records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]
* [[3,000-hit club]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Paul Molitor: Good Timing: The Paul Molitor Story |first=Stuart |last=Broomer |publisher=ECW Press |date=1994 |isbn=978-1550222074 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/paulmolitorgoodt0000broo }}
* {{cite web |url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/f9d60ca6 |title=Paul Molitor |first1= Daniel R. |last1=Levitt |first2=Doug |last2=Skipper |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research|SABR]]}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=246267 |title=Molitor's induction ignites old memories |first=Drew |last=Olson |website=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |date=July 24, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080407191625/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=246267 |archive-date=April 7, 2008 |via=[[Wayback Machine]]}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=119236|espn=352|br=m/molitpa01|fangraphs=1009040|brm=molito002pau|retro=M/Pmolip001}}
*{{baseball-reference manager|molitpa01}}
*{{bbhof|molitor-paul}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-ach}}
{{Succession box |before=[[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]] & [[Nick Esasky]]<br />[[John Olerud]] |title=[[MLB Player of the Month|American League Player of the Month]]|years=September 1989<br />May 1993 |after=[[Ken Griffey Jr.]]<br />[[John Olerud]]}}
{{Succession box| before = [[Robby Thompson]] | title = [[Hitting for the cycle]]| years = May 15, 1991 | after = [[Dave Winfield]]}}
{{S-end}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Molitor, Paul}}
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