Most people hear the name "Moffitt" and immediately think of a tennis racket, a historic "Battle of the Sexes" match, or the fight for gender equality in sports. It’s natural. Billie Jean King is a global icon. But if you grew up in Long Beach or spent your summers at Candlestick Park in the 1970s, that name meant something else entirely. It meant a 6-foot-3 right-hander coming out of the bullpen with the game on the line.
Randy Moffitt, the younger brother of Billie Jean King, wasn't just "the sibling of a celebrity." He was a first-round draft pick and a legitimate Major League Baseball force for over a decade.
Honestly, the Moffitt household in Long Beach must have been a wild place to grow up. You had two kids who weren't just good at sports—they were elite. While Billie Jean was busy revolutionizing tennis, Randy was carving out a career as one of the most dependable relief pitchers in San Francisco Giants history. He didn't just ride his sister's coattails; he earned his own spot on the Giants' Wall of Fame.
From Long Beach to the Big Leagues
The story of Billie Jean King’s brother starts on the dirt diamonds of Southern California. Randy was born in 1948, five years after Billie Jean. Their parents, Bill and Betty, were blue-collar folks who encouraged both kids to play whatever they loved. For Randy, that was baseball. He was a star at Long Beach Poly High and later at Cal State Long Beach (the "Dirtbags" before they were officially the Dirtbags).
In 1970, the San Francisco Giants used the 18th overall pick in the January draft to snag him.
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He didn't waste much time. By 1972, he was making his debut against the Chicago Cubs. He came in for an inning, didn't give up a hit, and struck out the legendary Billy Williams. Not a bad way to start.
The Mystery Illness That Changed Everything
If you look at Randy's stats, there’s a weird dip. Between 1973 and 1978, he was a machine. He had ERAs as low as 2.27 and was consistently in the top ten for saves in the National League. But then 1979 hit.
Suddenly, Randy was exhausted. He was losing weight—25 pounds, to be exact. He was vomiting. He was sick, and nobody could tell him why. One doctor even told him it was all in his head. Can you imagine? Being a pro athlete at the top of your game and having a specialist tell you you're just stressed out?
It wasn't mental.
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It was a parasite called Cryptosporidium. Back then, it was mostly known as something that affected cattle, not MLB relief pitchers. It took a colonoscopy and a biopsy of a bleeding ulcer in 1980 to finally figure it out. By the time they found the culprit, Randy’s body had been through the ringer. The Giants released him in 1981, but the "baby brother" of the family wasn't done yet.
A Career Reborn in Houston and Toronto
A lot of guys would have packed it in after an illness like that. Randy Moffitt didn't. He signed with the Houston Astros in 1982 and actually put up a very solid 3.02 ERA over 30 games.
He finished his career in 1983 with the Toronto Blue Jays. When you look at the final tally, it's impressive:
- 534 total appearances.
- 96 career saves.
- 43 wins.
- 3.65 career ERA.
He was the definition of a "rubber arm" reliever before the era of specialized one-inning closers. He’d go two or three innings regularly. In 1976, he pitched 103 innings—all in relief. That just doesn't happen anymore.
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The Bond Between Randy and Billie Jean
Despite their different paths, the siblings remained incredibly tight. Billie Jean often spoke about how they were "alike in so many ways," specifically citing their competitive streaks. They were both gritty. They both faced massive hurdles—Billie Jean against the sports establishment, and Randy against a literal life-threatening parasite.
Sadly, Randy Moffitt passed away on August 28, 2025, at the age of 76.
He died in Long Beach, the same city where he and Billie Jean used to run around as kids. While he might be remembered by the general public as Billie Jean King’s brother, baseball fans remember him as the guy who held the lead for the Giants when the wind was howling at Candlestick.
Actionable Insights for Sports Historians and Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the Moffitt legacy or verify the impact of his career, here is how you can contextualize his place in history:
- Check the Giants Wall of Fame: Randy was inducted in 2008. If you're ever at Oracle Park, look for his name among the franchise greats.
- Study the "Save" Era: Randy played right when the "Save" became an official stat (1969). His 96 saves are even more impressive when you realize he often had to pitch multiple innings to get them.
- Parasitic Awareness in Sports: His case of Cryptosporidium remains a medical footnote in sports history, illustrating the diagnostic limitations of the late 70s compared to today’s advanced sports medicine.
Randy Moffitt proved that excellence wasn't a fluke in his family. It was the standard. Whether it was on the grass of Wimbledon or the mound in San Francisco, the Moffitt kids were built to compete.