Randy Moffitt: 10/13/1948 – 08/28/2025
The city lost a baseball legend last week with the passing of Long Beach Poly and Long Beach State MLB product Randy Moffitt, who died at home after an illness at the age of 76. Moffitt is a member of several local Halls of Fame and was an MLB pitcher for 12 seasons; he is also well known locally and across the country for being the younger brother of tennis icon Billie Jean King.
“My childhood dream of having a sibling came true on October 13, 1948, the day he was born,” wrote King in a tribute post. “We grew up as close siblings who rarely fought. We had such love and admiration for each other. And as two very competitive athletes, both fortunate enough to play in the pros, we respected each other’s journey, drive, and determination.”
Moffitt was a standout youth tennis player, but eschewed a life of following in his older sister’s shadow at the age of 13 when he decided to focus full-time on baseball. He was a two-time first-team All-Moore League player for Long Beach Poly, and led the Long Beach Cardinals to the 1969 Connie Mack World Series championship as the team’s MVP.
The Moffitts were a blue-collar family in the Wrigley, and Randy and Billie Jean’s parents encouraged and supported their athletic pursuits. After his standout career at Poly, Randy accepted a scholarship to Long Beach State, where he would make first-team All-Conference twice in three seasons, winning 18 games and setting career records for innings pitched and strikeouts.
He was the third-ever MLB product from the Long Beach State baseball program, which had not yet been dubbed the Dirtbags. He was selected in the first round 18th overall by the Giants in 1970, taking only two years to make his MLB debut with the GIants in 1972. He played there for a decade, appearing in 534 games, finishing in the NL top 10 in saves three times. He would play an additional season each with the Astros and Blue Jays.
The Giants added him to their Wall of Fame in 2008, and he was a member of the inaugural Long Beach State Hall of Fame class in 1986; he is also a member of the Long Beach Baseball Hall of Fame and the Long Beach Century Club Hall of Fame.
“Randy was loyal, kind, and caring,” King wrote of her brother. “He was a father who loved his daughters, Miranda and Alysha, and a grandfather who loved his four grandchildren.
“Ilana and I will miss him deeply. Our bond was solid. Our relationship was special. And our shared history marks some of my life’s most important moments. I will never forget the seven decades of memories Randy and I made together. I love you, Randy, and always will.”
Moffitt was preceded in death by his parents Bill and Betty Moffitt. He is survived by his daughters Miranda Harrah and Alysha Gosse, as well as grandchildren Evan Harrah, Cason Harrah, Byron Gosse and Derek Gosse; and his sister Billie Jean Moffitt King and her wife, Ilana Kloss.
