Ralph Allen Garr (born December 12, 1945), nicknamed "Road Runner", is an American former professional baseball player, scout, and coach.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1968 through 1980 — most notably as a member of the Atlanta Braves — and eventually with the Chicago White Sox and California Angels.

[2] Garr was born in Monroe, Louisiana, and worked as a shoe shine boy at a local barber shop growing up.

Regardless, he earned an invite to spring training 1969, and started the season as the Braves' everyday left fielder when Rico Carty dislocated his shoulder.

In 1970, Rico Carty injured his left knee playing Winter ball in the Dominican Republic,[10] and was lost for the entire 1971 season.

On May 17, against Tom Seaver and the New York Mets, Garr hit a solo home run with two outs in the tenth inning to tie the game.

[11] Garr became so popular with fans in Atlanta that the Braves negotiated exclusive big-league baseball rights with Warner Bros. Cartoons to use animated scenes of the Looney Tunes character Road Runner on the scoreboard, while the calliope erected behind right field went "beep-beep" like the cartoon character every time Garr reached first base.

[12] By the end of the season, Garr's batting average cooled off to .343, good for second best in the NL to the St. Louis Cardinals' Joe Torre.

Needing to strengthen their infield defense as well, the Braves had a deal in place that would have sent Garr to the Philadelphia Phillies for shortstop Larry Bowa,[14] however it fell through.

Garr and Larvell Blanks were traded to the Chicago White Sox for Ken Henderson, Dick Ruthven and Dan Osborn on December 12, 1975.

With Barrios pitching, Garr threw a ball he fielded off the wall to the wrong base, allowing a runner to score.

[24] Garr started the 1979 season in left field, but shortly after Tony La Russa replaced Don Kessinger as White Sox manager, Garr was replaced by a revolving door of left fielders, with Alan Bannister, Thad Bosley, Junior Moore, and Wayne Nordhagen all manning the position at one point or another.

Rumors circulated that it was by Garr's choice; he refused to take the field following an August 5 rock concert held at Comiskey Park that left the field in tattered condition[25] (American League (AL) President Lee MacPhail actually canceled games at Comiskey later in the month due to the poor conditions of the outfield).

[32] In his 2012 film, Trouble with the Curve, Clint Eastwood's character, fictional Braves scout Gus Lobel, is credited with signing Dusty Baker, Dale Murphy, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, and Garr.