Highlighted Year: Bob Friend, 1960

Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  32

10^th season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1960:

An Indiana native, Friend was a star athlete at West Lafayette High School who was all-state in football as well as baseball. He also participated in golf and basketball. Having earned the nickname “Warrior “ (which proved to be long-lasting) for his football exploits, a shoulder injury derailed his plan to play football at nearby Purdue University where he enrolled in 1949. Now concentrating on baseball, he signed with the Pirates in 1950. He continued with his college education during offseasons and earned an Economics degree from Purdue. Having received a $12,500 bonus from the Pirates, he was assigned to Waco of the Class B Big State League in 1950 and after posting a 12-9 record, including a no-hitter in his last start, and 3.08 ERA he was promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association where he finished out the year by going 2-4 with a 5.46 ERA. In 1951 he made it to the Pirates, who at the time were prone to rushing young talent. With a sinking fastball and curve that he threw with good control, he produced a 6-10 tally and 4.27 ERA for the seventh-place club,3 complete games, one shutout, and 41 strikeouts over 149.2 innings. The Pirates dropped into the NL cellar in 1952 and Friend’s record sank to 7-17 with a 4.18 ERA, 6 complete games, one shutout, and 75 strikeouts over 185 innings. He remained a well-regarded prospect entering 1953 when Pittsburgh again finished in last place and Friend went 8-11 with a 4.90 ERA, 8 complete games, and 66 strikeouts over 170.2 innings. With the Pirates again firmly ensconced in the NL cellar in 1954, Friend had a 7-12 tally and 5.07 ERA with 4 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 73 strikeouts over 170.1 innings. The two shutouts were pitched consecutively in September, and the second, against the Brooklyn Dodgers, proved fatal to their pennant hopes and was the first shutout of the Dodgers by a Pittsburgh pitcher since 1947. Prior to the 1955 season, Friend, in danger of being sent down to the minors,  was coached to utilize a more deceptive windup which made hiis curve more effective. While he was consigned to the bullpen to start the season, he performed well in relief stints and was given a start at the end of May that propelled him back into the starting rotation. He went on to compile a 14-9 record and his 2.83 ERA led the National League, making him the first pitcher on a last-place team to win an ERA title. He also hurled 9 complete games and 2 shutouts with 98 strikeouts over 200.1 innings. The season turned his career around and he was effective with the ineffective Pirates again in 1956, producing a 17-17 tally and 3.46 ERA. He was an All-Star for the first time and the stocky pitcher proved to be a workhorse as he led the league in games started (42) and innings pitched (314.1) as he compiled 19 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 166 strikeouts. 13 of his wins came against first-division clubs. Friend got off to a poor start in 1957 but turned things around as the season progressed to end up at 14-18 with a 3.38 ERA, again leading the NL in starts (38) and innings pitched (277) while compiling 17 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 143 strikeouts. On the personal front, prior to the season he received his college degree from Purdue and in September he got married. In 1958 the Pirates advanced to second place and Friend contributed a 22-14 record and 3.68 ERA with 16 complete games, one shutout, and 135 strikeouts over 274 innings pitched. Struggling with his weight in 1959, Friend had an unimpressive season in which he produced an 8-19 record and 4.03 ERA with 7 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 104 strikeouts over 234.2 innings.   

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 38 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38

Games Started – 37 [2]

Complete Games – 16 [4, tied with Glen Hobbie]

Wins – 18 [5, tied with Larry Jackson & Sam Jones]

Losses – 12 [17, tied with Mike McCormick, Johnny Podres & Jim O’Toole]

PCT - .600 [9]

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 4 [3, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 275.2 [2, tied with Lew Burdette]

Hits – 266 [3, tied with Vern Law]

Runs – 97 [14]

Earned Runs – 92 [12]

Home Runs – 18 [19, tied with Sam Jones & Ernie Broglio]

Bases on Balls – 45

Strikeouts – 183 [5]

ERA – 3.00 [4, tied with Stan Williams]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [20, tied with four others]

Midseason Snapshot: 10-5, ERA - 2.99, SO - 110 in 153.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) at Philadelphia 4/28

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. Cincinnati 6/1

Batting

PA – 105, AB – 88, R – 5, H – 6, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 6, SO – 31, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .068, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 11, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 68

Put Outs – 24

Assists – 43

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .985

Postseason Pitching: G – 3 (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 0-2, PCT – .000, ERA – 13.50, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 6, H – 13, R – 10, ER – 9, HR – 0, BB – 3, SO – 7, HB – 2, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (Started first game for NL)

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The Pirates went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by 7 games over the Milwaukee Braves for their first pennant since 1927. The pitching staff led the NL in fewest walks surrendered (386). They won the World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, capped by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off home run. Friend didn’t make it past the fourth inning in either of his starts and also was ineffective in a relief appearance.

Aftermath of 1960:

The Pirates dropped to sixth place in 1961 as several key players failed to match their 1960 performance levels. Friend dropped to 14-19 with a 3.85 ERA, 10 complete games, one shutout, and 108 strikeouts over 236 innings. He rebounded in 1962 to co-lead the NL with 5 shoutouts while posting an 18-14 tally with a 3.06 ERA, 13 complete games, and 144 strikeouts over 261.2 innings. Intelligent and respected, Friend served as player representative for the Pirates for many years and became National League player representative during the 1960s. On the mound in 1963 he produced a 17-16 record and 2.34 ERA with 12 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 144 strikeouts over 268.2 innings. His 1964 tally was 13-18 with a 3.33 ERA, 13 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 128 strikeouts over 240.1 innings. Friend slipped to 8-12 with a 3.24 ERA in 1965 and feuded with manager Harry Walker which led to the end of his long tenure in Pittsburgh. Dealt to the New York Yankees in the offseason, he was 1-4 in 1966 when he was purchased by the New York Mets in June. Going 5-8 the rest of the way, his combined record was 6-12 with a 4.55 ERA and he retired at age 35. For his major league career, Friend compiled a 197-230 record with a 3.58 ERA, 163 complete games, 36 shutouts, and 1734 strikeouts over 3611 innings. With Pittsburgh the totals were 191-218 with a 3.55 ERA, 161 complete games, 35 shutouts, and 1682 strikeouts over 3480.1 innings. His only World Series action came in 1960. He was a four-time All-Star. Following his playing career, Friend worked as an insurance broker and was active in politics, winning election as Allegheny County Controller. He was also an avid golfer and his son, Bob Jr., became a professional golfer. The workhorse pitcher known as “Warrior” died in 2019 at age 88.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

 

Highlighted Year: Roy Face, 1960

Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 32

7^th season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 155 

Prior to 1960:

A native of Stephentown, New York, Elroy Face played baseball at Averill Park High School and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies following a two-year Army stint. The 21-year-old hurler was initially assigned to the Bradford Blue Wings of the Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York (or PONY) League in 1949 where he was primarily a starting pitcher and produced a 14-2 record and 3.32 ERA with 9 complete games, one shutout, and 65 strikeouts over 141 innings pitched. Returning to Bradford in 1950 he compiled an 18-5 tally and 2.58 ERA. Left exposed in the offseason draft, he was taken by the Brooklyn Dodgers and sent to Pueblo of the Class A Western League in 1951 where he went 23-9 with a 2.78 ERA and 171 strikeouts over 265 innings. Earning promotion to the Fort Worth Cats of the Class AA Texas League in 1952, Face produced a 14-11 record and 2.83 ERA. In 1953 Face was obtained by Pirates to be part of GM Branch Rickey’s youth movement. He spent 1953 with Pittsburgh and proved he was not yet a well-rounded pitcher, appearing in 41 games, 13 of them starts, and recording a 6-8 tally and dreadful 6.58 ERA with two complete games and 56 strikeouts over 119 innings. At this point he possessed a fastball and curve that he threw as hard as he could for as long as possible with clearly unimpressive results. What succeeded for him in the minor leagues thus far didn’t produce success at the major league level. Sent down to the New Orleans Pelicans of the Class AA Southern Association in 1954 with the assignment to develop an off-speed pitch, he instead developed a forkball, which he learned from observing veteran reliever Joe Page with the Pirates the previous year. Converted into a primary reliever during the season by New Orleans manager Danny Murtaugh, who would go on to manage the Pirates, Face’s record was 12-11 in 40 appearances (15 in relief) with a 4.45 ERA and 120 strikeouts over 192 innings. Returning to Pittsburgh in 1955, he worked primarily out of the bullpen and made 42 appearances as part of an improving pitching staff and had a 5-7 tally and 3.58 ERA with 5 saves and 84 strikeouts over 125.2 innings as he mastered the unpredictable forkball, which was as hard to pitch as it was to hit. In 1956 he led the NL in pitching appearances with 68 that produced a 12-13 record and 3.52 ERA with 4 saves, 34 games finished, and 96 strikeouts over 135.1 innings. Face continued his development as a top reliever in 1957, making 59 appearances and posting a 4-6 tally and 10 saves with a 3.07 ERA, 32 games finished, and 53 strikeouts over 93.2 innings. In 1958 he led the NL in saves with 20 while appearing in 57 games and going 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 84 innings. Face went on to have a sensational season in 1959 in which he produced an 18-1 record for a superlative .947 winning percentage along with 10 saves, 69 strikeouts over 57 appearances comprising 93.1 innings. His only loss ended a 22-game winning streak which extended back to the previous season. He was an All-Star for the first time and he finished seventh in league MVP voting.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 68 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 68 [1]

Games Started – 0

Games Finished – 61 [1]

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 10

Losses – 8

PCT - .556 [15, tied with Mike McCormick]

Saves – 24 [2]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 114.2

Hits –

Runs – 39

Earned Runs – 37

Home Runs – 11

Bases on Balls – 29

Strikeouts – 72

ERA – 2.90 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2 

League-leading games pitched were +3 ahead of runner-up Lindy McDaniel

League-leading games finished were +11 ahead of runner-up Dick Farrell

Midseason Snapshot: 5-4, G – 38, ERA - 2.79, SV – 13, SO - 31 in 58 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 2.2 IP) at San Francisco 8/31

10+ strikeout games – 0

 Batting

PA – 19, AB – 17, R – 3, H – 7, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .412, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 33

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 21

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Postseason Pitching: G – 4 (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 0-0, PCT – .000, ERA – 5.23, SV – 3, ShO – 0, IP – 10.1, H – 9, R – 6, ER – 6, HR – 2, BB – 2, SO – 4, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

12^th in NL MVP voting (47 points – 14% share)

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The Pirates went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by 7 games over the Milwaukee Braves for their first pennant since 1927. The pitching staff led the NL in fewest walks surrendered (386). The Pirates moved into first place on May 29 and held off all challengers for the rest of the way. They won the World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, capped by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off home run. Face saved Pittsburgh wins in Games 1, 4, and 5.

Aftermath of 1960:

The Pirates dropped off in 1961 and Face, although still an All-Star, had a somewhat lesser season while still leading the NL in saves (17) and games finished (47) while pitching in 62 games and producing a 3.82 ERA and 55 strikeouts over 92 innings. Occasionally prone to giving up the long ball, he surrendered 12 home runs and in a late-season incident he was fined $200 by manager Danny Murtaugh for “carelessness” after being directed to intentionally walk a batter and allowing one of his pitches to come to near to the strike zone which resulted in a bunt single. 1962 was a much better season for Face as he received Fireman of the Year recognition from The Sporting News for leading the NL with 28 saves and games finished (57) while appearing in 63 games and compiling a 1.88 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 91 innings. Face dropped off in 1963 to a 3-9 tally and 16 saves while appearing in 56 games with a 3.23 ERA, 38 games finished, and 41 strikeouts over 69.2 innings. While the steady 36-year-old reliever appeared in 55 games in 1964, he produced only a 3-3 record and 4 saves with a 5.20 ERA. A knee injury that required surgery limited Face to 16 appearances and no saves in 1965. He returned in 1966 and appeared in 54 games out of the bullpen for the contending Pirates, producing a 6-6 tally and 18 saves with a 2.70 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 70 innings. With the bullpen a strong suit for the Pirates, Face performed well once again in 1967, recording 61 appearances and coming through with a 7-5 record and 17 saves with a 2.42 ERA. With the streaky Pirates in 1968 he pitched in 43 games and went 2-4 with 13 saves until he was dealt to the pennant-bound Detroit Tigers for the last month of the season. He made only two appearances for the Tigers while the starters put together complete games in half of the month’s games and added no saves or decisions. Released during spring training in 1969, Face joined the expansion Montreal Expos and, at age 41, was part of an effective bullpen tandem with LHP Dan McGinn, appearing in 44 games and compiling a 4-2 record with 5 saves, a 3.94 ERA, and 27 games finished prior to his release in August. He pitched in 8 games in 1970 with the Hawaii Islanders of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League before retiring at age 42. For his major league career, spent almost entirely with the Pirates, he pitched in 848 games and produced a 104-95 record with 191 saves, a 3.48 ERA, 574 games finished, and 877 strikeouts over 1375 innings. The 1960 World Series marked his only  postseason action. A six-time All-Star, Face is a member of the Pirates Hall of Fame. Following his baseball career he became a full-time carpenter and died in 2026 at age 97. The diminutive pitcher with the outstanding forkball, who recorded almost all of his saves prior to that statistic becoming official, helped to set the stage for the modern bullpen closers that have followed. 

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Deacon Phillippe, 1901

Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

 Age:  29 (May 23)

2^nd season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Virginia, Charles Louis Phillippe (pronounced FIL-uh-pee) moved to the Dakota Territory with his family at age three and learned to play baseball in what is now South Dakota. He played semi-professional baseball there until 1896 when he joined a pro club in Mankato, Minnesota. Catching on with the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League in 1897, he posted a 7-12 record with a 3.42 ERA. In 1898 he improved to 22-18 with 37 complete games and 99 strikeouts over 363 innings pitched. Phillippe was drafted by the NL’s Louisville Colonels in 1899 and threw a no-hitter against the New York Giants in his seventh major league pitching appearance. He went on to a 21-17 record with a 3.17 ERA, 33 complete games, and 68 strikeouts over 321 innings pitched. With the contraction of the league to eight teams for 1900, Louisville was dropped and Phillippe joined the Pirates along with several of his teammates. His first season in Pittsburgh in 1901 was a very good one as he posted a 20-13 tally and 2.84 ERA with 29 complete games, one shutout, and 75 strikeouts over 279 innings pitched.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 38 games

P – 37, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37 [11, tied with Bill Dinneen, Tom Hughes & Bill Phillips]

Games Started – 32 [15, tied with Frank Kitson]

Complete Games – 30 [11, tied with Al Orth & Jack Taylor]

Wins – 22 [3, tied with Noodles Hahn]

Losses – 12 [20, tied with four others]

PCT - .647 [3]

Saves – 2 [3, tied with Frank Kitson & Willie Sudhoff]

Shutouts – 1 [15, tied with twelve others]

Innings Pitched – 296 [11]

Hits – 274 [18]

Runs – 115

Earned Runs – 73

Home Runs – 7 [10, tied with four others]

Bases on Balls – 38

Strikeouts – 103 [19]

ERA – 2.22 [2]

Hit Batters – 10 [16, tied with five others]

Balks – 1 [2, tied with ten others]

Wild Pitches – 3 

Midseason Snapshot: 13-6, ERA – 1.80, SO - 70 in 165 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. Phillies 6/3, (in 9 IP) at Bos. Beaneaters 6/24

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Beaneaters 7/9, (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. Phillies 9/18, (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Beaneaters 10/1

Batting

PA – 126, AB – 113, R – 11, H – 26, 2B – 3, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 15, BB – 10, SO – 19, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .230, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 110

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 89

Errors – 6

DP – 2

Pct. - .945

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The Pirates went 90-49 to win the NL pennant by 7.5 games over the Philadelphia Phillies. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.58), shutouts (15, tied with the Phillies), fewest runs surrendered (534), and fewest bases on balls surrendered (244). The well-balanced Pirates moved into first place on June 11 and never relinquished the top spot the rest of the way, pulling away from the field in September.

Aftermath of 1901:

Phillippe, known as Charlie to his friends, quickly acquired the nickname “Deacon” due to his quiet nature, modesty, and clean living. Although not a clergyman, he did direct a church choir during the offseason. Highly disciplined on the mound as well as in his life, he rarely issued walks while throwing his fastballs and curves with outstanding control. Pittsburgh topped the NL again in 1902 by a whopping 27.5 games and among the club’s three 20-game winners, Phillippe contributed a 20-9 record with a 2.05 ERA, 29 complete games, 5 shutouts, 122 strikeouts, and just 26 walks in 272 innings pitched. He preferred to be matched against the opposing team’s best pitcher and would pitch out of turn to do so. The Pirates won a third straight pennant in 1903 and Phillippe went 25-9 with a 2.43 ERA, 31 complete games, 4 shutouts, and over 289.1 innings struck out 123 batters and walked 29. Matched against the AL’s Boston Americans (now Red Sox) in the first modern World Series, Phillippe won Game 1 while going head-to-head against Boston ace Cy Young. He won the third and fourth games while losing the last two in the best-of-nine Series won by Boston. He was 3-2 overall in the World Series with a 3.07 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 44 innings that included five complete games. Dealing with an illness in 1904, his record dropped to 10-10 with a 3.24 ERA and 166.2 innings pitched. The Pirates finished in fourth place. Bouncing back in 1905, Phillippe was 20-13 with a 2.19 ERA, 25 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 48 walks and 133 strikeouts in 279 innings pitched. He began to suffer from a sore arm in 1906 which limited him to 218.2 innings and he produced a 15-10 tally with a 2.47 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Seeing more action out of the bullpen in 1907, 9 of his 35 appearances came as a reliever and he remained effective, going 14-11 with a 2.61 ERA. Shoulder soreness and a broken finger limited Phillippe to only five appearances in 1908 but he returned in 1909 as a 37-year-old spot starter and reliever as the Pirates returned to the top of the NL. His record was 8-3 with a 2.32 ERA and he relieved twice in the World Series victory over Detroit. Primarily a reliever in 1910, he pitched in 31 games and went 14-2 with a 2.29 ERA. Along the way the .189 career hitter hit an inside-the-park grand slam. Ineffective in three appearances in 1911, he quit the Pirates but returned as player/manager of the Pittsburgh club in the independent United States League in 1912. He finished his baseball career in 1913 as player/manager of the Pittsburgh Filipinos of the Federal League. For his major league career Phillippe compiled a 189-109 record with a 2.59 ERA, 242 complete games, 27 shutouts, 12 saves, and 929 strikeouts in 2607 innings pitched. He walked only 363 batters to average just 1.25 walks per nine innings. With the Pirates he went 168-92 with 209 complete games, 25 shutouts, 11 saves, and 861 strikeouts over 2286 innings. He was a 20-game winner six times. Appearing in 7 World Series games, he went 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA, 5 complete games, and 24 strikeouts over 50 innings. After his playing career, Phillippe worked in a steel mill, ran a cigar store, scouted for the Pirates, and worked for the county parks department. He died in 1952 at age 79. In a 1969 vote, he was chosen as the greatest right-handed pitcher in Pittsburgh Pirates history.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Art Mahaffey, 1962

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age: 24 (June 4)

3^rd season with Phillies

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1962:

A Cincinnati native, Mahaffey was tall and thin at Cincinnati’s Western High School, which had a top-flight baseball program. Playing American Legion ball as well as high school, he developed his pitching skill and drew the attention of major league scouts. Mahaffey signed with the Phillies in 1956 and was assigned to Mattoon of the Class D Midwest League where he started 10 games and produced a 4-4 record and 5.28 ERA with 61 strikeouts over 75 innings. Concerned that he was too thin to have the necessary stamina to be a major league pitcher, in the offseason he filled out a bit. With teams at the Class C and B level in 1957 his tally was a combined 12-11 with a 4.79 ERA, 7 complete games, and 174 strikeouts over 205 innings. He spent 1958 with High Point-Thomasville of the Class B Carolina League (his second stop the previous season), where he went 5-1 with a 2.12 ERA before being promoted to Williamsport of the Class A Eastern League where his season ended after three appearances (that produced no record) due to surgery for a sports hernia. Mahaffey started the 1959 season with Williamsport, where he produced an 8-0 tally before advancing to the Buffalo Bisons of the Class AAA International League where his record was 8-5 with a 4.42 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 108 innings pitched. Prone to inconsistency, he found himself back with Buffalo in 1960 where he started the season off at 11-9 with a 3.74 ERA before being called up to the Phillies in June, who were sorely in need of pitching help. Due to an excellent pickoff move to first base, the highly self-confident Mahaffey picked off the first three major league batters to reach base against him. He also possessed an effective fastball and curve and finished up his rookie major league season with a 7-3 tally and 2.31 ERA with 5 complete games that included a shutout, and 56 strikeouts over 93.1 innings. He placed third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Hindered by a back injury, control problems, and playing for a cellar-dwelling club in 1961, Mahaffey had some fine performances, including a 17-strikeout outing against the Cubs, but also lost 10 straight decisions at one point and also was struck in the face by a thrown ball. Along the way he was an All-Star selection for the Phillies. His record for the year was 11-19 with a 4.10 ERA, 12 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 158 strikeouts over 219.1 innings.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 42 games

P – 41, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 41

Games Started – 39 [3, tied with Billy O’Dell]

Complete Games – 20 [2, tied with Billy O’Dell]

Wins – 19 [5, tied with Billy O’Dell]

Losses – 14 [10, tied with six others]

PCT - .576 [16, tied with Billy O’Dell]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [10, tied with fourteen others]

Innings Pitched – 274 [4]

Hits – 253 [9]

Runs – 131 [4, tied with Dick Ellsworth]

Earned Runs – 120 [1]

Home Runs – 36 [1]

Bases on Balls – 81 [13]

Strikeouts – 177 [8]

ERA – 3.94

Hit Batters – 12 [2, tied with Bob Shaw & Bob Bruce]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 

League-leading earned runs allowed were +2 ahead of runner-up Dick Ellsworth

League-leading home runs allowed were +1 ahead of runner-up Roger Craig

Midseason Snapshot: 10-9, ERA - 3.93, SO - 85 in 137.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) at NY Mets 8/2

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 6/6, (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 7/28, (in 9 IP) at Houston 9/3, (in 7 IP) at Mil. Braves 4/24

Batting

PA – 106, AB – 92, R – 6, H – 13, 2B – 0, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 10, BB – 3, SO – 29, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .141, GDP – 3, HBP – 1, SH – 10, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 38

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 24

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

26^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Del Crandall, MilB & Ed Roebuck LAD (2 points – 1% share)

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The Phillies went 81-80 to finish seventh in the NL, 20 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants. Following four straight last-place finishes, the retooling Phillies started slowly but finished strong in August and September to nose just above .500 with Mahaffey barely missing out on a 20-win season. Mahaffey won his 19^th game in mid-September but failed in three subsequent starts to notch his 20^th. As a batter one of his two home runs was a grand slam against the New York Mets at the Polo Grounds.

Aftermath of 1962:

Hindered by shoulder and ankle injuries in 1963, Mahaffey’s performance dropped off to 7-10 and a 3.99 ERA with 6 complete games, one shutout, and 97 strikeouts over 149 innings. The Phillies appeared to be on the way to the NL pennant in 1964 before suffering an epic collapse in September. The slide started in a home game against Cincinnati with Mahaffey on the mound, starting with a 12-8 record at that point, he had lost his last two decisions and been bumped from his previous scheduled start. Engaged in a scoreless pitching duel against Cincinnati RHP John Tsitouris, Reds infielder Chico Ruiz reached third base in the seventh inning and stole home with slugger Frank Robinson at bat, beating Mahaffey’s wide throw to catcher Clay Dalrymple to score what would prove to be the game’s only run and sending Mahaffey to not only his ninth loss of the season, but spurring what would turn out to be a 10-game Philadelphia losing streak. Mahaffey started only one more game and finished with a 12-9 tally and 4.52 ERA with two complete games (both shutouts) and 80 strikeouts over 157.1 innings. In 1965 a sore arm limited Mahaffey to 71 innings and a 2-5 record with a 6.21 ERA. Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason, he appeared in only 12 games and went 1-4 with a 6.43 ERA. Demoted to the Tulsa Oilers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, he produced a 4-4 tally and 5.05 ERA in 11 starts. Dealt to the New York Mets in 1967, he continued pitching in the minors and never played for the Mets. A torn rotator cuff put an end to his career at age 29. For his major league career, which was almost entirely spent with the Phillies, Mahaffey posted a 59-64 record with a 4.17 ERA, 46 complete games, 9 shutouts, and 639 strikeouts over 999 innings. He was a three-time All-Star. Following his playing career, Mahaffey worked in insurance. A pitcher who struggled with inconsistency and physical maladies, at his best he had some very impressive performances. 

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Don Demeter, 1962

Third Baseman/Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Age: 27 (June 25)

2^nd season with Phillies (first complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1962: 

An Oklahoma City native, Demeter (pronounced DEM-et-er) moved to Denver with his family in his youth, but when his parents split up, he returned to Oklahoma City to live with his grandparents. A fine natural athlete, baseball proved to be his best sport and he played center field on the Capitol Hill High School team which won the Oklahoma state championship during his junior and senior years. In 1953 he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers for an $800 bonus. The 18-year-old prospect was initially assigned to the Shawnee Hawks of the Class D Sooner State League where he batted an unimpressive .223 with 12 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 on-base percentage. Demeter advanced to the Bakersfield Indians of the Class C California League in 1954 and bumped his average up to .267 with 18 doubles, 26 home runs, 89 RBIs, and a .350 OBP. Demeter started the 1955 season with Pueblo of the Class A Western League and was promoted to the Mobile Bears of the Class AA Southern Association. His combined batting production was .254 with 16 doubles, 16 home runs, 59 RBIs, a .348 OBP, and a .420 slugging percentage. He also played winter ball in Venezuela for the second straight year. Moving up to the Fort Worth Cats of the Class AA Texas League in 1956, he hit .287 with 41 home runs, 128 RBIs, a .384 OBP, and a .574 slugging percentage. Earning a September call-up to Brooklyn, Demeter went one-for-three while swatting his first major league homer. Having established himself as a solid prospect with his hitting and fine defensive play, he moved on to the St. Paul Saints of the Class AAA American Association in 1957 where he batted .309 with 17 doubles, 28 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .378 OBP, and a .562 slugging percentage. Again called up to the Dodgers following the American Association playoffs, he saw no major league action. In the offseason he served a stint in the Army. The Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles in 1958 and were dealing with aging stars in the outfield. Demeter started the season in LA but was sent back to St. Paul in May to get more playing time and hit .283 with 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 48 RBIs, a .343 OBP, and a .490 slugging percentage in 80 appearances prior to returning to the Dodgers in August. Seeing regular action in the outfield during the remainder of the season, his major league production was .225 with 5 home runs, 8 RBIs, and a .225 OBP. The Dodgers won a surprising pennant in 1959 and Demeter performed well during the season’s first half, although he dropped off thereafter to end up at .256 with 18 home runs, 70 RBIs, a .294 OBP, and a .437 slugging percentage while appearing in 139 games. In the six-game World Series defeat of the Chicago White Sox, he managed only three hits, none for extra bases. It would prove to be his only postseason action. His 1960 season was derailed by a broken wrist suffered in July that limited him to 64 games in which he batted .274 with 9 home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .306 OBP. Off to a slow start at the plate in 1961, Demeter was traded to the Phillies in May as part of a four-player deal. Splitting time at first base and all three outfield positions, his combined batting totals were .251 with 21 home runs, 70 RBIs, a .297 OBP, and a .467 slugging percentage. In 1962 he further proved to be defensively versatile by filling in at the unfamiliar position of third base in addition to his outfield duties.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 153 games

3B – 105, CF – 42, LF – 23, PH – 6, RF – 4, 1B – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 617

At Bats – 550

Runs – 85

Hits – 169 [19]

Doubles – 24

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 29 [8, tied with Eddie Mathews & Joe Adcock]

RBI – 107 [7]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 6 [19, tied with six others]

Strikeouts – 93 [13, tied with Andre Rodgers]

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 7 [11, tied with eleven others]

Average - .307 [9]

OBP - .359 [18]

Slugging Pct. - .520 [6]

Total Bases – 286 [13]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 10 [2, tied with Curt Flood]

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 11 [1]

League-leading sac flies were +1 ahead of runner-up Ernie Banks

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 12, HR – 14, RBI – 55, AVG – .297, OBP - .347, SLG – .507

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis 6/22

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 4/28, (in 4 AB) at San Francisco 6/28, (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 8/15

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 19

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Chi. Cubs 5/11

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 6 (.333)

Fielding (3B)

Chances – 286

Put Outs – 91

Assists – 177

Errors – 18

DP – 18

Pct. - .937 

Awards & Honors:

12^th in NL MVP voting (12 points – 4% share)

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The Phillies went 81-80 to finish seventh in the NL, 20 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants. Following four straight last-place finishes, the retooling Phillies started slowly but finished strong in August and September to nose just above .500.

Aftermath of 1962:

The arrival of veteran third baseman Don Hoak in 1963 lessened the need for Demeter to play at the not corner although he continued to sub at third and first base while appearing in 120 games in the outfield. While his batting average dipped to .258 he accumulated 20 doubles, 22 home runs, 83 RBIs, a .306 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. In the offseason the Phillies dealt him to the Detroit Tigers for RHP Jim Bunning and catcher Gus Triandos. Demeter performed well in the outfield for the Tigers in 1964 and occasionally platooned with Norm Cash at first base. While he proved to be a fine clutch hitter, his overall batting production was .256 with 22 doubles, 22 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .290 OBP, and a .460 slugging percentage. Continuing to display his versatility in the outfield and at first base in 1965, Demeter experienced a surge in production during July but an August wrist injury curtailed his use down the stretch and he finished at .278 with 16 doubles, 16 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .325 OBP, and a .463 slugging percentage. Caught in a crowded outfield situation in 1966, Demeter appeared in only 32 games for Detroit and was hitting just .212 when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox in June as part of the deal that brought RHP Earl Wilson to the Tigers, with significant results. Appearing primarily in center field during the remainder of the season with the Red Sox, he ended up batting a combined .268 with 18 doubles, 14 home runs, 41 RBIs, a .284 OBP, and a .458 slugging percentage. With rookie Reggie Smith taking over in center field in 1967, Demeter found himself on the move again in June as part of the deal that brought RHP Gary Bell to Boston, who contributed to the Red Sox winning an improbable pennant. He finished the season and his career as a reserve outfielder for the Indians, and hit a combined .226 with 6 home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .274 OBP. Dealing with a heart condition he decided to retire. For his major league playing career, Demeter batted .265 with 912 hits that included 147 doubles, 17 triples, and 163 home runs. He scored 467 runs and compiled 563 RBIs, a .307 OBP, and a .459 slugging percentage. With the Phillies he batted .276 with 400 hits, 62 doubles, 9 triples, 71 home runs, 202 runs scored, 258 RBIs, a .325 OBP, and a .479 slugging percentage. Never an All-Star, he twice received MVP votes, both with the Phillies. A devout Baptist, Demeter did not smoke, drink, or use profanity and became pastor of Grace Community Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Prior to that, following his playing career, in addition to working in a few businesses, he served as president of the minor league Oklahoma City 89ers. He also was an unsuccessful candidate for the Oklahoma legislature in 1976. Demeter died in 2021 at age 86.     

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Roy Thomas, 1903

Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Age: 29

5^th season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’11” Weight: 150 

Prior to 1903:

A native of Norristown, Pennsylvania, Thomas was raised by strict Christian parents who did not allow him to play baseball on Sundays, a practice he maintained even during his professional career. Following graduation from the Univ. of Pennsylvania, he played semipro ball locally until signing with the Phillies in 1899. A slender singles hitter with speed and no power, Thomas was an excellent bunter who was also adept at fouling off pitches that resulted in lengthy at bats and large numbers of walks, making him an ideal leadoff hitter. As a rookie he scored 137 runs, a record for a first-year player. He also batted .325 with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 47 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, and a .457 on-base percentage thanks to his drawing 115 walks. In 1900, Thomas led the NL in runs scored (132) and walks drawn (115) while hitting .316 with a .451 OBP. The NL adopted the foul-strike rule in 1901 which counted the first two foul balls in a plate appearance as strikes and a third bunt foul as an out to curtail batters from being able to foul off pitches endlessly to either draw a walk or wear down the pitcher, a common practice at the time. The rule did not curtail Thomas’ ability to draw walks as he again topped the league with 100 in 1901 while batting .309 with a .437 OBP and 27 stolen bases. One of his eight extra-base hits was a home run, the first of his career. He again topped the NL in walks drawn in 1902 with 107 and his .414 OBP also led the circuit while he also batted .286 with 11 extra-base hits, 89 runs scored, 24 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.

1903 Season Summary

Appeared in 130 games

CF – 130

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 612 [6]

At Bats – 477

Runs – 88 [10, tied with Fred Clarke]

Hits – 156 [10]

Doubles – 11

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 27

Bases on Balls – 107 [1]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 46 [16]

Stolen Bases – 17

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .327 [8, tied with Frank Chance, Patsy Donovan & Jake Beckley]

OBP - .453 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .365

Total Bases – 174

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 20 [4, tied with Jimmy Sheckard, Kid Gleason & James Casey]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +25 ahead of runner-up Bill Dahlen

League-leading OBP was +.010 ahead of runner-up Roger Bresnahan

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 6, HR - 1, RBI – 6, SB – 7, AVG - .296, OBP – .434

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Cardinals 8/20

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis Cardinals 5/16

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 0

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 at Brooklyn 7/28 – 10 innings

Pinch-hitting – No Appearances

Fielding

Chances – 350

Put Outs – 318

Assists – 19

Errors – 13

DP – 3

Pct. - .963 

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The Phillies went 49-86 to finish seventh in the NL, 39.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates, while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (120). Under new ownership, the Phillies suffered through a 4-9 April and were in seventh or eighth for the remainder of the season, with a 16-16 September allowing them to escape the cellar. The August collapse of part of the grandstand at the club’s home venue, the Baker Bowl, caused the club to move to Columbia Park, home of the AL’s Athletics for 16 games while repairs were made.

Aftermath of 1903:

Thomas was a capable defensive outfielder, as exemplified by his leading the league’s center fielders in putouts and assists in 1903. He typically hit the ball to short left field and opposing teams utilized shifts against him. His speed and bunting ability helped to mitigate the effects of the defensive shifting, along with his ability to draw walks. He continued to lead the NL in walks drawn in 1904 with 102. Batting .290 he had an OBP of .416, which ranked second in the league. His string of five straight seasons leading the NL in walks drawn was broken in 1905 when his total of 93 placed third. He hit .317 with a .417 OBP. Thomas returned to the top in 1906 with 107 walks drawn while his average dropped to .254 which led to a .393 OBP. His average dropped further to .243 in 1907 although his 83 walks drawn again led the circuit, but his OBP fell to .374. He remained a top center fielder. With his performance continuing to decline at age 34 in 1908, the Phillies sold Thomas to the Pittsburgh Pirates in June. He went on to bat .251 for the year with a .341 OBP. Waived by the Pirates during the 1909 season, he was picked up by the Boston Doves (now Atlanta Braves) and played in 82 games, hitting .263 with a .369 OBP. He returned to the Phillies in 1910 and batted .183 with a .266 OBP in 23 games at which point he retired. When injuries depleted the Phillies outfield in 1911, Thomas returned to the club and provided negligible production prior to retiring for good at age 37. For his major league career, spent almost entirely with the Phillies, Thomas batted .290 with 1537 hits that included 100 doubles, 53 triples, and 7 home runs. He further scored 1011 runs while drawing 1042 walks (leading the NL seven times) and compiling 299 RBIs, 244 stolen bases, and a .413 OBP. He became the only regular player in major league history to score three times as many runs as he accumulated in RBIs. His RBI total is the lowest of any player with over 1500 hits. 89.6 % of his hits were singles, also a record. Any analysis of his batting statistics provides a number of other anomalies, but his ability to get on base and score runs made him a star. He also had a career fielding percentage of .972. Following his playing career, Thomas coached at Penn and Haverford College. He was involved in several businesses both during and after his playing days. He died in 1959 at age 85.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Rick Monday, 1968

Outfielder, Oakland Athletics

Age: 22

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 193 

Prior to 1968:

Born in Arkansas, Monday moved with his family to California in his youth. A star baseball player at Santa Monica High School, he turned down a $20,000 offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers to attend Arizona State University. Arizona State won the NCAA title in 1965 and Monday, who was a sophomore, was named College Player of the Year. That June he was the first overall pick in the inaugural amateur player draft, chosen by the then-Kansas City Athletics. Accepting a $104,000 bonus offer, he signed with the A’s. Initially sent to Idaho to play for the Lewiston Broncs of the Class A Northwest League, the 19-year-old center fielder appeared in 72 games and batted .271 with 12 doubles, 13 home runs, 44 RBIs, a .368 on-base percentage, and a .494 slugging percentage. In the offseason he completed a six-month commitment in the Marines which he finished at the beginning of spring training in 1966. Promoted to Mobile of the Class AA Southern League he hit .267 with 16 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 72 RBIs, a .383 OBP, and a .490 slugging percentage. Monday received a September call-up to the Athletics in which he played in 17 games with negligible batting success. Following a promising stint in the Arizona Instructional League, Monday stuck with the A’s in 1967 and had a solid rookie season as he batted .251 with 14 doubles, 6 triples, 14 home runs, 58 RBIs, and a .322 OBP. In the offseason, the franchise moved to Oakland.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

CF – 144, PH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 563

At Bats – 482

Runs – 56

Hits – 132

Doubles – 24 [13, tied with five others]

Triples – 7 [7, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 8

RBI – 49

Bases on Balls – 72 [11]

Int. BB – 7 [20, tied with six others]

Strikeouts – 143 [2]

Stolen Bases – 14 [15, tied with Reggie Jackson]

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .274 [9, tied with Frank Howard]

OBP - .371 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .402 [18]

Total Bases – 194

GDP – 5

Hit By Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 3 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 10, 3B – 5, HR - 3, RBI - 23, SB – 9, AVG - .298, OBP – .406

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at California 4/28, (in 3 AB) vs. NY Yankees 6/14 – 10 innings, (in 3 AB) vs. Washington 6/22

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Minnesota 9/27

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 3

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at California 4/27

Pinch-hitting/running – 2 for 6 (.333) with 1 HR & 2 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 317

Put Outs – 298

Assists – 12

Errors – 7

DP – 3

Pct. - .978

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The relocated Athletics went 82-80 to finish sixth in the AL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in hits (1300), stolen bases (147), and batting (.240). The resurgent A’s.climbed as high as third place in June prior to a seven-game losing streak that moved them back into the middle of the pack. Still, they finished with their best record since 1952, when they were still in Philadelphia, which was not enough to save manager Bob Kennedy’s job. Attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a disappointing 837,466, presaging many years of mediocre returns at the gate.

Aftermath of 1968:

Monday missed seven weeks of the 1969 season due to a broken hand and limited to 122 games batted .271 with 17 doubles, 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a .388 OBP. In 1970 he hit .290 with 19 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, a .387 OBP, and a .457 slugging percentage. Early in the season he tied Yankee great Lou Gehrig’s league record of driving in at least one run in ten consecutive games. The A’s won the AL West title in 1971, but Monday’s batting average dropped to .245 with a .335 OBP, 18 home runs, and 56 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Chicago Cubs for LHP Ken Holtzman where it was hoped that his good defense would prove beneficial in center field. With the Cubs in 1972, he lived up to expectations in the outfield where his hustle and on-field leadership made him a standout. But after a strong start at the plate he ended up batting .249 with 22 doubles, 5 triples, 11 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .362 OBP. Monday boosted his power production in 1973, leading the Cubs with 26 home runs while hitting .267 with 24 doubles, 5 triples, 56 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .469 slugging percentage. The Cubs dropped into the NL East cellar in 1974 and Monday was one of the club’s few stalwart performers as he batted .294 with 19 doubles, 7 triples, 20 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .375 OBP, and a .467 slugging percentage. In 1975, a head injury sidelined Monday for most of the final month of the season, but when healthy he hit .267 with 29 doubles, 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, a .373 OBP, and a .446 slugging percentage. Used as trade bait in the offseason, he remained with the Cubs in 1976 and batted .272 with 20 doubles, 32 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .346 OBP, and a .507 slugging percentage. He was shifted to first base during the season to make room for Jim Wallis in center field. A significant highlight occurred early in the season in a game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles when, while warming up in the outfield between innings, he snatched an American flag from two protesters who were intending to set in on fire. The episode, which was captured on film, brought Monday lasting celebrity beyond baseball. In the offseason he was traded to the Dodgers for three players. Back in center field but limited to 118 games by a back injury in 1978, Monday’s batting production dropped off to .230 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs, a .330 OBP, and a .383 slugging percentage. The Dodgers, NL champs in ’77 repeated in 1978 and Monday was in All-Star form during the season’s first half although he dropped off thereafter due to renewed back problems to finish at .254 with 14 doubles, 19 home runs, 57 RBIs, a .348 OBP, and a .468 slugging percentage. Lingering physical problems plus a torn Achilles tendon that required surgery limited Monday to only 12 games in 1979. He returned to the Dodgers in 1980 and appeared in 96 games, primarily off the bench, and batted .268 with 10 home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .363 OBP. In the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Monday again was productive as he hit .315 with 11 home runs, 25 RBIs, a .423 OBP, and a .608 slugging percentage while appearing in both corner outfield spots and as a pinch-hitter. He provided postseason highlights in LA’s drive to a pennant, singling in a run in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS against Houston and slugging the game-winning home run against Montreal to clinch the NLCS. He lasted with the Dodgers until June of the 1984 season, primarily utilized as a pinch-hitter in his remaining seasons. His 1984 release brought his playing career to an end at age 38. For his major league career Monday batted .264 with 1619 hits that included 248 doubles, 64 triples, and 241 home runs. He scored 950 runs and compiled 775 RBIs, a .361 OBP, and a .443 slugging percentage. With the A’s he batted .263 with 542 hits, 285 runs scored, 84 doubles, 28 triples, 62 home runs, 256 RBIs, a .359 OBP, and a .422 slugging percentage. Appearing in 30 postseason games, he hit .210 with one home run and 2 RBIs. Monday was a two-time All-Star. Although he didn’t meet the superstar expectations that led to his drafting by the A’s, he proved to be a classy team player appreciated for his good humor, hustle, and solid play. Monday went into broadcasting following his playing career. He was named to the Arizona State Sun Devil Hall of Fame in 1975 and the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.