Highlighted Year: Sam Jones, 1959

Pitcher, San Francisco Giants

 

Age: 33

1^st season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 192

Prior to 1959:

Born in Stewartsville, Ohio, there was some dispute regarding the actual year of Jones’ birth, although 1925 is generally accepted, it is possible that he lowered his age by a couple of years for reasons pertaining to his athletic career. He lived with his single mother in her father’s home until the family moved to Monongah, West Virginia at around age 11. In 1937 he received $50 and a new bike for winning the state marble shooting championship during which he displayed impressive determination and skill. When his mother married they moved to Grant Town and Jones entered Dunbar High School in nearby Fairmont where he played football and basketball. Upon entering the Army during World War II in 1943 he first began to play baseball, appearing at first base and catcher and only occasionally pitching. He also acquired the lasting habit of chewing toothpicks, which led to his nickname of “Toothpick Sam”. A light-skinned African-American with reddish hair (he was also called “Red” as a result), Jones played for low-level Negro League teams while still in the Army. In 1947 he left the military and signed with the Cleveland Buckeyes of the Negro American League and being a poor hitter and lacking athletic grace, became a full-time pitcher. His overall record was 4-2 that season, and 0-1 in official league games. Returning to the Buckeyes in 1948, he had a 9-8 overall tally (1-2 in official games) for the financially strapped club. Still very raw as a pitcher who had gotten a late start, he was rejected by a scout for the Cleveland Indians and joined a touring Negro League team before playing winter ball in Panama where he got the opportunity to pitch in the 1949 Caribbean Series. In 1949 he joined the semipro Southern Minnesota League and performed very well, although records are unreliable. Following a fall tryout with the Cleveland Indians, Jones signed and, after another winter season in Panama he joined Wilkes-Barre of the Class A Eastern League in 1951. He produced a 17-8 record with a 2.71 ERA, 20 complete games, and 169 strikeouts over 219 innings. He featured an impressive fastball and curve that he threw sidearm and overhand. He also picked up another nickname of “Sad Sam” that was inspired by an earlier major league pitcher also named Sam Jones due to his quiet nature and downcast countenance. Beyond that he could be amiable and humorous and had a generous disposition. Moving up to San Diego of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1951, Jones worked on not telegraphing his pitches and posted a 15-13 tally and 2.75 ERA with a league-leading 246 strikeouts over 267 innings. Called up to Cleveland in September, he made two appearances and was 0 -1 with a 2.08 ERA. Pitching winter ball in Puerto Rico with Santurce, he had a good season until his heavy workload caused him to come up with a sore arm which also sidelined him for a time in the spring with the Indians. He made only 14 appearances for Cleveland in 1952 and was 2-3 with a disappointing 7.25 ERA. Sent back to AAA at one point with Indianapolis of the American Association, he was 4-0 with a 3.09 ERA. Still hindered by arm soreness in 1953, Jones spent the season with Indianapolis and produced a 10-12 record and 3.32 ERA with 10 complete games and 118 strikeouts over 187 innings. Following a disappointing winter campaign in Venezuela, Jones, who remained blocked from Cleveland due to the club’s strong pitching rotation, was back with Indianapolis again in 1954 where he performed better with a 15-8 tally, 3.75 ERA, 12 complete games, and 178 strikeouts over 199 innings. Frustrated with the Indians organization, he threatened to quit and was traded to the Chicago Cubs. In 1955 with a sixth-place club, “Toothpick Sam” finally got the chance to be a starting major league pitcher over the course of a full season and had a 14-20 record that included a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he walked three batters to load the bases in the ninth inning and was nearly pulled by manager Stan Hack, only to strike out the next three batters on 11 pitches to finish the hitless performance, the first ever by an African-American in the NL or AL. He also led the NL in strikeouts (198), and prone to wildness, also led in walks (185) and hit batters (14) which also exemplified his tendency to throw inside to batters who crowded the plate. His ERA was 4.10 but he was an All-Star selection. Jones again led the NL in strikeouts in 1956 (176) and walks (115) in what was overall a disappointing season in which his record was 9-14 with a 3.91 ERA. In the offseason he was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a nine-player trade. In 1957 he went through a hot stretch in June and July but encountered a sore elbow and finished at 12-9 with a 3.60 ERA, 10 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 154 strikeouts with 71 walks over 182.2 innings. In 1958 “Toothpick Sam” returned to his routine of leading the league in both strikeouts (225) and walks (107) while compiling a 14-13 tally with a 2.88 ERA, 14 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 250 innings pitched. Jones was traded once again during spring training in 1959, as part of a deal with the Giants that brought promising first baseman Bill White to St. Louis. Appreciated for his obvious pitching talent, “Toothpick Sam” was considered to be a hard luck pitcher, although he had improved his delivery and mechanics.   

1959 Season Summary

Appeared in 50 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 50 [8]

Games Started – 35 [7, tied with Bob Friend & Robin Roberts]

Complete Games – 16 [7]

Wins – 21 [1, tied with Warren Spahn & Lew Burdette]

Losses – 15 [5, tied with Warren Spahn & Lew Burdette

PCT - .583 [10, tied with Warren Spahn & Lew Burdette]

Saves – 5 [10, tied with Orlando Pena]

Shutouts – 4 [1, tied with six others]

Innings Pitched – 270.2 [4, tied with Don Drysdale]

Hits – 232 [11]

Runs – 99 [14]

Earned Runs – 85 [17]

Home Runs – 18

Bases on Balls – 109 [1]

Strikeouts – 209 [2]

ERA – 2.83 [1]

Hit Batters – 8 [4, tied with Wilmer Mizell & Juan Pizarro]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [14, tied with five others]

League-leading bases on balls surrendered were +3 ahead of runner-up Glen Hobbie

League-leading ERA was -0.01 lower than runner-up Stu Miller

Midseason Snapshot: 10-8, ERA - 3.35, SO – 114 in 139.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 5/13

10+ strikeout games – 3

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 7 IP) at St. Louis 9/26 (Rain-shortened no-hitter with 2 BB & 5 strikeouts. Giants won 4-0)

Batting

PA – 100, AB – 85, R – 3, H – 11, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 30, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .129, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 11, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 47

Put Outs – 10

Assists – 34

Errors – 3

DP – 2

Pct. - .936

Awards & Honors:

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

5^th in NL MVP voting (130 points – 39% share)

2^nd in MLB Cy Young voting (2 votes – 13% share)

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The Giants went 83-71 to finish third in the NL, 4 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.47), fewest hits allowed (1279), and fewest runs allowed (613). Embroiled in a hot three-team pennant race with the Dodgers and Milwaukee Braves, the Giants moved into first on July 4. Aided by rookie first baseman Willie McCovey’s arrival at the end of the month, they cruised into September but, losing seven of their last eight games, dropped into third at the end. Jones was the club’s ironman pitcher, relieving in 15 games between starts until tiring in the final week. In addition to his rain-shortened no-hitter at St. Louis, he missed out on a full-length no-hitter against the Dodgers on a controversial scorer’s ruling of a base hit on a ball misplayed by shortstop Andre Rodgers thus reinforcing Jones’ hard luck label.

Aftermath of 1959:

Jones received a pay raise to $35,000 in 1960 and while the Giants dipped in the standings, “Toothpick Sam” was still effective in posting an 18-14 record and 3.19 ERA with 13 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 190 strikeouts over 234 innings. His performance dropped off in 1961 to 8-8 in 37 appearances (17 of them starts) with a 4.49 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 128.1 innings. Left exposed in the NL expansion draft in the offseason, he was chosen by the new Houston franchise, who in turn dealt him to the Detroit Tigers. During 1962 spring training Jones was diagnosed with cancer, and following surgery and treatment, it went into remission. He was still able to pitch for the Tigers, typically out of the bullpen and in 30 appearances (6 of them starts) he went 2-4 with a 3.65 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 81.1 innings. Along the way he even added a new pitch, a slider, to his repertoire. Injuries suffered in a September car accident further curtailed his season and he was released by the Tigers. Failing to catch on with the Los Angeles Angels during 1963 spring training, he instead signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Class AAA International League where he stayed until the Cardinals re-obtained him in June and assigned him to the Atlanta Crackers, also of the International League. Having compiled a combined minor league record of 9-4 he was promoted to the Cardinals in August. He appeared in 11 games in his return to the Cardinals, all in relief, and despite a 2-0 tally, his ERA was 9.00 and he was released at season’s end. After playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic, where he performed well, Jones signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1964 and was assigned to their AAA International League team, the Columbus Jets where he was 7-6 with a 1.76 ERA while used exclusively out of the bullpen, with 89 strikeouts over 83 innings. Obtained by the Baltimore Orioles, who were seeking a veteran reliever for the September stretch run as they contended for the American League pennant, “Toothpick Sam” made seven appearances  without a decision and had a 2.61 ERA and 6 strikeouts over 10.1 innings. Returned to the Pittsburgh organization during the offseason, he spent three more seasons with Columbus, with his best record being 12-4 in 1965. Apparently due to concerns about his age (he was 41 when he reached the end of the line), he never again appeared in the major leagues.  For his major league career, Jones produced a 103-104 record while pitching in 327 games (225 of them starts), with a 3.63 ERA, 77 complete games, 17 shutouts, and 1393 strikeouts with 840 walks over 1669.1 innings. With the Giants his record was 47-37 in 126 pitching appearances (87 of them starts) with a 3.30 ERA, 31 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 504 strikeouts with 257 walks over 633 innings. He led the NL in strikeouts three times and in walks four times. He was a two-time All-Star. Following his playing career, a second bout with cancer led to his death in 1971 at age 45. The tenacity and determination he displayed as a youth when winning the West Virginia marble shooting championship served him well as an adult, and despite bad luck and control issues suffered during his pitching career, he was often impressive.

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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: Orlando Cepeda, 1959

First Baseman/Outfielder, San Francisco Giants

Age: 22 (Sept. 17)

2^nd season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1959:

The son of Pedro Cepeda, an outstanding player in his native Puerto Rico as well as the Dominican Republic who was known as “The Bull”. Cepeda later came to be nicknamed “the Baby Bull” and grew up playing baseball in Santurce, Puerto Rico. As he grew and filled out, he developed a power stroke and was signed by the Giants, receiving a $500 bonus. He was first assigned to Salem of the Class D Appalachian League in 1955 where he hit just .247 with one home run in 26 games before moving on to Kokomo of the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League where he performed much better, hitting 21 home runs and knocking in 91 RBIs while batting .393 in 92 games. In 1956 Cepeda was promoted to St. Cloud of the Class C Northern League where he won the Triple Crown with 26 home runs, 112 RBIs, and a batting average of .355. Moving up to the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AAA American Association in 1957, he batted .309 with 25 home runs and 108 RBIs. Cepeda filled an opening at first base for the Giants, newly relocated to San Francisco from New York, in 1958. Concerns about his fielding ability at first proved to be unwarranted. He homered in the season-opening game against the Dodgers and went on to bat .312 with 25 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a league-leading 38 doubles as well as a .342 on-base percentage and a .512 slugging percentage.

1959 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

1B – 122, LF – 44, 3B – 4, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 648 [13]

At Bats – 605 [6]

Runs – 92 [11]

Hits – 192 [3]

Doubles – 35 [5, tied with Johnny Temple]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 27 [7, tied with Dick Stuart]

RBI – 105 [6]

Bases on Balls – 33

Int. BB – 10 [10]

Strikeouts – 100 [2]

Stolen Bases – 23 [2, tied with Tony Taylor & Jim Gilliam]

Caught Stealing – 9 [5, tied with Tony Taylor & Sparky Anderson]

Average - .317 [3]

OBP - .355 [19]

Slugging Pct. - .522 [6]

Total Bases – 316 [6]

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 5 [7, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4 [19, tied with twelve others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, HR – 17, RBI - 63, AVG - .331, OBP - .370, SLG - .575

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Mil. Braves 6/4, (in 5 AB) vs. Cincinnati 6/18

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 4/15, (in 5 AB) at Mil. Braves 6/4, (in 4 AB) at Mil. Braves 8/19

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 14

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 7 at Mil. Braves 6/4

Pinch-hitting – No appearances 

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 1015

Put Outs – 929

Assists – 70

Errors – 16

DP – 74

Pct. - .984

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (Started for NL at 1B in first game)

19^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Vern Law, Pitt. & Warren Spahn, MilB (3 points, 1% share)

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The Giants went 83-71 to finish third in the NL, 4 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. Embroiled in a hot three-team pennant race with the Dodgers and Milwaukee Braves, the Giants moved into first on July 4. Aided by rookie first baseman Willie McCovey’s arrival at the end of the month, they cruised into September but, losing seven of their last eight games, dropped into third at the end. McCovey’s presence caused Cepeda to finish off the year in left field after a brief trial at third base.

Aftermath of 1959:

While the positional changes didn’t affect Cepeda’s hitting, he chafed at playing in the outfield. Shifting between the outfield and first base in 1960, and adjusting to the new Candlestick Park, his home run total dropped to 24 and he knocked in 96 runs and batted .297 with a .343 OBP and .497 slugging percentage. Similarly splitting time in the field in 1961, Cepeda had a big year at the plate, batting .311 and leading the NL in home runs (46) and RBIs (142). He placed second in league MVP balloting and was an All-Star for the third of an eventual six consecutive seasons. The Giants won the NL pennant in 1962 and Cepeda, playing regularly at first base while McCovey made the shift to left field, contributed 35 home runs, 114 RBIs, a .306 average, a .347 OBP, and a .518 slugging percentage. Battling chronic knee pain and clashing with manager Alvin Dark, Cepeda continued to produce at the plate, batting .316 with 34 home runs and 97 RBIs in 1963 and .304 with 31 home runs and 97 RBIs in 1964. Hobbled by knee pain that ultimately required surgery, Cepeda appeared in only 33 games in 1965, utilized mostly as a pinch hitter. With McCovey now a fixture at first base, Cepeda started the 1966 season in left field until he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for LHP Ray Sadecki in May. Moving back to first base for good, he hit .301 for the year with 20 home runs and 73 RBIs. The Cardinals soared to the NL pennant in 1967 and won the World Series. Cepeda was a popular team leader, nicknamed “Cha Cha” due to his penchant for Latin music. He batted .325 with 37doubles, 25 home runs and a league-leading 111 RBIs plus a .399 OBP and a .524 slugging percentage. He became the first National League player to unanimously be elected MVP. The Cards repeated as pennant winners in 1968 but in the pitching-dominated season Cepeda hit only .248 with 26 doubles, 16 home runs, 73 RBIs, a .308 OBP, and a .378 slugging percentage. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves the following spring and hit .257 with 28 doubles, 22 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a .325 OBP in 1969 for the Braves, who won the NL West in the first season of divisional play in major league baseball. The team dropped to fifth place in 1970 but Cepeda was better at the plate with a .305 average and 34 home runs, 111 RBIs, a .365 OBP, and a .543 slugging percentage. He started strongly in 1971 until an injury to his left knee resulted in further surgery that finished his season after 71 games. Cepeda started the 1972 season with the Braves and was dealt to Oakland at mid-season, appearing in only 31 games in all until lingering knee trouble sidelined him again. Released by the A’s it appeared that his career was finished until the American League adopted the designated hitter rule in 1973. Signed by the Boston Red Sox strictly to DH, Cepeda appeared in 142 games, never playing in the field, and batted .289 with 20 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .350 OBP, and a .444 slugging percentage. He was named Designated Hitter of the Year. Released in the spring of 1974 Cepeda played briefly in Mexico until signed by the Kansas City Royals. As a DH in his final major league season he batted .215 with one home run and 18 RBIs. Overall, for his major league career Cepeda batted .297 with 2351 hits that included 417 doubles, 27 triples, and 379 home runs. He scored 1131 runs and compiled 1365 RBIs, a .350 OBP, and a .499 slugging percentage. With the Giants he batted .308 with 1286 hits 652 runs scored, 226 doubles, 22 triples, 226 home runs, 767 RBIs, a .352 OBP, and a .535 slugging percentage. Appearing in 22  postseason games, Cepeda hit .207 with 3 home runs and 12 RBIs. Cepeda was an 11-time All-Star. Among his struggles in retirement, he served 10 months in prison for smuggling marijuana, after which he turned things around and became a “goodwill ambassador” for the Giants and went on to become honored for his humanitarian work. Cepeda was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Giants retired his #30. A statue of Cepeda has been placed outside of San Francisco’s AT&T Park. He died in 2024 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: Christy Mathewson, 1901

Pitcher, New York Giants

Age: 21 (Aug. 12)

1^st season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Factoryville, Pennsylvania, the blonde, blue-eyed Mathewson pitched for semipro baseball teams while attending Keystone Academy, a prep school in the town. Always big for his age, he was nicknamed “Husk” by his circle of friends. Following graduation from Keystone Academy, Mathewson pitched for a team in Honesdale, Pennsylvania where he likely was taught the fadeaway pitch that he would make famous and later became known as a screwball. Moving on to Bucknell University, where he majored in Forestry, in addition to baseball he also was a star fullback on the football team and gained renown as an excellent drop-kicker. He also played center on the basketball team. Having pitched for Taunton of the New England League during the summer following his freshman year in 1899 and enduring a 2-13 season with a team that folded before the season concluded, Mathewson signed with Norfolk of the Virginia League in 1900 and was 20-2 by midseason after which his contract was sold to the Giants. Little used during the remainder of the season, typically pitching batting practice, he went 0-3 in six late-season appearances for the Giants. Drafted by Cincinnati in the offseason, the Giants worked a deal to retain him for 1901. 

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 42 games

P – 40, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 40 [5]

Games Started – 38 [3, tied with Bill Donovan]

Complete Games – 36 [3, tied with Bill Donovan]

Wins – 20 [6, tied with four others]

Losses – 17 [9, tied with Vic Willis & Mal Eason]

PCT - .541 [15, tied with Vic Willis]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [4, tied with Frank Kitson & Bill Duggleby]

Innings Pitched – 336 [5]

Hits – 288 [15, tied with Togie Pittinger]

Runs – 131 [17]

Earned Runs – 90 [17]

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 97 [6]

Strikeouts – 221 [4]

ERA – 2.41 [6]

Hit Batters – 13 [8, tied with Mal Eason]

Balks – 1 [2, tied with ten others]

Wild Pitches – 23 [1]

League-leading wild pitches were +4 ahead of runner-up Jack Harper

Midseason Snapshot: 15-7, ERA - 1.64, SO – 125 in 198 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 6/19

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 9 IP) at St. Louis Cardinals 7/15 (No-hitter with 4 BB & 4 strikeouts. Giants won 5-0)

Batting

PA – 136, AB – 130, R – 10, H – 28, 2B – 0, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 7, BB – 2, SO – 25, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .215, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 4, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 130

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 108

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .992

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The Giants went 52-85 to finish seventh in the NL, 37 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. For the George Davis-managed Giants, the emergence of Mathewson proved to be a key highlight. The club held onto first place on-and-off from May 14 until June 10, when they lost the first of three straight games to the Pirates. They suffered through a dreadful second half of the season on their way to a seventh-place finish.

Aftermath of 1901:

Mathewson, often called “Matty”, obtained his other lasting nickname of “Big Six” most likely due to a sportswriter comparing him to New York’s Big Six Fire Company which was renowned for its speed in putting out fires. In 1902, he found himself being used at first base and the outfield as manager Horace Fogel sought to utilize Mathewson’s batting to generate offense for the lowly club. That ended with the July arrival of John McGraw as manager. With a last-place club, his record was 14-17 with a 2.12 ERA, 30 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 164 strikeouts over 284.2 innings pitched. Under the typically gruff and quarrelsome McGraw, Mathewson came to be a close friend (in an attraction of opposites) and, newly married, his wife drew close to McGraw’s spouse. The young pitcher impressed McGraw with his tenacity, poise, intelligence and talent. In addition to the fadeaway pitch, he had a good fastball and excellent curve, all of which he threw with terrific control from an easy motion. With the Giants on the rise in 1903 Mathewson produced a 30-13 record and 2.26 ERA with 37 complete games, 3 shutouts, and a league-leading 267 strikeouts over 366.1 innings. The strikeout total set a NL record which lasted until 1961. The Giants won the NL pennant in 1904 and “Matty” produced a 33-12 tally with a 2.03 ERA, 33 complete games, 4 shutouts, and again topped the league in strikeouts with 212 over 367.2 innings. Together with the club’s other 30-game winner, RHP Joe McGinnity, the two accounted for a total of 68 wins. The Giants refused to meet up with the AL champion Boston Americans (now Red Sox) in a World Series depriving Mathewson of a first chance at postseason action. It turned out differently in 1905 when the Giants repeated as Mathewson had a third straight 30-win season, finishing at 31-9 while also topping the league in ERA (1.28), shutouts (8), and strikeouts (206 over 338.2 innings. In the World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics, he had a 3-0 record with all three decisions being shutouts. In addition to his 0.00 ERA he struck out 18 batters while allowing 14 hits and 15 total baserunners over 27 innings. In 1906 a severe case of diphtheria limited Mathewson to a 22-12 tally with a 2.97 ERA, 22 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 128 strikeouts over 266.2 innings. “Matty” rebounded in 1907 to 24-12 with a 2.00 ERA, 31 complete games, 8 shutouts and a league-leading 178 strikeouts over 315 innings. Clean-living (although his wife said “he was a good man, a very good man, but he was not a goody-goody.”) he was a moderate drinker who enjoyed playing chess and cards, in addition to reading, in his spare time. Reserved and prone to be aloof, he also traveled the vaudeville circuit in the offseason to make extra money by capitalizing on his fame. The Giants lost a close pennant race to the Chicago Cubs in 1908 and Mathewson had an outstanding season, leading the NL in wins with his 37-11 record, ERA (1.43), complete games (34), shutouts (11), innings pitched (390.2), and strikeouts (259), all while averaging 1.2 walks per nine innings. “Matty” was no less effective for the third-place Giants in 1909 as he compiled a 25-6 tally and led the league with a 1.14 ERA while also accumulating 26 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 149 strikeouts over 275.1 innings while walking only 36 batters (one walk per 9 innings). In 1910 he topped the NL in wins with his 27-9 record and also topped the circuit with 27 complete games. He only pitched two shutouts but produced 184 strikeouts over 318.1 innings and averaged 1.7 walks per nine innings. The Giants were pennant winners in 1911 and Mathewson led the league in ERA (1.99) while compiling a 26-13 tally with 29 complete games and 141 strikeouts over 307 innings. He placed second in league MVP voting. In the six-game World Series loss to the Philadelphia Athletics, he went 1-2 with a 2.00 ERA. He surrendered his first ever World Series run in the second inning of Game 1 at the Polo Grounds but went on to win 2-1, but “Matty” lost his next two outings and the A’s won the Series. The Giants repeated as NL champs in 1912 and their ace righthander went 23-12 with 2.12 ERA, 27 complete games, and 134 strikeouts over 310 innings. In the World Series against the Boston Red Sox he was 0-2 despite giving up only three earned runs. The Giants made it three straight NL pennants in 1913 and Mathewson’s record was 25-11 with a league-leading 2.06 ERA, 25 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 93 strikeouts over 306 innings. Facing the Athletics in the World Series, “Matty” went 1-1 with a 0.95 ERA as the team lost for the third straight year. The Giants fell short in the 1914 NL pennant race and Mathewson began complaining about pain in his left side although he still produced a 24-13 tally and 3.00 ERA with 29 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 80 strikeouts over 312 innings. With his fastball having diminished he was more reliant on the fadeaway. By this time “Matty” had added to his popularity by writing the book Pitching in a Pinch  with the assistance of newspaperman Jack Wheeler which detailed his approach to pitching. His performance began to drop off in 1915 at age 34 as he went 8-14 with a 3.58 ERA and only 11 complete games. When he got off to a 3-4 start in 1916, and recognizing that the end of his pitching career was near and interested in trying his hand at managing, McGraw engineered a trade to the Cincinnati Reds with the stipulation that Mathewson would be a player/manager. He won one last pitching decision as the lowly Reds finished in seventh place (25-43 under “Matty’s direction). For his major league career, which was almost entirely spent with the Giants, Mathewson’s record was 373-188 with a 2.13 ERA, 435 complete games, 79 shutouts, and 2507 strikeouts over 4788.2 innings pitched while averaging 1.6 walks per 9 innings. He was a 30-game winner four times and a 20-game winner 13 times. He won five ERA titles and topped the NL in strikeouts five times as well. In 11 World Series pitching appearances his record was 5-5 with a 0.97 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 101.2 innings. Following his playing career, he continued to manage the Reds in 1917 and led them to a 78-76 record. He managed until entering the Chemical Warfare Division of the Army for World War I service. Sent to Europe, he was exposed to mustard gas during a training exercise and, apparently recovered, he returned home. Having been replaced as manager of the Reds, due to a case of correspondence crossing in the mail with regard to his availability, he rejoined the Giants in 1919 as assistant manager to McGraw, a position he held until 1921 when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Confined to a sanitarium in Saranac Lake, New York, for two years, he returned to baseball as president of the Boston Braves, a position he held until the disease persisted and forced his return to Saranac Lake where he died in 1925 at age 45. Buried near the Bucknell University campus, a memorial gate was constructed at the entrance to the university in 1927 which was built through donations from all the NL and AL major league teams and in 1989 the university’s renovated football stadium was renamed Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium. Renowned for his sportsmanship (he was never ejected from a game) he drew comparisons to the fictional athlete and avatar Frank Merriwell. As summed up by his friend and long-time manager‘ John McGraw, “there was never another pitcher like Mathewson, and I doubt that there ever will be.” Mathewson was part of the inaugural group of Baseball Hall of Fame inductees in 1936. His brother Henry, also a pitcher, appeared in three games with the Giants in 1906 and ’07 with far less impressive results.

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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: Nate Colbert, 1971

First Baseman, San Diego Padres

Age: 25 (April 9)

3^rd season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1971:

A native of St. Louis, Colbert was the son of a former semipro catcher. He played sandlot baseball in his youth and performed well at Charles H. Sumner High School. Tall and well built, he drew the attention of scouts but had his eye on the hometown St. Louis Cardinals who signed him in 1964 to a $20,000 bonus contract. Initially assigned to the Cardinals team in the Sarasota Rookie League the aspiring first baseman/outfielder appeared in 45 games and batted .217 with 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, and a .396 on-base percentage helped by drawing 26 walks. In 1965 he moved on to Cedar Rapids of the Class A Midwest League and was hitting .274 with 9 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .345 OBP, when he suffered a broken hand. Sent to the Florida Instructional League he was selected by the Houston Astros in the Rule 5 draft. With the Astros required to keep him on the major league roster, Colbert, who was unready to deal with major league pitching, rode the Houston bench in 1966, appearing in only 19 games and going hitless in seven plate appearances. Following more action in the Florida Instructional League, he played winter ball in Venezuela. Assigned to the Amarillo Sonics of the Class AA Texas League in 1967 he had an outstanding season and was named as the league’s Player of the Year after batting .293 with 28 home runs, 67 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .370 OBP, and a .546 slugging percentage. Moving on to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1968, Colbert was utilized in center field to take advantage of his speed but was limited to 92 games due to a broken hand and hit .264 with 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 44 RBIs, a .327 OBP, and a .466 slugging percentage. In two call-ups to the Astros he hit only .151. In the offseason he was made available in the NL expansion draft and was selected by the Padres who installed him at first base. With his first shot at regular duty in the major leagues in 1969, Colbert batted .255 with 20 doubles, 9 triples, 24 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .322 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage.  He followed up in 1970 by hitting .259 with 38 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .328 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. Despite striking out 150 times, when he connected the results were often very good and he entered 1971 with a firm grip on first base and as a rising power hitter.

1971 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

1B – 153, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 639

At Bats – 565

Runs – 81 [19]

Hits – 149

Doubles – 25

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 27 [9, tied with Johnny Bench]

RBI – 84 [15]

Bases on Balls – 63 [18, tied with Joe Torre & Wes Parker]

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 119 [9]

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .264

OBP - .339

Slugging Pct. - .462 [16]

Total Bases – 261 [16]

GDP – 17 [16, tied with four others]

Hit by Pitches – 4 [16, tied with thirteen others]

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 5 [18, tied with seventeen others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, HR – 19, RBI – 51, AVG - .276, SLG - .516. OBP – .369

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Most hits, game – 3 on nine occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 14

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. San Francisco 4/7, (in 4 AB) at LA Dodgers 4/11

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 6 at LA Dodgers 4/11

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 3 (.333)

Fielding

Chances – 1488

Put Outs – 1372

Assists – 106

Errors – 10

DP – 125

Pct. - .993 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star 

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The Padres went 61-100 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 28.5 games behind the division-winning San Francisco Giants while leading the league in fewest runs scored (486), fewest hits (1250), fewest doubles (184), lowest batting average (.233 tied with the Philadelphia Phillies), lowest OBP (.293), and fewest total bases (1784). The Padres got off to a poor start as they lost 9 of their first 10 games at home and finished April with a 5-16 record which set the tone for the remainder of the season. While the pitching showed much improvement over the course of the season, the hitting dropped off significantly although Colbert, who was dealing with back problems, once again provided the most power production.

Aftermath of 1971:

Colbert followed up with another strong season for the lowly Padres in 1972, batting .250 with 27 doubles, 38 home runs (tying his own club record), 111 RBIs, a .333 OBP, and a .508 slugging percentage. Along the way he slugged a record-tying 5 home runs in a double-header at Atlanta while his 13 RBIs in the twin bill set a new standard. In addition to once again being an All-Star, Colbert finished eighth in league MVP voting. During a difficult season for the Padres in 1973 that was shadowed by rumors of a move to Washington, Colbert got off to a slow start and had only seven home runs through June on his way to a total of 22 while batting .270 with 25 doubles, 80 RBIs, a .343 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. The Padres stayed in place in 1974 and several offseason trades were made to upgrade the club. The arrival of veteran first baseman Willie McCovey from the Giants led to Colbert splitting time at first base and left field and his hitting dropped off to .207 with 16 doubles, 14 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a .319 OBP. Dealt to the Detroit Tigers in the offseason, who hoped he would revive his career while playing home games at Tiger Stadium. That hope went unfulfilled during a 1975 season in which Colbert failed to produce at the plate and was batting only .147 with 4 home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .231 OBP when he was sold to the Montreal Expos in June. His hitting was no better with the further change in locale. In 1976, he lasted only until June with the Expos when he was released. Ignored in the first free agent re-entry draft in the offseason, he went to spring training with the expansion Toronto Blue Jays in 1977 and was let go well before the season, thus ending his career due to chronic back pain and the resulting decline in production. For his major league career, Colbert batted .243 with 833 hits that included 141 doubles, 25 triples, and 173 home runs. He scored 481 runs and compiled 520 RBIs, a .322 OBP, and a .451 slugging percentage. Prone to striking out, he whiffed 902 times. With the Padres he batted .253 with 442 runs scored, 780 hits, 130 doubles, 22 triples, 163 home runs, 481 RBIs, a .331 OBP, and a .469 slugging percentage while striking out 773 times. His production was all the more impressive due to his playing for a typically low-scoring team for most of his time in San Diego which also prevented him from ever appearing in the postseason. He was a three-time All-Star and was an inaugural inductee into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999. Following his playing career, Colbert became an ordained minister in addition to serving as a batting instructor in the Padres organization. He later served a prison sentence for loan fraud and afterward worked with disadvantaged youth. Colbert died in 2023 at age 76.

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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: Bill White, 1962

First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age: 28

4^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1962:

Born in Florida near the Alabama border, White moved with his mother to Warren, Ohio, at age three. He lettered in football and basketball, as well as baseball, at Warren G. Harding High School. Having graduated second in his class, he was offered an academic scholarship to attend Hiram College where he drew the attention of major league scouts although he later insisted he was only an average player. He turned down a bonus offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates to continue his college studies, but when the New York Giants offered to pay his college costs , he signed with them. Assigned to Danville of the Class B Carolina League in 1956, the 19-year-old first baseman and occasional outfielder faced substantial racism but batted .298 with 25 doubles, 20 home runs, 84 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, a .369 on-base percentage, and a .465 slugging percentage. A line-drive hitter with power and speed, White advanced to Sioux City of the Class A Western League in 1954 where he hit .319 with 30 doubles, 9 triples, 20 home runs, 92 RBIs, 40 stolen bases, a .407 OBP, and a .560 slugging percentage. White’s next minor league stop was with the Dallas Eagles of the Class AA Texas League where he batted .295 with 18 doubles, 22 home runs, 93 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, a .384 OBP, and a .478 slugging percentage. Due to his playing winter ball in the offseason, he didn’t return to Hiram College and never completed his degree, much to his family’s disappointment. White started the 1956 season with Minneapolis of the Class AAA American Association but was called up to the Giants in May. Making 138 starts at first base for the Giants the rest of the way, he batted .256 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 22 home runs, 59 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, a .321 OBP, and a .459 slugging percentage. Following his promising rookie season, White found himself drafted into the Army. Missing all of 1957 and the first half of the 1958 season, he returned to a club that had relocated to San Francisco and had a new star at first base in Orlando Cepeda. Relegated to backup duty he appeared in 36 games and hit .241 with one home run and 4 RBIs. With another promising young first baseman in Willie McCovey in the pipeline, White became a prime candidate to be traded. In the spring of 1959 he was dealt to the Cardinals. With two other lefthanded-hitting first basemen in veterans Stan Musial and Joe Cunningham to compete against, White played much of the season out of position in left field, where his bat produced a .302 average with 33 doubles, 9 triples, 12 home runs, 72 RBIs, a .344 OBP, and a .470 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the first time. Moved back to first base during the 1960 season, he was awarded his first Gold Glove for his defensive excellence while hitting .283 with 27 doubles, 10 triples, 16 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .334 OBP, and a .455 slugging percentage. White continued his rise in 1961, batting .286 with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 20 home runs, 90 RBIs, a .354 OBP, and a .472 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the third straight year and received another Gold Glove for his defense.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

1B – 146, RF – 19, LF – 8, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 682 [13]

At Bats – 614 [12]

Runs – 93 [17]

Hits – 199 [4, tied with Dick Groat]

Doubles – 31 [4, tied with Vada Pinson & Leo Cardenas]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 20

RBI – 102 [9]

Bases on Balls – 58

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

Strikeouts – 69

Stolen Bases – 9

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

Average - .324 [4]

OBP - .386 [7]

Slugging Pct. - .482 [17]

Total Bases – 296 [7, tied with Johnny Callison]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 6 [13, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 3 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 12, HR – 15, RBI – 61, AVG - .275, OBP – .350, SLG – .472

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 5/23, (in 5 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 7/17, (in 5 AB) vs. Houston 8/3, (in 5 AB) at NY Mets 8/18

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 8

Most home runs, game – 1 on twenty occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on twelve occasions

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 1324

Put Outs – 1221

Assists – 94

Errors – 9

DP – 114

Pct. - .993

Awards & Honors:

Gold Glove

13^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Felipe Alou SF (10 points – 4% share)

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The Cardinals went 84-78 to finish sixth in the NL, 17.5 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants, while leading the league in fewest triples (31). The Cardinals got off to a solid 11-4 start in April and contended into May when a 3-9 stretch dropped them into fourth. A brief hot streak gave way to another poor stretch and they were at .500 (24-24) by June 3. A strong June lifted the club to fourth, where they stayed until July 22, but the inconsistent team entered September in fifth place, when an eight-game losing streak mired them in sixth place to stay, although they finished the season with a four-game West Coast winning streak that affected the pennant race.

Aftermath of 1962

The Cardinals contended in 1963 and White was part of an infield that started for the NL in the All-Star game along with 2B Julian Javier, SS Dick Groat, and 3B Ken Boyer. He went on to bat .304 with 200 hits, 26 doubles, 8 triples, 27 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .360 OBP, and a .491 slugging percentage. He solidified his reputation as the National League’s best fielding first baseman by winning a fourth straight Gold Glove. The Cardinals got off to a slow start in 1964, and White, who typically started strong but was prone to slowing down in the second half, was part of the disappointing first half. He came on strong as the club surged down the stretch to win the pennant and finished at .303 with 37 doubles, 21 home runs, 102 RBIs, a .355 OBP, and a .474 slugging percentage (.545 after the All-Star break). His batting was negligible during the World Series against the New York Yankees until the decisive seventh game when he contributed two hits and scored a run to help St. Louis win a championship. Finishing third in league MVP voting, White was once again a Gold Glove recipient. By this point he was also recognized as a forthright voice on the state of black players in baseball. The Cardinals dipped in the standings in 1965 although White batted .289 with 26 doubles, 24 home runs, 73 RBIs, a .364 OBP, and a .481 slugging percentage. The club sought to retool in the offseason and White was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies along with shortstop Dick Groat and catcher Bob Uecker for outfielder Alex Johnson, RHP Art Mahaffey, and catcher Pat Corrales. He started the 1966 season slowly at bat but was typically stellar in the field. His offense picked up and he ended up hitting .276 with 23 doubles, 6 triples, 22 home runs, 103 RBIs, a .352 OBP, and a .451 slugging percentage. In the offseason he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a gym mishap and missed the first part of the 1967 season. Limited to 110 games, his performance was below par as he batted .250 with 8 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .359 OBP. Following a decent first month in 1968, White went on to hit only .239 with 16 doubles, 9 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. Dealt back to the Cardinals in 1969, he was primarily a backup first baseman and pinch-hitter who appeared in 49 games and batted .211 with a .338 OBP in his last season. For his major league career, White batted .286 with 1706 hits that included 278 doubles, 65 triples, and 202 home runs. He scored 843 runs and compiled 870 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a .455 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals he batted .298 with 627 runs scored, 1241 hits, 209 doubles, 48 triples, 140 home runs, 631 RBIs, a .357 OBP, and a ..472 slugging percentage. The 1964 World Series marked his only postseason action. An eight-time All-Star, he received seven Gold Gloves for defensive excellence at first base. He twice finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting and was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2020. Following his playing career, White went into broadcasting and became play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees in 1971, which made him the first African-American to hold such a position for a major league team. After leaving the Yankees he continued in broadcasting until he was named president of the National League in 1989, also a first for an African-American, a position he held until 1994. In 2026 he was awarded the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award “for extraordinary efforts to enhance baseball’s positive impact on society.”   

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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: Stan Musial, 1962

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age: 41

20^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 175 

Prior to 1962:

A native of Donora, Pennsylvania, the sports-minded Musial excelled in basketball, as well as baseball, in his youth, where his pleasant personality and friendly disposition were first on display. Signed by the Cardinals against his immigrant father’s wishes, he started out as a pitcher. With Williamson of the Class D Mountain State League in 1938, the 17-year-old southpaw went 6-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 20 appearances. Returning to Williamson in 1939 he produced a 9-2 tally and 4.30 ERA while issuing 85 walks in 92 innings. Playing in the outfield between starts he batted .352. Sent to Daytona Beach of the Class D Florida State League in 1940, his record improved to 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA, although he still walked 145 batters over the course of 223 innings. He also batted .311. While playing center field in an August game, Musial attempted to make a diving catch and landed on his left shoulder, causing an injury that finished his pitching career and turned him into a full-time outfielder, although he never regained full strength in his throwing arm. Moving on to Springfield of the Class C Western Association in 1941, he hit .379 with 26 home runs as a full-time outfielder before advancing to Rochester of the International League where he batted .326 in 54 games. The Cardinals, who were battling Brooklyn for the NL pennant, called Musial up in September and, appearing in 12 games in place of injured right fielder Enos Slaughter, he hit .426 with a home run and 7 RBIs. Moving into the St. Louis lineup in left field in 1942, he batted .315 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .397 on-base percentage. The Cardinals won 106 games and the pennant and World Series, and the 21-year-old rookie placed twelfth in league MVP voting. Musial had an unusual, closed batting stance in which he started out crouched in the back of the batter’s box from which he uncoiled to powerfully hit line drives to all fields while rarely striking out. With excellent speed on the bases and in the outfield, he compensated for his weakened throwing arm by getting rid of the ball quickly and accurately. St. Louis again won the NL pennant in 1943 and Musial led the league in batting (.357), OBP (.425), slugging (.562), hits (220), doubles (48), triples (20), and total bases (347) while also contributing 13 home runs and 81 RBIs. He was chosen league MVP. The Cards lost the World Series rematch with the Yankees in which Musial hit .278 with no extra-base hits. In the offseason, Musial returned to Donora to do war industry work at the American Steel & Wire Company. The Cardinals won a third straight pennant in 1944 and “the Donora Greyhound” batted .347 while leading the NL in hits (197), doubles (51), OBP (.440), and slugging (.549). He also collected 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 94 RBIs, and drew 90 walks. In the World Series, the Cards defeated the St. Louis Browns, with whom they shared Sportsman’s Park, in six games with Musial hitting .304 and slugging a key home run. He also finished fourth in league MVP balloting. Musial joined the Navy in 1945 and spent most of the year playing service baseball. Discharged early in 1946, he was tempted by an offer from the Mexican League, which was attempting to buy up major league players and offered him $50,000. Staying with the Cardinals, he was utilized primarily at first base and hit a league-leading .365 while also topping the circuit in runs scored (124), hits (228), doubles (50), triples (20), slugging (.587), and total bases (366). He further compiled 16 home runs and 103 RBIs while drawing 73 walks and striking out just 31 times. He was again the National League MVP and in the World Series St. Louis defeated the Boston Red Sox in seven games although Musial’s matchup against Boston slugger Ted Williams did not live up to expectations (Musial hit .222 with five extra-base hits and four RBIs and Williams batted .200 with one RBI). In 1947 Musial was hindered by an inflamed appendix that was removed following the season and he batted .312 with 30 doubles, 13 triples, 19 home runs, and 95 RBIs. A player who took offseason conditioning very seriously, he rebounded in 1948, leading the NL in batting (.376), OBP (.438), hits (230), RBIs (131), runs scored (135), doubles (46), triples (18), slugging (.702), and total bases (429) while slugging 39 home runs. He was NL MVP for the third time. Dubbed “Stan the Man” by New York fans and sportswriters due to his superlative performances at Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds (he was regularly referred to as “that man” for the way he dominated the Dodgers and Giants), Musial, who had returned to the outfield in ’48, continued his outstanding play in 1949 by batting .338 and leading the NL in hits (207), doubles (41), triples (13), OBP (.438), and total bases (429). He further compiled 36 home runs and 123 RBIs while drawing 107 walks. He finished second in the NL MVP race. His outstanding hitting continued in 1950, ’51, and ’52. Musial won three straight batting titles and led the NL in runs scored, slugging, and total bases twice and hits once. He also placed second in league MVP voting in 1950 and ’51, so that over the course of four consecutive years he either received the MVP award or finished second. “Stan the Man” also split his time between first base and the outfield, with satisfactory results. In 1953 he placed eighth in NL MVP voting, leading the league in doubles (53), walks drawn (105), and OBP (.437) while batting .337 with 200 hits, 9 doubles, 30 home runs, and 113 RBIs, while striking out just 32 times. In 1954 against the Giants at home in Busch Stadium (the renamed Sportsman’s Park), Musial set a record with five home runs in a doubleheader. The Cardinals were a mediocre, seventh-place club in 1955 but Musial kept up his steady batting production by hitting .319 with 33 home runs and 108 RBIs. His twelfth-inning home run in the All-Star Game propelled the National League to a 6-5 win. “Stan the Man” led the NL with 109 RBIs in 1956 while also batting .310 with 33 doubles, 27 home runs, and a .522 slugging percentage. In 1957, his consecutive game streak dating back to 1952 ended at 895 due to torn shoulder ligaments, but he still won his seventh league batting title by hitting .351 and finished second in MVP voting. By 1958 he was 37 and making $100,000 per year and piling up significant career statistics. He reached 3000 hits in a May game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on his way to batting .337 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs. Despite his excellent conditioning, age appeared to be catching up to Musial in 1959 as his average plummeted to .255 along with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. He rebounded somewhat in 1960 by hitting .275 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. In the spring of 1961, the Cardinals rented an entire motel in segregated St. Petersburg, Florida, so the entire team, white and black, could live together with their families. Musial, who typically rented a house for his family, stayed at the motel in his role as an esteemed team leader who supported the club’s action. He went on to hit .288 in 1961.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 135 games

LF – 98, RF – 22, PH – 19

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 505

At Bats – 433

Runs – 57

Hits – 143

Doubles – 18

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 19

RBI – 82 [20]

Bases on Balls – 64 [17]

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 46

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .330 [3]

OBP - .416 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .508 [10]

Total Bases – 220

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 5 [20, tied with ten others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 5, HR - 12, RBI - 41, AVG - .333, SLG – .523, OBP – .403

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at San Francisco 9/27

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 9

Most home runs, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at NY Mets 7/8

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at NY Mets 7/8

Pinch-hitting – 8 for 13 (.615) with 1 HR, 7 RBI & 6 BB

Fielding

Chances – 174

Put Outs – 164

Assists – 6

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .977

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

10^th in NL MVP voting (19 points –7% share)

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The Cardinals went 84-78 to finish sixth in the NL, 17.5 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants, while leading the league in fewest triples (31). The Cardinals got off to a solid 11-4 start in April and contended into May when a 3-9 stretch dropped them into fourth. A brief hot streak gave way to another poor stretch and they were at .500 (24-24) by June 3. A strong June lifted the club to fourth, where they stayed until July 22, but the inconsistent team entered September in fifth place, when an eight-game losing streak mired them in sixth place to stay, although they finished the season with a four-game West Coast winning streak that affected the pennant race.

Aftermath of 1962:

Musial played one last season in 1963 and batted .255 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Cardinals, “Stan the Man” batted .331 with 3630 hits that included 725 doubles, 177 triples, and 475 home runs. He scored 1949 runs and further compiled 1951 RBIs along with a .417 OBP and .559 slugging percentage. Appearing in 23 World Series games, he hit .256 with a home run and 8 RBIs. A 24-time All-Star, Musial hit a record six home runs in All-Star play. He finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting 14 times, winning three times. The Cardinals retired his #6 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. Esteemed for his dignity and class, both on and off the field he was never ejected from a game during his major league career. Personable and popular, Musial operated a restaurant in St. Louis and remained in the public eye long after his playing career ended. He also served the Cardinals as a vice-president and was general manager during the 1967 season that concluded with a World Series title. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s advisor on physical fitness, he was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by President Barack Obama. The Cardinals erected a statue of Musial outside Busch Stadium in his honor. Musial died in 2013 at the age of 92.

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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.