Rookie of the Year: Ken Hubbs, 1962

Second Baseman, Chicago Cubs

Age:  20

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1962:

A California native, Hubbs was a member of the Colton All-Stars that advanced to the Little League World Series in 1954. At Colton Union High School he lettered in football, basketball, and track, as well as baseball. Following his high school graduation in 1959 Hubbs signed with the Cubs for a $15,000 bonus and was initially assigned to Morristown of the Class D Appalachian League. He played shortstop and batted .298 in 56 games with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs, and 50 RBIs. Hubbs started the 1960 season with Lancaster of the Class A Eastern League where he appeared in 97 games and hit just .216 before moving on to San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League where he batted .220 in 38 games. With the Wenatchee Chiefs of the Class B Northwest League in 1961 he raised his batting average to .286 with 20 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, and 68 RBIs. He was also shifted to second base, with favorable results.  Hubbs received a September call-up to the Cubs, where he accumulated five hits that included a double, triple, and a home run. With an opening available at second base in 1962, Hubbs, who hit well in the Arizona Instructional League, quickly won a spot in the starting lineup.  

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

2B – 159, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 716 [3]

At Bats – 661 [5]

Runs – 90 [19]

Hits – 172 [16]

Doubles – 24

Triples – 9 [5, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 5

RBI – 49

Bases on Balls – 35

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 129 [1]

Stolen Bases – 3

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

Average - .260

OBP - .299

Slugging Pct. - .346

Total Bases – 229

GDP – 20 [1]

HBP – 3

Sac Hits – 13 [2, tied with Julian Javier]

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading batter strikeouts were +21 ahead of runner-up Frank Howard

League-leading times grounded into DPs were +1 ahead of runners-up Willie Mays & Ernie Banks

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 6, HR – 3, RBI – 34, AVG – .261, OBP – .292

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 4/17, (in 5 AB) at Philadelphia 5/20

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – one on five occasions

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 1

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at St. Louis 4/22

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 867

Put Outs – 363

Assists – 489

Errors – 15 (Set then-MLB record with 78 straight errorless games at second base)

DP – 103

Pct. – .983

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

Gold Glove (First rookie to win the award)

NL ROY Voting:

Ken Hubbs, ChiC.: 19 of 20 votes, 95% share

Donn Clendenon, Pitt.: 1 vote, 5% share

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Cubs went 59-103 to finish in ninth place in the newly expanded NL, 42.5 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants, while leading the league in batter strikeouts (1044).

Aftermath of ‘62:

Hubbs followed up in 1963 by having a solid, if less dazzling, fielding performance while batting .235 with 8 home runs and 47 RBIs and cutting his strikeouts to 93. In the offseason he died in the crash of his small plane in Utah at the age of 22. For his all-too-brief career he hit .247 with 44 doubles, 13 triples, 14 home runs, and 98 RBIs.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.