Rookie of the Year: Tony Kubek, 1957

Shortstop/Outfielder/Third Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  21

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190

 

Prior to 1957:

A Milwaukee native, Kubek was the son of a minor league outfielder. He excelled in football, basketball, and track at Bay View High School, which dropped baseball after his freshman year. Playing in sandlot leagues, he drew attention from scouts and signed with the Yankees for a $1500 bonus after completing high school in 1954. He attended manager Casey Stengel’s instructional school for top prospects prior to spring training for the next three years while advancing through the minor leagues. Starting out with Owensboro of the Class D Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee (or Kitty) League in ’54 he played shortstop and batted .344. Advancing to Quincy of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1955, he hit .334 with 14 home runs and was promoted to Denver of the Class AAA American Association for seven games. He remained at Denver in 1956 and batted .331 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 6 home runs, and 85 RBIs. Ready for the Yankees, but blocked by Gil McDougald at shortstop, Kubek made the club for 1957 while manager Stengel utilized him in the outfield as well as at short and third base.

 

1957 Season Summary

Appeared in 127 games

SS – 41, 3B – 38, LF – 31, CF – 22, 2B – 1, PH – 8, PR – 3

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 475

At Bats – 431

Runs – 56

Hits – 128

Doubles – 21

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 3

RBI – 39

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 48

Stolen Bases – 6 [17, tied with Joe DeMaestri & Jim Busby]

Caught Stealing – 6 [10, tied with six others]

Average - .297 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .335 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .381

Total Bases – 164

GDP – 4

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 13 [3]

Sac Flies – 4

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 7, HR - 1, RBI - 12, AVG - .296., OBP - .325

 

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 7/23

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 5 AB) at Detroit 5/1, (in 6 AB) at Detroit 7/16 – 10 innings, (in 4 AB) vs. KC A’s 9/15

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Boston 5/27

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 8 (.125)

 

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 188

Put Outs – 74

Assists – 108

Errors – 6

DP - 26

Pct. - .968

 

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Milwaukee Braves)

PA – 29, AB – 28, R – 4, H – 8, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 4, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .286, OBP - .286, SLG -.500, TB – 14, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

 

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

26^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Bobby Shantz, NYY (1 point, 0% share)

 

AL ROY Voting :

Tony Kubek, NYY: 23 of 24 votes, 96% share

Frank Malzone, Bos.: 1 vote, 4% share

 

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Yankees went 98-56 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Chicago White Sox, while leading the league in runs scored (723), hits (1412), triples (54), batting (.268), slugging (.409), and total bases (2155). Benefiting from solid hitting led by CF Mickey Mantle and the addition of the versatile Kubek, as well as excellent pitching, the Yankees won their third straight AL pennant. They lost the World Series to the Milwaukee Braves, 4 games to 3, as Milwaukee RHP Lew Burdette won all three of his starts.

 

Aftermath of ‘57:

Kubek took over as the starting shortstop in 1958 and dealt with injuries on his way to being selected as an All-Star and batting .265. The Yankees won the pennant and the World Series, after which Kubek was inducted into the US Army Reserve. Discharged prior to the 1959 season, he split time at shortstop, third base, and the outfield while hitting .279 during a disappointing year for the Yanks. Back primarily at shortstop in 1960, he batted .273 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs. The Yankees returned to the top of the American League. In the World Series against Pittsburgh, Kubek hit well, but in the eighth inning of the climactic Game 7, he was struck in the throat by a ground ball that took a bad hop, thus deterring a likely double play and sending Kubek to the hospital, which opened the door for a Pirate rally and eventual walk-off victory. The club repeated under new manager Ralph Houk in 1961, and Kubek contributed a .276 average along with 38 doubles, 6 triples, 8 home runs, and 46 RBIs. He hit only .227 in the World Series against Cincinnati, but it was inconsequential as the Bronx Bombers won in five games. Recalled to active military service in November, with the expectation that he would miss the 1962 season, he returned to baseball in August and hit .314 in 45 games while performing ably at short. He added eight hits in the seven-game World Series triumph over the San Francisco Giants. With good range in the field and having overcome an early issue with throwing inaccurately to first base, Kubek had developed into a dependable defensive contributor. In 1963, he injured his back in spring training and, while still adroit in the field, his hitting dropped off to .257 for the season. Back and neck problems were an issue in 1964 and he batted .229 in 106 games, until a wrist injury finished him for the season, including the World Series. An injured shoulder in 1965 limited Kubek to 109 games and a .218 average with only 13 extra base hits. Diagnosed with nerve damage at the top of his spinal column in the offseason, Kubek retired at age 29. For his injury-shortened major league career, played entirely with the Yankees, he batted .266 with 1109 hits that included 178 doubles, 30 triples, and 57 home runs. He scored 522 runs and compiled 373 RBIs and 29 stolen bases and was a three-time All-Star. Appearing in 37 World Series games, he hit .240 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Following his playing career Kubek went into broadcasting for 24 years.

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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. 

 

MVP Profile: Roger Peckinpaugh, 1925

Shortstop, Washington Senators

Age:  34

4^th season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 165

 

Prior to 1925:

An Ohio native, Peckinpaugh grew up in the same Cleveland neighborhood in which star second baseman Nap Lajoie resided, and who the youthful Peckinpaugh much admired. A good all-around athlete in high school, he played football and basketball as well as baseball. After graduating high school in 1909, Lajoie’s Cleveland Naps signed Peckinpaugh for $125 per month. Starting out with the New Haven Prairie Hens of the Class B Connecticut State League in 1910, the rangy young shortstop batted .255 with 17 doubles, 9 triples, and 5 home runs, earning a late-season trial with Cleveland, during which he hit .200 in 15 games. In need of further seasoning, he was sent to the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League in 1911 where he batted .258 with 38 doubles, 15 triples, and 7 home runs. Earning a spot with Cleveland in 1912, Peckinpaugh hit just .212 in 70 games. Losing the starting shortstop job in 1913, he was traded to the New York Yankees in May and took over at shortstop there, hitting .268 and performing well defensively. With a strong arm and excellent range, he continued to develop in 1914, a year when he was named team captain due to his calm demeanor and natural leadership abilities, although his average dropped to .223. He stole 38 bases and ranked 23^rd in league MVP voting. He also served as player/manager for the last three weeks of the season following manager Frank Chance’s departure and despite his being only 23. Signed to a three-year deal at $6000 per year to keep him from potentially jumping to the rival Federal League, Peckinpaugh batted .220 in 1915 with 18 doubles, 7 triples, and 5 home runs while remaining proficient in the field. His glove work continued to outpace his hitting in 1916 as he topped AL shortstops in assists (468) and placed second in chances (796) and put outs (285), while batting .255 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 4 home runs, and 58 RBIs. In 1917 Peckinpaugh’s average rose to .260 with 24 doubles and 7 triples. In the field he led league shortstops with 84 double plays while ranking third in chances (813), assists (467), and put outs (292). The results were similar in 1918 as his average dropped back to .231 and he topped AL shortstops in assists (439) and DPs (75). In 1919 Peckinpaugh hit .305 with 7 home runs while once again leading AL shortstops in assists (434) and double plays (64). With the Yankees in pennant contention in 1920, “Peck” batted .270 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 8 home runs, and 54 RBIs. He was again among the league leaders defensively. The club won its first pennant in 1921 and the star shortstop hit .288 with 25 doubles, 7 triples, 8 home runs, and 72 RBIs. He also drew 84 walks, which helped him to a .380 OBP. In the World Series loss to the Giants, he performed poorly at bat and in the field and he was dealt to the Red Sox in the offseason, who turned around and traded him to the Senators. With his new club in 1922, Peckinpaugh batted .254 and provided solid defense and effective leadership. He followed up by hitting .264 in 1923 and, in 1924, Washington won the AL pennant while the veteran shortstop batted .272. He had an outstanding World Series performance against the Giants, batting .417 and making significant plays at shortstop while dealing with a left thigh injury.

 

1925 Season Summary

Appeared in 126 games

SS – 124, 1B – 1, PH – 1

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 494

At Bats – 422

Runs – 67

Hits – 124

Doubles – 16

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 64

Bases on Balls – 49

Int. Walks – N/A

Strikeouts – 23

Stolen Bases – 13 [15, tied with Bob Meusel & Ty Cobb]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .294

OBP - .367

Slugging Pct. - .379

Total Bases – 160

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 22 [12, tied with Bibb Falk & Bing Miller]

Sac Flies – N/A

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 6, HR – 1, RBI – 34, SB – 10, AVG – .278, OBP – .353

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 8/20 – 12 innings

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 0

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Phila.A’s 9/9

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Phila. A’s 9/9

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000) with 1 BB

 

Fielding

Chances – 588

Put Outs – 215

Assists – 345

Errors – 28

DP – 71

Pct. - .952

 

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Pittsburgh)

PA – 27, AB – 24, R – 1, H – 6, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 1, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 1, CS – 1, AVG - .250, OBP - .280, SLG - .417, TB – 10, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – N/A

 

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: League Award

 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Roger Peckinpaugh, Wash.: 45 pts. – 70% share

Al Simmons, PhilaA.: 41 pts. – 64% share

Joe Sewell, Clev.: 21 pts. – 33% share

Harry Heilmann, Det.: 20 pts. – 31% share

Harry Rice, StLB.: 18 pts. – 28% share

 

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Senators went 96-55 to win the AL pennant by 8.5 games over the Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in stolen bases (135). The Senators built upon a 52-26 first half to cruise to a second straight pennant. Lost World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 games to 3, with Peckinpaugh, who already had been named AL MVP, committing a record 8 errors, three of which directly led to Washington losses, including one in the deciding seventh game that was played in inclement weather.

 

Aftermath of ‘25:

With his legs increasingly causing him trouble, Peckinpaugh played one more season for the Senators in 1926 and finished his playing career with the Chicago White Sox in 1927. For his major league career, Peckinpaugh batted .259 with 1876 hits that included 256 doubles, 75 triples, and 48 home runs. He scored 1006 runs and compiled 740 RBIs and 205 stolen bases. With the Senators he batted .267 with 293 runs scored, 583 hits, 72 doubles, 18 triples, 11 home runs, 261 RBIs, and 46 stolen bases. He appeared in three World Series, in which his performances were a mixed bag, in the field and at bat. He hit .250 in 19 games with a home run and 5 RBIs. Peckinpaugh received MVP votes after four seasons. Much respected for his leadership qualities, he went on to manage the Cleveland Indians from 1928 to ’33, and then again in 1941. His overall major league managerial record, including his brief stint with the Yankees in 1914, was 500-491. Afterward he also managed minor league teams until leaving baseball in 1946. Peckinpaugh died in 1977 at age 86.

 

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

 

Rookie of the Year: Frank Howard, 1960

Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  24 (Aug. 8 )

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’7”    Weight: 255

 

Prior to 1960:

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Howard, who was already 6’5” in high school, played basketball as well as baseball at Columbus South High School and moved on to Ohio State and was an All-American in basketball as well as a good-hitting baseball player with power potential. Drafted by the NBA’s Philadelphia Warriors, he chose baseball instead, signing with the Dodgers in 1958. Assigned to Green Bay of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or “Three I”) League, he batted .333 with 37 home runs and 119 RBIs. Receiving a September call-up to the Dodgers, Howard hit his first major league home run. Moving on to Victoria of the Class AA Texas League in 1959, he hit .371 with 27 home runs and 79 RBIs before being called up to the Dodgers again. It was a brief stay until he was dispatched to Spokane of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he produced a .319 average in 76 games along with 16 home runs and 47 RBIs. He was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Having gained notoriety for hitting long home runs and impressive line drives, he started the 1960 season back with Spokane, joining the Dodgers in May.   

 

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 117 games

RF – 94, LF – 22, 1B – 4, PH – 2

 

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 487

At Bats – 448

Runs – 54

Hits – 120

Doubles – 15

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 23 [9, tied with Dick Stuart]

RBI – 77 [15, tied with Del Crandall]

Bases on Balls – 32

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 108 [3]

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .268

OBP - .320

Slugging Pct. - .464 [11]

Total Bases – 208

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 2

 

Midseason snapshot: HR – 13, RBI – 42, AVG – .304., SLG – .539

 

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Philadelphia 5/22

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Mil, Braves 6/26, (in 4 AB) vs. Mil. Braves 8/24

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 9

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Cincinnati 7/28

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 2 (.000)

 

Fielding

Chances – 188

Put Outs – 177

Assists – 8

Errors – 3

DP - 1

Pct. - .984

 

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

 

NL ROY Voting:

Frank Howard, LAD: 12 of 22 votes, 50% share

Pancho Herrera, Phila.: 4 votes, 17% share

Art Mahaffey, Phila.: 3 votes, 13% share

Ron Santo, ChiC.: 2 votes, 8% share

Tommy Davis, LAD: 1 vote, 4% share

 

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Dodgers went 82-72 to finish fourth in the NL, 13 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in stolen bases (95). The slow-starting Dodgers turned hot during a 19-7 July run, but were a .500 club the rest of the way that lacked punch, despite the addition of Howard.

 

 Aftermath of ‘60:

Howard’s 1961 season was hindered by a thumb injury and he was primarily platooned in right field while batting .296 in 92 games with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs. Howard was prone to striking out and not drawing walks, which in 1962 produced 31 home runs and 119 RBIs to go with a .296 batting average, 108 batter strikeouts, and just 39 walks. He placed ninth in NL MVP voting. He began wearing glasses in 1963, which helped his defense and hit .273 with 28 home runs and 64 RBIs, but he still found himself being platooned. The Dodgers won the NL pennant and swept the Yankees in the World Series as Howard hit .300 with a key home run. Howard started well in 1964 power-wise, but his average dropped significantly. Platooning again as a result, he batted .226 with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs. With Howard unhappy at his use by the Dodgers and the organization seeking to concentrate on pitching, defense, and speed, the big slugger, who was not a steady hitter, lacked speed, and was not proficient defensively, was traded to the Washington Senators in the offseason for five players. The Senators shifted Howard to left field and, despite nagging injuries that included a sore elbow that required offseason surgery, his first year with his new club was productive as he hit .289 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs in 1965. Howard’s production dropped off in 1966 to .278 with 18 home runs and 71 RBIs. With a retooled swing in 1967, “Hondo” clouted 36 home runs and hit .256 with 89 RBIs. The power surge continued in 1968 as he went through a six-game stretch in May in which he compiled 10 home runs and 17 RBIs on his way to batting .274 with a league-leading 44 home runs, .552 slugging percentage, and 330 total bases. He also accounted for 106 RBIs in a season that was otherwise dominated by pitching. He was also an All-Star for the first time and placed eighth in league MVP balloting. 1969 marked the arrival of Ted Williams as manager of the Senators, who sought to improve Howard’s pitch selectivity and help him to draw more walks. The result was 48 home runs, 111 RBIs, a .296 average, 102 walks, a .402 OBP, and a drop in strikeouts to 96. In 1970 “the Washington Monument” led the AL in home runs (44), RBIs (126), walks drawn (132), and intentional walks drawn (29) while batting .283 with a career-high .416 on-base percentage. Howard’s weight rose to 297 pounds at the start of the 1971 season, and his production dropped to .279 with 26 home runs and 83 RBIs, although he still drew 77 walks for a .367 OBP. The franchise moved  to Arlington, Texas and was rechristened the Texas Rangers in 1972 and Howard held out in the spring and was re-signed for the same $120,000 salary he had received in ’71. He had a poor 1972 season in the new location and was hitting .244 with 9 home runs and 31 RBIs when he was dealt to Detroit at the end of August. Utilized almost exclusively as a Designated Hitter (a new creation in the AL) in 1973, Howard batted .256 in just 85 games with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs. Released in the offseason, he played for the Taiheyo Lions of the Japanese Pacific League in 1974, suffering a career-ending back injury in his only game with the club. For his major league career, Howard batted .273 with 1774 hits that included 245 doubles, 35 triples, and 382 home runs. He scored 864 runs and compiled 1119 RBIs and drew 782 walks while striking out 1460 times. He had a .352 OBP and .499 slugging percentage. With the Dodgers he batted .269 with 567 hits, 80 doubles, 14 triples, 123 home runs, 293 runs scored, 382 RBIs, and drew 179 walks while striking out 515 times. His appearance in the 1963 World Series marked his only postseason action. A four-time All-Star, he twice led the AL in home runs and finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting four times. A statue of Howard has been placed outside of Washington’s Nationals Park in recognition of his outstanding performance for a Washington-based major league club. He returned to major league baseball as a coach and later managed the San Diego Padres and New York Mets, compiling a 93-133 managerial record.

 

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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. 

 

MVP Profile: Hank Greenberg, 1940

Outfielder, Detroit Tigers

Age:  29

8^th season with Tigers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 210

Prior to 1940:

A native of New York City, who was born on New Year’s Day in 1911, Greenberg began playing baseball on the fields at Crotona Park in the Bronx. An outstanding athlete at James Monroe High School, he excelled at basketball, soccer, and track, as well as baseball. Greenberg signed with the Tigers following his graduation from high school in 1929. First assigned to Raleigh of the Class C Piedmont League in 1930, the Jewish first baseman endured anti-Semitic slurs on his way to batting .314 with 26 doubles, 14 triples, and 19 home runs. He also saw action with Hartford of the Class A Eastern League and appeared in one late-season game with the Tigers. Playing for the Evansville Hubs of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three-I) League in 1931, Greenberg hit .318 with 41 doubles, 10 triples, and 15 home runs. 1932 was spent with the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League, where he continued to impress at the plate with a .290 average, 31 doubles, 11 triples, and 39 home runs. Initially an awkward first baseman, the gangly and hard-working Greenberg developed his craft and made it to the Tigers to stay in 1933. That year he appeared in 117 games and batted .301 with 33 doubles, 3 triples, 12 home runs, and 85 RBIs. He broke out during a 1934 season in which Detroit won the AL pennant and contributed a league-leading 63 doubles along with 7 triples, 26 home runs, and 139 RBIs. He placed sixth in league MVP voting and hit .321 with a home run and 7 RBIs in the seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals. The Tigers repeated as pennant-winners in 1935 and Greenberg was league MVP after batting .328 while leading the AL in home runs (36) and RBIs (168). However, a broken wrist limited his participation in the World Series triumph over the Cubs to two games. Greenberg reinjured the wrist early in 1936 and was limited to just 12 games. He rebounded in 1937 to hit .337 with 49 doubles, 14 triples, 40 home runs, and a league-high 184 RBIs. In addition to being an All-Star selection for the first time, he finished third in AL MVP balloting. In 1938 Greenberg challenged Babe Ruth’s then single season record by clubbing 58 home runs, along with 147 RBIs, and a .315 batting average. He also drew an AL-high 119 walks and again placed third in league MVP voting. “Hammerin’ Hank” had solid but lower numbers in 1939 as he hit .312 with 33 home runs and 113 RBIs. Never an outstanding defensive first baseman, he was moved to left field in 1940 to accommodate Rudy York, a young slugging first baseman.

1940 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

LF – 148

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 671 [8]

At Bats – 573 [19]

Runs – 129 [2]

Hits – 195 [6]

Doubles – 50 [1]

Triples – 8 [20, tied with Joe Kuhel & Jimmy Bloodworth]

Home Runs – 41 [1]

RBI – 150 [1]

Bases on Balls – 93 [6]

Int. BB – 8 [5, tied with Rudy York & George McQuinn]

Strikeouts – 75 [6]

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .340 [5, tied with Barney McCosky]

OBP - .433 [2]

Slugging Pct. - .670 [1]

Total Bases – 384 [1]

GDP – 15 [12, tied with Jimmy Bloodworth]

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading doubles were +4 ahead of runners-up Rudy York & Lou Boudreau

League-leading home runs were +5 ahead of runner-up Jimmie Foxx

League-leading RBIs were +16 ahead of runner-up Rudy York

League-leading slugging percentage was +.044 ahead of runner-up Joe DiMaggio

League-leading total bases were +41 ahead of runner-up Rudy York

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 31, HR - 15, RBI - 71, AVG. - .344, SLG - .664

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at NY Yankees 7/20, (in 5 AB) at Washington 8/29

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 27

HR on road – 14

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Phila. A’s 9/18

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 at St. Louis Browns 6/29, vs. Phila. A’s 9/18, vs. Phila. A’s 9/19

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances - 327

Put Outs – 298

Assists – 14

Errors – 15

DP – 1

Pct. - .954

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. Cincinnati)

PA – 30, AB – 28, R – 5, H – 10, 2B – 2,3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 6, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 5, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .357, OBP - .400, SLG -.607, TB – 17, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Hank Greenberg, Det.: 292 pts. - 16 of 24 first place votes, 87% share

Bob Feller, Clev.: 222 pts. – 6 first place votes, 66% share

Joe DiMaggio, NYY: 151 pts. – 45% share

Bobo Newsom, Det.: 120 pts. – 1 first place vote, 36% share

Lou Boudreau, Clev.: 119 pts. – 1 first place vote, 35% share

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Tigers went 90-64 to win the AL pennant by 1 game over the Cleveland Indians while leading the league in runs scored (888), doubles (312), RBIs (829), walks drawn (664), and on-base percentage (.366). The Tigers found themselves in a tight pennant race with the Indians and New York Yankees, taking over first place just prior to the All-Star break. Dropping behind Cleveland in mid-August, falling as many as 5.5 games off the pace, they were behind the hard-charging Yankees as well as first-place Cleveland in early September. Detroit surged back and swapped the lead with the Indians seven times over a two-week period. Going 18-11 in September, the Tigers narrowly held off the Indians and Yankees. Lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 3, with the Tigers falling in the last two games.

Aftermath of ‘40:

Greenberg started the 1941 season and appeared in 19 games before entering the Army. He missed the 1942, ’43, and ’44 seasons entirely due to World War II military service, returning to the Tigers in July of 1945, following his discharge. Still playing left field, he played a key role in spurring the club to another pennant. Appearing in 78 games, Greenberg batted .311 with 13 home runs and 60 RBIs. His home run in the season’s final game clinched the pennant. In the World Series victory over the Chicago Cubs, he hit .304 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. At age 35 in 1946 and showing signs of wear, Greenberg’s batting average dropped to .277, but he still topped the league with 44 home runs and 127 RBIs. In the offseason he was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates for $75,000. His new club moved him back to first base in 1947 and he acted as a mentor to slugging young outfielder Ralph Kiner. They also pulled the left field fence in for his benefit. Greenberg batted .249 with 25 home runs and 74 RBIs, following which he retired. Overall with the Tigers, he batted .319 with 1528 hits that included 366 doubles, 69 triples, and 306 home runs while driving in 1200 RBIs. His major league totals were a .313 average with 1628 hits, 379 doubles, 71 triples, and 331 home runs and 1274 RBIs. His lifetime slugging percentage was .605. He led the AL in home runs and RBIs four times. In addition to being a two-time MVP he was a four-time All-Star. The Tigers retired his #5 and he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. Following his retirement as a player, owner Bill Veeck of the Cleveland Indians hired the articulate and intelligent Greenberg to be the team’s farm director and then general manager. Later, when Veeck first bought the Chicago White Sox, Greenberg became a part-owner and vice president until leaving to become an investment banker. He lived until 1986, when he died at age 75.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.