Highlighted Year: Ned Garvin, 1900

Pitcher, Chicago Orphans

Age:  26

2^nd season with Orphans

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 160 

Prior to 1900:

A native of Navasota, Texas (hence his later nickname “The Navasota Tarantula”), Garvin began playing baseball professionally with Sherman of the Texas League in 1895. Moving on to New Haven and Newark in the Atlantic League in 1896, he posted a combined record of 14-17 with a 2.18 ERA and 119 strikeouts while compiling 239.2 innings pitched. Garvin also briefly saw action in the National League with the Philadelphia Phillies where he was unimpressive in two appearances. Returning to the Atlantic League in 1897, he went 5-10 with a 2.22 ERA for Reading. Lanky and with notably long fingers, Garvin developed an early version of a screwball (or fadeaway). After performing well at Reading, he joined Chicago in 1899 and produced a 9-13 tally with a 2.85 ERA for the eighth-place club. 

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 30 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 30

Games Started – 28 [19]

Complete Games – 25 [15, tied with Sam Leever, Kid Nichols & Jack Taylor]

Wins – 10

Losses – 18 [5, tied with Cy Young & Pink Hawley]

PCT - .357

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 246.1 [16]

Hits – 225

Runs – 126

Earned Runs – 66

Home Runs – 4

Bases on Balls – 63

Strikeouts – 107 [4, tied with Bill Dinneen]

ERA – 2.41 [2]

Hit Batters – 18 [7]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6 [16, tied with Kid Nichols & Brickyard Kennedy]

Batting

PA – 95, AB – 91, R – 12, H – 14, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 3, SO – 16, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .154, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 89

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 78

Errors – 6

DP – 1

Pct. - .933

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The Orphans went 65-75 to finish tied for fifth with the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL, 46.5 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (137) and placed second in ERA (3.23). The good pitching, most significantly by Garvin, was offset by weak hitting that kept the Orphans well out of contention. 

Aftermath of 1900:

Garvin jumped to the original Milwaukee Brewers of the new American League in 1901 and compiled an 8-20 record for the last-place club, with a 3.46 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 257.1 innings. Prone to heavy drinking and with a fierce temper, he became involved in several violent confrontations. While with the Chicago White Sox in 1902, he shot a bar owner and was released by owner Charles Comiskey for the protection of the other players on the team. His tally for the season was 10-10 with a 2.21 ERA. He returned to the NL with Brooklyn later in the ’02 season and went 1-1 in two appearances. Still with Brooklyn in 1903, Garvin went 15-18 with a 3.08 ERA, 30 complete games, and 154 strikeouts. In 1904, while compiling an excellent ERA of 1.72, his record was only 5-15, as his penchant for bad luck on the mound continued. His penchant for violent behavior continued as well, as he had a fight with the team’s traveling secretary as the club traveled by train to St. Louis. He wrapped up the season pitching in two games with the New York Highlanders (now Yankees). Garvin pitched in the Pacific Coast League in 1905 (Portland) and ‘06 (Seattle) where he performed well. In 1907 he finished his career with the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League where his record was 20-14. Shortly thereafter he contracted tuberculosis and died at age 34 in 1908. For his major league career, he posted a 58-97 record with a 2.72 ERA, 134 complete games, 13 shutouts, and 612 strikeouts in 1400.2 innings pitched. With the Orphans he was 19-31 with a 2.61 ERA, 47 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 176 strikeouts in 445.1 innings. A talented pitcher prone to experiencing bad luck (and playing for losing teams), Garvin was also a man with a violent temper that led to many unfortunate situations in his short life.

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

Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper, 2012

Outfielder, Washington Nationals

Age:  19

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 215 

Prior to 2012:

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Harper was a baseball prodigy who made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old catcher/outfielder who dominated high school competition to the point that he dropped out of high school following his sophomore year to get his GED and fast-track his way into college. Highly driven and heavily hyped, Harper had impressive size and strength as he moved on to the Community College of Southern Nevada in 2010 where he batted .442 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs in 62 games. Recipient of the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s best amateur player, a rare achievement for a community college ballplayer, Harper was the first overall pick of the 2010 amateur player draft by the Nationals. He signed for $9.9 million. Criticized while an amateur for his attitude and idiosyncratic behavior that included an elaborate batting ritual and heavy use of eye black, he hit .343 in 9 games with Scottsdale of the Arizona Fall League and vowed to make Washington’s opening day roster while hitting well in spring training in 2011. Being developed as an outfielder, he was instead assigned to Hagerstown of the Class A South Atlantic (or “Sally”) League where he batted .318 with 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .423 on-base percentage in 72 games before being promoted to the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League where he finished out the season. Confident of playing for the Nationals in 2012, a spot was cleared for him in the outfield, although a hamstring injury slowed his progress in spring training and he started the season with Syracuse of the Class AAA International League, although he was soon called up to the Nationals.

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

CF – 92, RF – 65, LF – 7, PH – 2, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 597

At Bats – 533

Runs – 98 [5]

Hits – 144

Doubles – 26

Triples – 9 [8]

Home Runs – 22

RBI – 59

Bases on Balls – 56

Int. Walks – 0

Strikeouts – 120

Stolen Bases – 18

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .270

OBP - .340

Slugging Pct. - .477

Total Bases – 254

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 3

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, 3B – 4, HR- 8, RBI- 25, AVG - .282., OBP - .354

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at NY Mets 9/11

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Miami 8/29, (in 3 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/5

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 3 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 3 R, 1 SB & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 326

Put Outs – 311

Assists – 8

Errors – 7

DP - 3

Pct. - .979

Postseason Batting: 5 G (NLDS vs. St. Louis)

PA – 23, AB – 23, R – 2, H – 3, 2B – 1,3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 8, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .130, OBP - .130, SLG - .391, TB – 9, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

30^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Johnny Cueto, Cin. (2 points, 0% share)

NL ROY voting (Top 5):

Bryce Harper, Wash.: 112 points – 16 of 32 first place votes, 70% share

Wade Miley, Ariz.: 105 points – 12 first place votes, 66% share

Todd Frazier, Cin.: 45 points – 3 first place votes, 28% share

Wilin Rosario, Col.: 12 points – 1 first place vote, 8% share

Nori Aoki, Mil.: 11 points – 7% share

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The Nationals went 98-64 to finish first in the NL Eastern Division by 4 games over the Atlanta Braves. With a deep and impressive roster that benefitted from Harper’s hitting and the pitching of Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg, who was shut down in September, the Nationals started fast and were in first place to stay by May 22. Lost NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 3 games to 2, as the Cardinals put together a four-run rally in the ninth inning of the decisive Game 5 to win 9-7.

Aftermath of 2012:

Criticized for his cockiness as a rookie, Harper was plagued by injuries in 2013 and, limited to 118 games, he batted .274 with 20 home runs, 58 RBIs, and a .368 OBP, although he was voted onto the NL All-Star team. In 2014 a thumb injury that required surgery shelved him from late April until late June. Harper struggled at the plate upon his return to action although he hit 10 home runs in his last 46 games, finishing at .273 with 13 homers, 32 RBIs, and a .344 OBP. In the postseason loss to San Francisco in the NLDS, he hit .294 with three home runs. Harper followed up with a strong season in 2015 in which he led the NL in runs scored (118), home runs (42), OBP (.460), and slugging (.649) while batting .330 with 99 RBIs. In an otherwise disappointing season for the Nationals, he received unanimous league MVP recognition. A dugout fight with reliever Jonathan Popalbon that occurred near the end of the season provided a down note to Harper’s performance. A fast start in 2016 dwindled to 24 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a .243 average, although his 108 walks drawn helped him to a .373 OBP. Washington topped the NL East and fell to the Dodgers in the first round. In 2017 Harper hit .319 with 29 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a .413 OBP, although a knee injury cost him significant late-season playing time. Entering 2018 in the final year of his contract with the Nationals, there was speculation that he might be dealt, although he finished out the season with Washington and batted .249 with 34 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .393 OBP thanks to his league-leading 130 walks drawn. Although healthy, he had uncharacteristic difficulties defensively. Turning down a reported 10-year, $300 million offer to stay with the Nationals, Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies during 2019 spring training for 13 years and $330 million. The Phillies finished at .500 for the first time in seven years and Harper overcame a slow start to hit .260 with 35 home runs, 114 RBIs, and a .372 OBP. In 2020’s pandemic-shortened season, Harper hit .268 with 13 home runs, 33 RBIs, and drew a league-leading 49 walks to produce a .420 OBP. In 2021 he batted .309 with a 35 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .429 OBP while leading the league with 42 doubles and a .615 slugging percentage. He received NL MVP recognition for a second time. Harper started the 2022 season in right field but a shoulder injury caused him to be used as the club’s Designated Hitter the rest of the way (courtesy of major league baseball now adopting the DH universally). He hit .286 with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs, and a .364 OBP as the Phillies qualified for the postseason as the final wild card entry and made a surprising run to the World Series, losing to Houston in six games. Harper hit 6 home runs in 17 postseason games and was MVP of the NLCS win against San Diego. Following the season, he had major elbow surgery and had to miss the start of the 2023 season. For his major league career through 2022, Harper has batted .280 with 1379 hits that include 298 doubles, 23 triples, 285 home runs with 913 runs scored, 817 RBIs, 122 stolen bases, a .390 OBP, and a .523 slugging percentage. With the Nationals he batted .279 with 610 runs scored, 922 hits, 183 doubles, 18 triples, 184 home runs, 521 RBIs, 75 stolen bases, a .388 OBP, and a .512 slugging percentage. Appearing in 36 postseason games, he has hit .273 with 11 home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .358 OBP. A seven-time All-Star, he has received two Silver Sluggers and twice been National League MVP.

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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: Albert Pujols, 2009

First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  29

9^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 240 

Prior to 2009:

A native of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Pujols immigrated to Independence, Missouri with his father and grandmother at age 16. Impressive in high school and after attending Metropolitan Community College – Maple Woods, he was drafted by the Cardinals in the 1999 amateur draft. He spent most of 2000 with the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League and batted .324 with 32 doubles, 17 home runs, and 84 RBIs, earning quick advancement to the Carolina League and Memphis of the Pacific Coast League to finish out the year. He primarily played third base in his quick rise through the minors. Entering 2001 he was expected to be a reserve for the Cardinals but played his way into the lineup. He started out fast by driving in 27 RBIs in April on the way to batting .329 with a .403 on-base percentage, 47 doubles, 37 home runs, and 130 RBIs. In addition to his hitting prowess, Pujols displayed versatility in filling four positions, primarily appearing at third base, first base, and in the outfield. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors in addition to being an All-Star and placing fourth in league MVP voting. Playing primarily in left field in 2002 following his outstanding rookie season, Pujols again produced impressively at the plate, batting .314 with a .394 on-base percentage along with 40 doubles, 34 home runs, and 127 RBIs. He placed second in league MVP voting. Settling in at first base in 2003, Pujols was an All-Star for the second time as he topped the National League in runs scored (137), hits (212), doubles (51), batting (.359), and total bases (394). He again was the runner-up for MVP in the NL and received a Silver Slugger. He also proved to be a good fit defensively at first base (defense had been considered the weakest aspect of his game in the earliest part of his career). The Cardinals topped the NL Central and won the league pennant in 2004 as Pujols again led the NL in runs scored (133) and total bases (389) to go along with 51 doubles, 46 home runs, 123 RBIs, a .331 average,.415 OBP, and a .657 slugging percentage. This time he placed third in MVP balloting. In the postseason Pujols was the MVP of the NLCS win over Houston with his .500 average, 4 home runs, and 9 RBIs in the seven games. St. Louis again won the NL Central title in 2005 but came up short against Houston in the NLCS. Pujols topped the league in runs scored (129) while batting .330 with 41 home runs, 117 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .609 slugging percentage. This time he also gained selection as the NL MVP. The Cardinals topped the NL Central in 2006 with a mediocre 83-78 record, which was only the fifth best in the league, and went on to win the NL pennant and the World Series. Pujols had a typically productive season, leading the league in slugging (.671) while hitting .331 with 49 home runs, 137 RBIs, and a .431 OBP. He even received a Gold Glove for his defensive performance at first base while placing second in league MVP voting. In a down year for the team in 2007 in the wake of the championship season, Pujols remained a steady force in the lineup batting .327 with 32 home runs, 103 RBIs, a .429 OBP, and a .568 slugging percentage. Pujols received MVP recognition for a second time in 2008 as he hit .357 with 44 doubles, 37 home runs, 116 RBIs, a .462 OBP, and NL-leading totals in slugging (.653) and total bases (342).

2009 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

1B – 159, PH – 2, DH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 700 [5]

At Bats – 568

Runs – 124 [1]

Hits – 186 [6]

Doubles – 45 [2]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 47 [1]

RBI – 135 [3]

Bases on Balls – 115 [3]

Int. BB – 44 [1]

Strikeouts – 64

Stolen Bases – 16

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .327 [3]

OBP - .443 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .658 [1]

Total Bases – 374 [1]

GDP – 23 [5, tied with Adrian Gonzalez]

Hit by Pitches – 9 [16, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 8 [9, tied with four others]

League-leading runs scored were +11 ahead of runner-up Ryan Braun

League-leading home runs were +1 ahead of runner-up Prince Fielder

League-leading int. bases on balls drawn were +22 ahead of runner-up Adrian Gonzalez

League-leading OBP was +.017 ahead of runner-up Nick Johnson

League-leading slugging percentage was +.056 ahead of runner-up Prince Fielder

League-leading total bases were +18 ahead of runner-up Prince Fielder

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 22, HR – 32, RBI – 87, AVG - .332, SLG – .723, OBP – .456

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 5/6, (in 5 AB) at KC Royals 6/21, (in 5 AB) at NY Mets 8/4 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 2 on ten occasions

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 25

Multi-HR games – 10

Most RBIs, game – 7 vs. Houston 4/11

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 2 (.500) with 1 HR & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 1671

Put Outs – 1473

Assists – 185

Errors – 13

DP - 150

Pct. - .992

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLDS vs. LA Dodgers)

PA – 13, AB – 10, R – 0, H – 3, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 3, IBB – 3, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .300, OBP - .462, SLG -.300, TB – 3, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for NL at 1B)

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Albert Pujols, StL.: 448 points – 32 of 32 first place votes, 100% share

Hanley Ramirez, Fla.: 233 points – 52% share

Ryan Howard, Phila.: 217 points – 48% share

Prince Fielder, Mil.: 203 points – 45% share

Troy Tulowitzki, Col.: 172 points – 38% share

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The Cardinals went 91-71 to finish first in the NL Central Division by 7.5 games over the Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals led the NL Central or stayed in close contention from the season’s start, but the hitting declined in September, not denying the club a division title, but presaging postseason defeat. Lost NLDS to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of 2009:

With the Cardinals trying to lock up their star first baseman with a contract extension (which failed) Pujols had another excellent season in 2010, topping the NL in runs scored (115), home runs (42), and RBIs (118) while hitting .312 with a .414 OBP and .596 slugging percentage. He placed second in league MVP voting. The wild card-qualifying Cardinals won the NL pennant and the World Series in 2011 with Pujols contributing 37 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .299 average, .366 OBP, and .541 slugging percentage. He had a three-home run, 6-RBI performance in Game 3 of the World Series against Texas. A free agent in the offseason, he rejected a 10-year, $210 million offer from the Cardinals and signed with the Los Angeles Angels for 10 years and $254 million. Off to a slow start with his new club in 2012 that had home fans booing him, he rallied to finish at .285 with 50 doubles, 30 home runs, 105 RBIs, a.343 OBP, and a .516 slugging percentage. In the offseason he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Pujols followed up with a poor season in 2013 in which a foot injury limited him to 99 games and he hit .258 with 17 home runs, 64 RBIs, and a .330 OBP. He was utilized primarily as a Designated Hitter. Pujols performed better in 2014, appearing more regularly at first base and batting .272 with 37 doubles, 28 home runs, 105 RBIs, and a .324 OBP. Hitting well in 2015, Pujols was among the American League’s home run leaders in June and was an All-Star for the only time with the Angels. Although hindered by a foot injury that required offseason surgery, he hit .244 for the year with 40 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a .307 OBP while appearing in 157 games (95 at first base and 62 as a DH due to the foot injury). Primarily a DH in 2016, Pujols batted .268 with 31 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a .323 on-base percentage. He had one last 100-RBI season in 2017 (totaling 101) and his production continued to dwindle until he was dealt to the Dodgers during the 2021 season. A free agent in the offseason Pujols returned to the Cardinals for one last season in 2022 where, with the universal DH now in play, the 42-year-old could continue to contribute with his bat, overcoming a slow first half of the season to hit .270 with 24 home runs, 68 RBIs, a.345 OBP, and a .550 slugging percentage. Upon retirement, for his major league career Pujols batted .296 with 3384 hits that included 686 doubles, 16 triples, and 703 home runs. He scored 1914 runs and compiled 2218 RBIs and drew 1373 walks. His OBP was .374 and his slugging percentage .544. Usually able to make contact during his at bats, his strikeout total of 1404 included no 100-strikeout seasons, a rarity for sluggers in the modern era. With the Cardinals his totals were a .326 batting average with 2156 hits, 469 doubles, 15 triples, 451 home runs, 1349 RBIs, a .417 OBP, a .614 slugging percentage, and 1003 walks drawn. Pujols appeared in 88 postseason games and hit .319 with 19 home runs and 54 RBIs. An 11-time All-Star, he received six Silver Sluggers. Along with winning three MVP awards, he finished in the top 10 eleven times. 

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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. 

MVP Profile: Lou Gehrig, 1936

First Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  33 (June 19)

12^th season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1936:

A New York City native, Gehrig played sandlot baseball as a youth, and starred at Commerce High School before receiving a scholarship to attend Columbia University. His college baseball career was interrupted by being suspended for a year due to playing under an assumed name for the Hartford Senators of the Class A Eastern League in 1921 following a failed tryout with the major league Giants. Despite that setback he performed brilliantly when he took the field for Columbia, both as a hitter and as a pitcher. Gehrig signed with the Yankees in 1923 but following a brief trial with the Yankees he was sent to the minors, where he was once again with Hartford, minus any subterfuge. In 59 games with Hartford, the 20-year-old Gehrig batted .304 with 24 home runs. Returning to the Yankees late in the season, he hit impressively in six games. With no spot available for him in the lineup in 1924, Gehrig was again sent to Hartford and batted .369 with 40 doubles, 13 triples, and 37 home runs. He had another brief September appearance with the Yankees and he stuck with the Yanks in 1925 as a reserve first baseman. With the club mired in seventh place and regular first baseman Wally Pipp hitting poorly (the reality as opposed to mythology that later developed as to how Gehrig came to replace Pipp), manager Miller Huggins inserted Gehrig in the lineup and he went on to hit .295 for the year with 23 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs, and 68 RBIs. Gehrig continued to develop in 1926 as the Yankees returned to the top in the American League, batting .313 with a league-leading 20 triples, along with 47 doubles, 16 home runs, and 109 RBIs. He also hit .348 in the seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals. He finished tenth in AL MVP voting, tied with teammate Tony Lazzeri. In 1927 Gehrig was the cleanup hitter in the legendary “Murderers Row” lineup that propelled the Yankees to a 110-44 record atop the AL and a World Series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gehrig hit .373 and led the league with 52 doubles, 173 RBIs, and 447 total bases. His 47 home runs ranked second to teammate Babe Ruth’s then-record 60 and he further contributed 18 triples, a .474 on-base percentage, a .765 slugging percentage, and drew 109 walks on his way to receiving AL MVP recognition. In the World Series whitewash of the Pirates, he hit .308 with 4 RBIs. In the offseason, Gehrig and Babe Ruth partnered in a barnstorming tour in which they captained teams of local all-stars named the “Bustin’ Babes” and the “Larrupin’ Lous” that proved lucrative for both players. Gehrig also signed a three-year contract extension with the Yankees for $25,000 per year. New York again won the AL pennant in 1928 and Gehrig contributed a .374 batting average along with a league-leading 47 doubles (tied with Heinie Manush of the Browns) and 147 RBIs, along with 13 triples and 27 home runs. In the ensuing four-game World Series sweep of the Cardinals, he batted .545 with 4 home runs and 9 RBIs. Another strong season for Gehrig followed in 1929, this despite playing with a broken finger and bone chips in his left elbow, both of which required off-season surgery, as well as the death of manager Miller Huggins. He once more appeared in every game and hit .300 with 35 home runs and 125 RBIs. Gehrig led the league in RBIs in both 1930 (173) and ‘31 (185). His 46 home runs also topped the AL in 1931. Despite his league-leading numbers in 1931, he took a $2000 pay cut due to effects of the Great Depression on Yankee finances. Gehrig hit 34 home runs in 1932, including a record-tying four in one game against the Athletics, and drove in 151 RBIs while batting .349. The Yankees returned to the top of the AL standings for the first time since 1928, and Gehrig had another outstanding World Series performance in the sweep of the Cubs. He finished second in league MVP voting. Gehrig reached a milestone in 1933 as he appeared in a record 1308^th consecutive game, setting a major league record at the time. He also appeared in the first All-Star Game, where he started at first base for the American League. He finished the season with 41 doubles, 12 triples, 32 home runs, 140 RBIs, and a .334 batting average, and placed fourth in MVP balloting. 1934 marked the last season in which Gehrig and Babe Ruth were teammates, and while Ruth was fading, Gehrig won the AL Triple Crown with 49 home runs, 166 RBIs, and a .363 average. He was an All-Star once again and placed fifth in league MVP voting. With the second-place Yankees in 1935 Gehrig led the league in runs scored (125), walks drawn (132), and on base percentage (.466) while batting .329 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs. He finished fifth in MVP voting again.

1936 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

1B – 155

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 719 [4]

At Bats – 579

Runs – 167 [1]

Hits – 205 [7]

Doubles – 37 [16, tied with Jack Burns]

Triples – 7

Home Runs – 49 [1]

RBI – 152 [2]

Bases on Balls – 130 [1]

Int. BB – 9 [4, tied with Zeke Bonura]

Strikeouts – 46 [20, tied with Mike Kreevich, Jack Burns & Buddy Lewis]

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .354 [3, tied with Charlie Gehringer]

OBP - .478 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .696 [1]

Total Bases – 403 [2]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 7 [4, tied with Harlond Clift & Marv Owen]

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +22 ahead of runner-up Harlond Clift

League-leading home runs were +7 ahead of runner-up Hal Trosky

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +13 ahead of runner-up Lyn Lary

League-leading OBP was +.004 ahead of runner-up Luke Appling

League-leading slugging pct. was +.052 ahead of runner-up Hal Trosky

League-leading total bases were +30 ahead of runner-up Babe Ruth

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 22, HR – 20, RBI – 61, AVG – .389, SLG – .708, OBP – .494

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 27

HR on road – 22

/Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 7 at Cleveland 9/9

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 1468

Put Outs – 1377

Assists – 82

Errors – 9

DP – 128

Pct. - .994

Postseason Batting: 6 G (World Series vs. NY Giants)

PA – 28, AB – 24, R – 5, H – 7, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 7, BB – 3, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 1, AVG - .292, OBP - .393, SLG - .583, TB – 14, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL at 1B) 

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Lou Gehrig, NYY: 73 points – 4 of 8 first place votes, 91% share

Luke Appling, ChiWS.: 65 points – 3 first place votes, 81% share

Earl Averill, Clev.: 48 points – 1 first place vote, 60% share

Charlie Gehringer, Det.: 39 points – 49% share

Bill Dickey, NYY: 29 points – 36% share

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The Yankees went 102-51 to win the AL pennant by 19.5 games over the Detroit Tigers while leading the league in runs scored (1065), home runs (182), RBIs (997), walks drawn (700), OBP (.381), slugging (.483), and total bases (2703). With a strong lineup anchored by Gehrig and bolstered by the addition of rookie CF Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees were 17-7 at the point they took over first place to stay on May 10. Won World Series over the New York Giants, 4 games to 2, with Gehrig’s two-run home run off ace LHP Carl Hubbell in Game 4 putting the Yankees in command.

Aftermath of 1936:

The Yankees repeated as champs in 1937 and the classy, dignified, and highly-respected team captain contributed 37 home runs, 158 RBIs, and a .351 average and ranked fourth in league MVP balloting. “The Iron Horse” dealt with nagging injuries and a prolongued slump in 1938 and ended up hitting .295 with 29 home runs and 114 RBIs. By spring training of 1939 it was apparent that Gehrig was seriously off his game, both at the plate and in the field. After getting off to a poor start during the season, he opted to sit out and end his consecutive game streak at 2130 games. He did not return to the lineup and announced his retirement in June, after he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) an incurable neuromuscular disease. The Yankees honored him with a sendoff between games of a July 4 doubleheader in which he delivered a memorable address to the crowd. He died two years later at age 37 from the malady that would forever after be referred to as “Lou Gehrig disease”. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, he batted .340 with 2721 hits that included 534 doubles, 163 triples, and 493 home runs. He further scored 1888 runs, and compiled 1995 RBIs, a .447 OBP, and a .632 slugging percentage. In addition to the 2130-game streak, which remained the major league record until surpassed by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995, Gehrig also retired as the career leader in grand slams with 23, a record which lasted until 2013. He finished with 150 or more RBIs in seven seasons. Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, including 1939 when he was a non-playing reserve and AL team captain. Appearing in 34 World Series games, he hit .361 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. He was a two-time league MVP who finished in the top ten on nine occasions. The Yankees retired his #4 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by special election in 1939. The team further honored him with a monument in center field at Yankee Stadium. A biographical movie, The Pride of the Yankees in which Gehrig was portrayed by actor Gary Cooper, was released in 1942.

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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. 

MVP Profile: Roy Campanella, 1953

Catcher, Brooklyn Dodgers

Age:  31

6^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1953:

The product of an interracial marriage and a native of Philadelphia, Campanella played football and basketball, as well as baseball, in school. A fine ballplayer he signed with the semipro Bacharach Giants at age 15 in 1937 to play on weekends. His good performance caught the attention of the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League who signed him to back up at catcher on weekends while he continued his schooling. After spending the summer barnstorming with the Elite Giants he quit school at 16 to play baseball full-time. He became the regular catcher for the Elite Giants in 1939 and batted .273. Campanella stayed with the team until 1942 when he jumped to the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League due to a contract dispute. With a low draft status during 1942 due to his being married with two young children, he was never called to military service and stayed with Monterrey through the 1943 season before returning to the Elite Giants for two years. He was chosen to catch for a black all-star team that played a series of exhibition games against a team made up of major leaguers in Brooklyn. Coming to the attention of the Dodgers as a result, Campanella was signed in 1946. Originally slated to play in the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, he was rejected because the league refused to integrate. Instead assigned to Nashua of the Class B New England League, Campanella took a pay cut from the $600 per month that he was paid by the Elite Giants to $185 per month to compete against far less experienced players. Campanella distinguished himself by hitting .290 with 13 home runs and 90 RBIs and was chosen as the league’s MVP. In 1947 with Jackie Robinson integrating the NL with the Dodgers, Campanella was assigned to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League and batted .273 with 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. With Brooklyn already in possession of an outstanding catcher in Bruce Edwards, the plan for 1948 was to keep Campanella in the minors. Edwards suffered an arm injury before the season and Campanella started the year with the Dodgers as a backup to Gil Hodges, who filled in behind the plate for Edwards. Campanella was sent down to St. Paul of the Class AAA American Association in May where he went on a tear, hitting .325 with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs over the course of 35 games before he was recalled to Brooklyn. The Dodgers were struggling in seventh place at the point that Campanella returned in July. Hodges was moved to first base and the team rallied to third place following Campanella’s installation at catcher. In his time with the Dodgers he batted .258 with 9 home runs and 45 RBIs in 83 games. “Campy” followed up with a strong season in 1949, batting .287 with 22 home runs and 82 RBIs. He was named an All-Star for the first time and proved to be adept defensively, with great quickness despite his portly build, leading all NL catchers in chances (750) and put outs (684) as well as by throwing out 59% of baserunners who attempted to steal on him. He also proved to be an adept handler of pitchers. Campanella produced a .281 batting average in 1950 with 31 home runs and 89 RBIs. A broken thumb in September cost him 11 games in which the Dodgers struggled on the way to finishing a close second to the Phillies in the NL pennant race. Despite dealing with some injuries in 1951, Campanella contributed significantly to Brooklyn taking a sizeable lead in the NL pennant race, which was whittled away by a strong second-half surge by the New York Giants, resulting in a first-place tie and a season-extending best-of-three playoff, which the Giants won in dramatic fashion. Campanella sat out the last two playoff games due to a leg injury. For the year he batted .325 with 33 home runs, 108 RBIs, a .393 on-base percentage, and a .590 slugging percentage, and he received NL MVP recognition for the first time. He suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1952 and his batting average dropped to .269 with 22 home runs and 97 RBIs.

1953 Season Summary

Appeared in 144 games

C – 140, PH – 11

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 590

At Bats – 519

Runs – 103 [11]

Hits – 162

Doubles – 26 [16, tied with Danny O’Connell]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 41 [3]

RBI – 142 [1]

Bases on Balls – 67 [14]

Int. BB – 13 [2, tied with Del Ennis, Del Rice & Billy Cox]

Strikeouts – 58

Stolen Bases – 4 [20, tied with four others]

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .312 [10]

OBP - .395 [7, tied with Enos Slaughter]

Slugging Pct. - .611 [3]

Total Bases – 317 [6]

GDP – 13 [19, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 4 [11, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading RBIs were +7 ahead of runner-up Eddie Mathews

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, HR – 22, RBI – 73, AVG – .302, SLG – .601

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Cards 7/18, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Cards 8/30

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 19

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Cincinnati 8/8

Pinch-hitting – 5 for 11 (.455) with 3 R, 3 2B, 1 HR & 6 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 874

Put Outs – 807

Assists – 57

Errors – 10

Passed Balls – 3

DP – 9

Pct. - .989 

Postseason Batting: 6 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 25, AB – 22, R – 6, H – 6, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 2, IBB – 1, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .273, OBP - .360, SLG - .409, TB – 9, GDP – 0, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for NL at C )

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Roy Campanella, Brook.: 297 points - 17 of 24 first place votes, 88% share

Eddie Mathews, Mil.: 216 points – 3 first place votes, 64% share

Duke Snider, Brook.: 157 points – 1 first place vote, 47% share

Red Schoendienst, StLC.: 155 points – 2 first place votes, 46% share

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 120 points – 36% share

(1 first place vote for Robin Roberts, PhilaP., who ranked sixth)

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The Dodgers went 105-49 to win the NL pennant by 13 games over the Milwaukee Braves, while leading the league in runs scored (955), hits (1529), home runs (208), RBIs (887), stolen bases (90), bases on balls drawn (655), batting (.285), OBP (.366), slugging (.474), and total bases (2545). The Dodgers moved immediately into contention and were 42-25 when they moved into first place to stay on June 28. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 1953:

A hand injury that required surgery significantly marred Campanella’s 1954 performance. Appearing in only 111 games he batted just .207 with 19 home runs and 51 RBIs. There was again a solid rebound in 1955 as he won his third MVP award after hitting .318 with 32 home runs and 107 RBIs. The Dodgers won the pennant and the ensuing World Series for the first time in franchise history and Campanella contributed two home runs to the effort. Hand and thumb injuries held him to 124 games in 1956 and his production dropped to 20 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .219 average in what was his last All-Star season. Having had an offseason hand operation Campanella had another down year in 1957, the last year for the Dodgers in Brooklyn. He appeared in 103 games and batted .242 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. In January of 1958 Campanella was involved in a car accident in which he suffered a broken neck and spinal cord damage that left him paralyzed from the chest down. For his National League career, played entirely with the Dodgers, he batted .276 with 1161 hits that included 178 doubles, 18 triples, and 242 home runs. He also accumulated 856 RBIs. Campanella was an eight-time All-Star as well as three-time National League MVP. The Dodgers retired his #39 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. The wheelchair-bound Campanella worked for the Dodgers in community relations and as a special instructor during spring training and died at age 71 in 1993.

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Buck Freeman, 1902

Outfielder, Boston Americans

Age:  30

2^nd season with Americans

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 169 

Prior to 1902:

Born in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania to Irish immigrant parents, John Freeman moved with his family at a young age to the coal mining area around Wilkes-Barre. Working as a mule driver, he also pitched with distinction for semipro baseball teams in the area. An 1891 trial with the Washington Statesmen of the American Association went poorly and he was quickly released. Advised to concentrate on his hitting, he played in the outfield with the Haverhill, Massachusetts club in the minor New England League in 1894 where he batted a league-leading .386 with 34 home runs and 167 RBIs. Briefly playing for Detroit of the Class A Western League in 1895, he quickly moved on to the Toronto Canucks of the Eastern League where he hit .315 in 99 games with 28 doubles, 19 triples, and 6 home runs. He played for Toronto until 1898, slugging 20 home runs in 1897 and 23 in ’98. A free-swinging batter who swung for the fences, he followed manager Arthur Irwin to the National League’s Washington Senators later in 1898 and hit .364 in 29 games with 3 home runs and 21 RBIs. With Washington in 1899, he led the NL with 25 home runs (an amazing total for the time) and also batted .318 with 19 doubles and 25 triples. With the contraction of the National League from twelve to eight teams in 1900, the Senators went out of business and Freeman was sold to the Boston Beaneaters where he ran afoul of manager Frank Selee with his free-swinging style. Freeman batted .301 with 19 doubles, 13 triples, 6 home runs, and 65 RBIs with a .355 on-base percentage. He jumped to Boston’s new American League club, the Americans, in 1901 and hit .339 with 23 doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, and 114 RBIs with a ,400 OBP and .520 slugging percentage. His good throwing arm in right field was occasionally erratic and he was regularly used at first base in ‘01. Freeman entered the 1902 season well established as a premier slugger.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

RF – 137, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 608 [6]

At Bats – 564 [2]

Runs – 75

Hits – 174 [5]

Doubles – 38 [5]

Triples – 19 [2]

Home Runs – 11 [2, tied with Charlie Hickman & Bill Bradley]

RBI – 121 [1]

Bases on Balls – 32

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 40 [11, tied with Danny Green]

Stolen Bases – 17

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .309 [18]

OBP - .352

Slugging Pct. - .502 [6]

Total Bases – 283 [2, tied with Bill Bradley]

GDP – N/A

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

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading RBIs were +11 ahead of runner-up Charlie Hickman

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, 3B – 9, HR – 5, RBI – 62, AVG – .294, SLG – .476, OBP – .328

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Washington 4/24, (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. A’s 9/12

Longest hitting streak – 26 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 1 on eleven occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Baltimore 6/28

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 251

Put Outs – 222

Assists – 15

Errors – 14

DP – 3

Pct. – .944

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The Americans (aka Pilgrims) went 77-60 to finish third in the AL, 6.5 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in fewest walks drawn (275). The Americans, led by the pitching of Cy Young and Bill Dinneen, and the hitting of Freeman, player/manager Jimmy Collins, and LF Patsy Dougherty, rose into contention during a 16-10 May, sharing first place from May 28-30. Staying among the leaders through June, a 6-game July losing streak put them 6.5 games back but was immediately followed by an 8-game winning streak which moved them back into a close second place. Holding steady through August, the club fell behind the surging Athletics, as well as the St. Louis Browns, to stay in September.

Aftermath of 1902:

Ahead of his time in his scientific approach to hitting and dedication to physical conditioning, the player nicknamed “Buck” followed up with another solid season in 1903, batting .287 and topping the AL with 13 home runs and 104 RBIs for pennant-winning Boston. Appearing in the World Series against Pittsburgh, his only taste of postseason action, he hit .281 with 3 triples and 4 RBIs. Boston again won the pennant in 1904 and Freeman hit .280 with a league-leading 19 triples in addition to 7 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .329 OBP. He and the Americans were denied the opportunity for another World Series appearance by the refusal of owner John T. Brush of the NL champion New York Giants to participate. The 33-year-old Freeman experienced a decline in 1905 as he hit .240 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, 3 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .316 OBP. His consecutive game playing streak ended at 541 as well. His performance slipped further in 1906 as he batted .250 with 18 doubles, 9 triples, 1 home run, 30 RBIs, and a .302 OBP while appearing in 121 games. A poor start in 1907 led to his being waived and claimed by the Washington Senators (no relation to the former NL club), who promptly sold him to the Minneapolis Millers of the Class A American Association. He hit 18 home runs for Minneapolis in 1907 and 10 more in 1908 before a shoulder injury ended his season after 92 games. Freeman saw action in the New York State League in 1909 and served as a minor league player/manager until wrapping up his career in 1912. For his major league career, Freeman batted .293 with 1235 hits that included 199 doubles, 131 triples, and 82 home runs. He scored 588 runs and compiled 713 RBIs, 92 stolen bases, a .346 OBP, and a .462 slugging percentage. With the Americans he batted .286 with 879 hits, 158 doubles, 90 triples, 48 home runs, 504 RBIs, 403 runs scored, 59 stolen bases, a .339 OBP, and a .442 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, he was an umpire for many years. Freeman died in 1949 at age 77.

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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: Cy Young, 1901

Pitcher, Boston Americans

Age:  34

1^st season with Americans

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1901:

An Ohio native, Denton Young, known as “Dent” in his youth, quit school following the sixth grade to help on his father’s farm. Playing baseball in his spare time and showing skill as a pitcher, he organized a team in his hometown of Gilmore before playing semi-professionally. In 1890 he signed with Canton of the Tri-States League for $60 per month. He was given the nickname “Cy”, which may have been short for “Cyclone” or may have been a slang term for a rube from the country, and the 23-year-old went 15-15 for a last-place club while striking out 201 batters and issuing only 33 walks. Following a no-hitter in which he recorded 18 strikeouts, he joined the Cleveland Spiders of the National League, and winning over his new teammates who were initially put off by his hick-like appearance, compiled a 9-7 record with a 3.47 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 147.2 innings pitched. With excellent control of his fastball, curve, and changeup, he had a big year for the fifth-place Spiders in 1891, producing a 27-22 tally with a 2.85 ERA and 187 strikeouts while accumulating 423.2 innings that included 43 complete games. Cleveland rose to second place in 1892 and Young led the NL in wins with his 36-12 record, in ERA (1.93), and shutouts (9) while totaling 453 innings and 48 complete games. Adjusting to the increase in distance between batters and pitchers from 55 feet, 6 inches, to 60 feet, 6 inches in 1893, Young’s ERA rose to 3.36, but he still produced a 33-16 tally and struck out 102 batters over 422.2 innings. His 103 walks had him averaging a league-best 2.2 walks per 9 innings, a tribute to his outstanding control. With the Spiders dropping to sixth in 1894, Young had a rough season, which included seven losses in a row, on his way to a 26-21 mark with a 3.94 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 408.2 innings that included 44 complete games. He and the Spiders bounced back in 1895, with the club finishing second and qualifying for the postseason Temple Cup series while Young posted a 35-10 record with a 3.26 ERA, 36 complete games that included a league-leading 4 shutouts, and 121 strikeouts. He won another three games as Cleveland defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the Temple Cup series. In 1896 his tally was 28-15, which included a stretch where he went 14-4 following a slow start. He also had a 3.24 ERA, 42 complete games, and led the league with 5 shutouts and 140 strikeouts. He also wore a fielder’s glove while pitching for the first time. Well-liked and respected for his honesty and gentlemanly behavior, Young twice filled in as an umpire during the season. In 1897 he was a twenty-game winner for the seventh consecutive season, going 21-19 with a 3.78 ERA, including a no-hitter against Cincinnati, 35 complete games, and 335.2 innings pitched, although his strikeout total dropped to 88. He made it eight straight twenty-win seasons in 1898, with a 25-13 record, 2.53 ERA, 40 complete games, and 101 strikeouts over 377.2 innings. With the brothers who owned the Spiders having also acquired the NL’s St. Louis franchise (then called the Perfectos and renamed the Cardinals in 1900), Young, along with other Cleveland stars, was transferred to St. Louis in 1899. Young kept up his winning ways, posting a 26-16 tally with a 2.58 ERA, another 40 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 111 strikeouts while accumulating 369.1 innings. In 1900, the 33-year-old hurler produced a 20-18 mark with a 3.00 ERA, 32 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 115 strikeouts in 321.1 innings. By this point in his career, his great overhand fastball was losing some of its fire, and he began to rely more on breaking pitches and his excellent control. Not liking the hot summer weather in St. Louis or the NL’s $2400 salary cap, Young jumped to Boston of the new American League for $3000 in 1901, helping to provide immediate legitimacy to the new circuit.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 45 games

P – 43, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 43 [2, tied with Pete Dowling]

Games Started – 41 [2]

Complete Games – 38 [2]

Wins – 33 [1]

Losses – 10

PCT - .767 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [1, tied with Clark Griffith]

Innings Pitched – 371.1 [2]

Hits – 324 [12]

Runs – 112

Earned Runs – 67

Home Runs – 6 [11, tied with Chick Fraser, Bill Bernhard & Jack Cronin]

Bases on Balls – 37

Strikeouts – 158 [1]

ERA – 1.62 [1]

Hit Batters – 7

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading wins were +7 ahead of runner-up Joe McGinnity

League-leading strikeouts were +31 ahead of runner-up Roy Patterson

League-leading ERA was -0.80 lower than runner-up Jimmy Callahan

Midseason Snapshot: 17-3, ERA – 2.04, SO – 75 in 171.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 5/17

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Baltimore 8/5, (in 9 IP) at Washington 9/11

Batting

PA – 163, AB – 153, R – 20, H – 32, 2B – 2, 3B – 5, HR – 0, RBI – 17, BB – 6, SO – 16, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .209, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 3, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 120

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 105

Errors – 3

DP – 3

Pct. – .975

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A new team in a new league, the Americans went 79-57 to finish second in the AL, 4 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago White Sox. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (396), fewest hits allowed (1178), and fewest runs allowed (608). Paced by Young’s pitching, the Americans contended throughout the season, briefly tying for first in late June. Entering September with a 64-45 record, they went 15-12 the rest of the way to finish in second place while outdrawing the NL’s Boston entry, the Beaneaters, by 289,448 to 146,502.

Aftermath of 1901:

The durable and highly consistent Young followed up on his first American League season by producing a 32-11 record for Boston in 1902. Aside from again topping the league in wins, he led the AL in games pitched (45), games started (43), complete games (41), and innings pitched (384.2) while also logging a 2.15 ERA, 3 shutouts, and 160 strikeouts, while issuing only 53 walks. Boston won the pennant in 1903 and Young contributed a 28-9 tally, to again top the circuit in wins, while also leading in complete games (34), shutouts (7), and innings pitched (341.2) while posting a 2.08 ERA and 176 strikeouts. In the first modern World Series against Pittsburgh, which was a best of 9 format, Young went 2-1, including a crucial Game 7 win that set the stage for the Americans to win in 8 games, with a 1.85 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 34 innings. Boston won the pennant again in 1904, while the 37-year-old Young went 26-16 with a 1.97 ERA and league-leading 10 shutouts that included a perfect game against the Philadelphia Athletics amidst a 24-inning hitless streak. He also closed out the season with three straight shutouts, which were much needed in a tight pennant race with the New York Highlanders (now Yankees). However, there was no opportunity for further World Series glory as the owner of the NL-champion New York Giants, John T. Brush, refused to allow his club to face the champions of a “minor league”. Boston dropped to fourth place in 1905 and Young’s record fell to 18-19, although his 1.82 ERA ranked third in the league and his 210 strikeouts tied for second while he compiled 320.2 innings. 1906 was another rough year for the Americans, and Young got off to a slow start on his way to a 13-21 tally with a 3.19 ERA and 140 strikeouts while pitching 287.2 innings that included 28 complete games. Young was acting as Boston’s temporary manager at the start of the 1907 season. On the mound, his record rebounded to 21-15 with a 1.99 ERA, 33 complete games, 343.1 innings, and 147 strikeouts. At age 41 in 1908, he had another excellent year, recording a 21-11 tally that included a no-hitter against the New York Highlanders, with a 1.26 ERA, and 155 strikeouts in 299 innings pitched. Praised for his clean living and outstanding work ethic, which included the offseason farm work that he credited for his longevity, he moved on from Boston in 1909, when he was traded to Cleveland. Returning to the city where he had begun his major league career at age 42, Young went 19-15 in ’09 with a 2.26 ERA, 30 complete games, 294.1 innings pitched, and 109 strikeouts. He won his 500^th game in 1910, a season in which he went 7-10 with a 2.53 ERA. In 1911 he was released in August with a record of 3-4 and a 3.88 ERA. Signed by the NL’s Boston Rustlers (former Beaneaters and future Braves) for his box office value, he made 11 starts and put together a 4-5 mark with a 3.71 ERA. He attempted to return to action in 1912, but a sore arm, complicated by difficulty in fielding his position as his girth increased, forced his retirement at age 45. For his long major league career, Young compiled a 511-315 record with a 2.63 ERA, 749 complete games, 7356 innings pitched, 76 shutouts, and 2803 strikeouts. His totals for wins, losses, complete games, and innings pitched remain as all-time records. Young’s total of 1217 walks issued averages out to 1.5 per nine innings, a very good rate. With Boston, Young’s record was 192-112 with a 2.00 ERA, 275 complete games, 38 shutouts, 2728.1 innings pitched, and 1341 strikeouts. Counting the 1892 Temple Cup series and 1903 World Series, he pitched in 7 postseason games and went 2-3 with a 2.36 ERA, 6 complete games, and 26 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. Young compiled 16 twenty-win seasons that included five thirty-win seasons and had a winning percentage of .619. Following his retirement as a player, Young managed in the rival Federal League in 1913. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937 and died at the age of 88 in 1955. The next year, the annual award for the best pitcher in each league was named in his honor. A statue of Young was built on the site of the Huntington Avenue Grounds, the home venue of the Americans when Young pitched for them, which is now part of Northeastern University.  

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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.