Highlighted Year: Bill Bradley, 1902

Third Baseman, Cleveland Blues

Age:  24

2^nd season with Blues

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1902:

A Cleveland native, Bradley played pickup baseball in his youth. After his schooling, he worked for a stove company and played semipro ball on the side. In 1897 he went to Iowa and joined Burlington of the Western Association for 18 games in September. In 1898 he caught on with the Auburn Maroons of the New York State League where he played shortstop and first base. Shifting to third base in 1899, Bradley batted .312 with 25 stolen bases in 88 games. The team moved to Troy, New York at the end of July, and Bradley was sold to the Chicago Orphans (now Cubs) in August. Following an error-filled trial at shortstop with his new club, he was moved back to third base. He ended up hitting .310 in 35 games for the Orphans and, receiving a raise to $300 a month for 1900, he became the regular third baseman and batted .282 with 21 doubles, 8 triples, 5 home runs, 49 RBIs, a .330 on-base percentage, and a .399 slugging percentage. Jumping to the new American League with Cleveland in 1901 for $3500, he hit .293 with 28 doubles, 13 triples, a home run, 55 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, a .336 OBP, and a .403 slugging percentage. In the field, he topped AL third basemen with a .930 fielding percentage and 25 double plays while ranking third in put outs (192), which included a record seven in one game, and assists (298). A good hitter with some power and defensive skill, Bradley appeared to be very much a player on the rise.   

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

3B – 137

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

 

Batting

Plate Appearances – 597 [10, tied with Lave Cross]

At Bats – 550 [6]

Runs – 104 [4]

Hits – 187 [3]

Doubles – 39 [3, tied with Lave Cross]

Triples – 12 [6, tied with Socks Seybold, Elmer Flick & Topsy Hartsel]

Home Runs – 11 [2, tied with Buck Freeman & Charlie Hickman]

RBI – 77 [12]

Bases on Balls – 27

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 23

Stolen Bases – 11

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .340 [6]

OBP - .375 [16, tied with Chick Stahl & Socks Seybold]

Slugging Pct. - .515 [4]

Total Bases – 283 [2, tied with Buck Freeman]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 16 [11, tied with Barry McCormick & Freddy Parent]

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, 3B – 3, HR - 8, RBI - 44, AVG - .335, OBP - .362, SLG – .511

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Browns 6/30, (in 5 AB) vs. Detroit 7/12, (in 6 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/11, (in 5 AB) vs. Phila. A’s 9/5

Longest hitting streak – 29 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eleven occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 8

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Phila. A’s 9/5

Pinch-hitting – No Appearances

Fielding

Chances – 555

Put Outs – 188

Assists – 324

Errors – 43

DP – 21

Pct. – .923

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The Blues went 69-67 to finish fifth in the AL, 14 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics, while leading the league in hits (1401), batting (.289), and total bases (1884). The Blues got off to a slow start and were in the AL cellar by the end of May at 11-23. The well-balanced club turned things around and went 58-44 the rest of the way to move up to fifth. Bradley contributed by homering in four consecutive games in May and achieving a career-high batting average to help boost Cleveland’s league-leading mark.

Aftermath of 1902:

The club, rechristened the Naps in honor of star second baseman Nap Lajoie, finished in third place in 1903 and Bradley, who rejected an offer from the New York Giants to return to the NL, was again a solid contributor. Among his 22 triples were three in one game against the St. Louis Browns. He also totaled 36 doubles, 6 home runs, 68 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases while batting .313 with a .348 on-base percentage and a .496 slugging percentage. Defensively he topped all AL third basemen in assists (299) as well as placing second in double plays (18) and fourth in fielding percentage (.924) despite his league-high 37 errors. The graceful Bradley was notably excellent at fielding bunts and had an outstanding throwing arm. An aggressive baserunner as well as an adept hitter and fielder, he had another fine season in 1904, batting .300 with 32 doubles, 8 triples, 6 home runs, and 83 RBIs, along with a .334 OBP and .409 slugging percentage. He led AL third basemen with a .955 fielding percentage and placed third in assists (308). A stomach ailment led to an off year in 1905 in which he hit .268 with 34 doubles and 6 triples, although no home runs and his RBI total dropped to 51 and his OBP to .321. He remained effective in the field, again topping AL third basemen in fielding percentage (.945) as well as put outs (190) and DPs (17). Bradley missed half of the 1906 season with a broken wrist and hit .275 in 82 games. Afflicted by a bout with typhoid fever in 1907, Bradley’s hitting dropped off to a .223 average and a .286 OBP but he set a league record with 46 sacrifice hits, which he eclipsed in 1908 when he accumulated 60. Despite his lessened batting production, he remained a capable fielder. His average fell to .186 in 1909 and .196 in 1910, at the point he was released in August. In 1911 he became player/manager with Toronto in the Eastern League and hit .294 with 13 triples and 8 home runs. With the team shifting to the International League in 1912, Bradley guided the club to a pennant while also batting .292 with 17 triples. Following one more season with Toronto, he next joined the Brooklyn Tip Tops of the upstart Federal League in 1914, acting as manager and making a handful of pinch-hitting appearances. Bradley stayed with the Federal League in 1915, playing for the Kansas City Packers. While still capable at third base, he hit only .187 in 66 games. He managed in 1916 with Erie of the Inter-State League, his playing days now over. For his major league career, Bradley batted .271 with 1471 hits that included 275 doubles, 84 triples, and 34 home runs. He scored 754 runs and compiled 552 RBIs, 181 stolen bases, a .317 OBP, and a .371 slugging percentage. With Cleveland he batted .272 with 1265 hits, 649 runs scored, 238 doubles, 74 triples, 27 home runs, 473 RBIs, 157 stolen bases, a .317 OBP, and a .373 slugging percentage. In 1928 he became a highly-regarded scout for Cleveland until his death in 1954 at age 76, three years before he was inducted into the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) Hall of Fame.

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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 Bernhard, 1902

Pitcher, /Philadelphia Athletics/Cleveland Blues

Age:  31

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1902:

The son of German immigrants and a native of the Buffalo, New York area, Bernhard pitched for several amateur teams before entering the professional ranks with Palmyra of the New York State League in 1897 at age 26 as a pitcher and first baseman. In 34 pitching appearances he led the league with 148 strikeouts and threw a no-hitter. A hard thrower, Bernhard rejected an offer from the NL’s Philadelphia Phillies in 1898 and instead pitched for a minor league team in Canajoharie, New York. “Big Bill” signed with the Phillies in 1899 and, as a 28-year-old major league rookie, produced a 6-6 record with a 2.65 ERA, 10 complete games, one shutout, and 23 strikeouts in 132.1 innings pitched. He got off to a 12-1 start with the Phillies in 1900 before tailing off, having difficulty with his control, and finishing with a 15-10 tally, 4.77 ERA, and 49 strikeouts over 218.2 innings. In 1901 he jumped to the Philadelphia Athletics of the new American League and was 17-10 with a 4.52 ERA, 26 complete games, and 58 strikeouts over the course of 257 innings. In the legal battle with the Phillies, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the contractual “reserve clause” in the National League contract and declared that Bernhard, pitcher Chick Fraser, and second baseman Nap Lajoie would be held in contempt of court and subject to arrest if they played in Pennsylvania for any other team than the Phillies. Fraser elected to return to the Phillies, but Bernhard and Lajoie refused to do so. Athletics president/manager Connie Mack, wishing to keep the duo in the AL, released them early in the 1902 season and they signed with Cleveland.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 28 games (Philadelphia 1/ Cleveland – 27)

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 28 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 27)

Games Started – 25 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 24)

Complete Games – 23 [17] (PHI – 1/CLEV – 22)

Wins – 18 [9, tied with Casey Patten] (PHI – 1/CLEV – 17)

Losses – 5 (CLEV)

PCT - .783 [1] (PHI – 1.000/CLEV - .773)

Saves – 1 [2, tied with nine others] (CLEV)

Shutouts – 3 [5, tied with four others] (CLEV)

Innings Pitched – 226 [18] (PHI – 9/CLEV – 217)

Hits – 176 (PHI – 7/CLEV – 169)

Runs – 79 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 78)

Earned Runs – 54 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 53)

Home Runs – 4 (CLEV)

Bases on Balls – 37 (PHI – 3/CLEV – 34)

Strikeouts – 58 [19] (PHI – 1/CLEV – 57)

ERA – 2.15 [3, tied with Cy Young] (PHI – 1.00/CLEV – 2.20)

Hit Batters – 5 (CLEV)

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4 [16, tied with five others] (CLEV) 

League-leading win percentage was +.009 ahead of runner-up Rube Waddell

Midseason Snapshot: 6-3, ERA – 2.87, SO - 19 in 87.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. A’s 9/5

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Washington 8/30

Batting (combined)

PA – 95, AB – 94, R – 8, H – 18, 2B – 4, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 6, BB – 1, SO – 16, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .191, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Fielding (combined)

Chances - 80

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 71

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. – .950

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The Blues went 69-67 to finish fifth in the AL, 14 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (16), saves (3, tied with Detroit), bases on balls issued (411), and fewest hits allowed (1199). The Blues got off to a slow start and were in the AL cellar by the end of May at 11-23. The well-balanced club turned things around and went 58-44 the rest of the way to move up to fifth.

Aftermath of 1902:

With the team rechristened as the Naps, in honor of Lajoie, in 1903, Cleveland rose to third place in 1903 and Bernhard contributed a 14-5 record and a 2.12 ERA with 18 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 60 strikeouts in 165.2 innings pitched. He had a stronger season in 1904, posting a 23-13 tally with a 2.13 ERA, 35 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 137 strikeouts over the course of 320.2 innings. His wife and young daughter attended home games when he was scheduled to pitch. Bernhard also established himself as a well-liked and intelligent student of baseball. He had an off-year in 1905, going 7-13 with a 3.36 ERA. He rebounded in 1906 with a 16-15 record and 2.54 ERA, 23 complete games, and 85 strikeouts over 255.1 innings. Tragedy struck in February of 1907 when Bernhard’s daughter died of pneumonia. He was little used in his final major league season that year, appearing in just 8 games and compiling an 0-4 tally. The Naps released him in the offseason. For his major league career, Bernhard compiled a 116-81 record with a 3.04 ERA, 175 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 545 strikeouts in 1792 innings pitched. With Cleveland he was 77-55 with a 2.45 ERA, 118 complete games, 12 shutouts, and 414 strikeouts in 1175 innings pitched. Following his major league playing career, Bernhard became manager of the Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association. Utilizing his baseball knowledge and calm managerial style, he received acclaim for leading Nashville from last place in 1907 to first in 1908. The club finished second in 1909 and it was rumored that Bernhard would manage a major league team, but he returned to the Volunteers in 1910 and moved on to the Memphis Turtles from 1911 to 1913. After pitching for the Salt Lake City Skyskrapers in 1914 (he had pitched while managing in the Southern Association as well), he returned to the Southern Association as a pitching coach and umpire. He managed the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League in 1917, which was his last job in baseball. Bernhard remained in Southern California until his death at age 78 in 1949 due to leukemia.

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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. 

Cy Young Profile: Randy Johnson, 1995

Pitcher, Seattle Mariners

Age:  32 (Sept. 10)

7th season with Mariners (6^th complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’10” Weight: 225 

Prior to 1995:

A native of California, Johnson starred in baseball and basketball in high school. He received a scholarship to USC for both sports and was originally drafted as an amateur by the Braves in 1982, without signing a contract. Johnson spent three seasons playing college baseball and was drafted by Montreal in 1985, this time signing. With his great pitching speed, he moved up quickly through the minor league system, where he worked on his control. Johnson made his first major league appearance with the Expos late in the 1988 season and started four games, compiling a 3-0 record and 2.42 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 26 innings. Off to a 0-4 start in 1989, “The Big Unit” was traded to Seattle in May and went 7-9 in 22 starts with his new club and had a 4.40 ERA. In 1990, Johnson pitched the first no-hitter in franchise history against Detroit as part of a breakout season in which he compiled a 14-11 record with 3.65 ERA and continued to struggle with his control while leading the AL with 120 walks to go along with 194 strikeouts in 219.2 innings. He was also chosen to his first All-Star Game. Continuing to improve, Johnson accumulated over 200 strikeouts for the first time in 1991 (228) and led the league for the first of four consecutive years with 241 in ’92 (the last of three straight seasons in which he topped the circuit in walks). He was again an All-Star in 1993, a year in which he compiled a 19-8 record and was 13-6 during the strike-abbreviated 1994 season.

1995 Season Summary

Appeared in 30 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 30

Games Started – 30 [13, tied with six others]

Complete Games – 6 [4, tied with David Cone & Tim Wakefield]

Wins – 18 [2, tied with David Cone]

Losses – 2

PCT - .900 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [2]

Innings Pitched – 214.1 [4]

Hits – 159

Runs – 65

Earned Runs – 59

Home Runs – 12

Bases on Balls – 65

Strikeouts – 294 [1]

ERA – 2.48 [1]

Hit Batters – 6 [12, tied with twelve others]

Balks – 2 [3, tied with thirteen others]

Wild Pitches – 5

League-leading win percentage was +.150 ahead of runner-up Erik Hanson

League-leading strikeouts were +89 ahead of runner-up Todd Stottlemyre

League-leading ERA was -0.47 lower than runner-up Tim Wakefield

Midseason Snapshot: 9-1, ERA - 2.88, SO - 152 in 109.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 9 IP) vs. Toronto 7/15

10+ strikeout games – 16

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Baltimore 6/5, (in 9 IP) vs. Toronto 7/15, (in 9 IP) vs. NY Yankees 8/26, (in 9 IP) vs. California 10/2, (in 8 IP) vs. Texas 9/18, (in 7 IP) at KC Royals 8/11

Fielding

Chances – 32

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 24

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .969

Postseason Pitching: G – 4 (ALDS vs. NY Yankees – 2 G; ALCS vs. Cleveland – 2 G)

GS – 3, CG – 0, Record – 2-1, PCT – .667, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 25.1, H – 17, R – 9, ER – 7, HR – 2, BB – 8, SO – 29, ERA – 2.49, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL)

6^th in AL MVP voting (111 points, 28% share)

AL Cy Young voting (top 5):

Randy Johnson, Sea.: 136 points – 26 of 28 first place votes, 97% share

Jose Mesa, Clev.: 54 points – 2 first place votes, 39% share

Tim Wakefield, Bos.: 29 points – 21% share

David Cone, Tor./NYY: 18 points – 13% share

Mike Mussina, Balt.: 14 points – 10% share

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The Mariners went 78-66, in the strike-shortened season, to finish tied for first in the AL Western Division with the California Angels, which necessitated a season-extending single-game playoff. They defeated the Angels 9-1, as Johnson pitched a complete game, allowing just 3 hits and striking out 12 batters to record his 18^th win. Seattle clinched the AL West title with a final record of 79-66. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (1068). The Mariners lost star CF Ken Griffey Jr. due to a broken wrist in May but went 24-11 to close out the season after Griffey’s return that was soon followed by his game-winning home run against the Yankees on August 24. They overcame a 12.5-game deficit to catch the slumping Angels and force the playoff. Won ALDS over the New York Yankees, 3 games to 2, as Johnson won twice, once in relief in the deciding fifth game.  Lost ALCS to the Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 1995:

In 1996 major back surgery limited “The Big Unit” to eight games, but he rebounded with a 20-4 record and 291 strikeouts in ’97. With talk of a trade swirling throughout the 1998 season, Johnson got off to a 9-10 record and 4.33 ERA before being dealt to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline. He helped his new club to a division title with a 10-1 record and 1.28 ERA. Entering the free agent market, Johnson signed a four-year contract worth $52 million with the second-year Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999. He had an excellent season for Arizona in ’99, posting a 17-9 record while leading the NL in ERA (2.48), strikeouts (364), innings pitched (271.2), and complete games (12), garnering another Cy Young Award. The team topped the NL West, although the Diamondbacks lost to the Mets in the NLDS. “The Big Unit” followed up with another Cy Young Award-winning season in 2000, compiling a 19-7 record with 347 strikeouts and a 2.64 ERA for the 85-77 Diamondbacks. Johnson made it three straight Cy Young awards in 2001, going 21-6 with a 2.49 ERA and 372 strikeouts. He created a productive tandem with RHP Curt Schilling, and Arizona went on to win the World Series, in which Johnson and Schilling were co-MVPs, with Johnson winning Game 7 in relief. Johnson was recipient of another Cy Young award in 2002 following a 24-5 tally and a 2.32 ERA with 334 strikeouts. The Diamondbacks fell short in the postseason but “The Big Unit” was re-signed. Knee surgery cut short his ’03 season and Johnson dropped to 6-8 with a 4.26 ERA.  Off to a 3-4 start at age 40 in 2004, Johnson pitched a perfect game against Atlanta. He went on to a 16-14 record and a 2.60 ERA and league-leading 290 strikeouts. Looking to shed salary in 2005, the Diamondbacks dealt Johnson to the New York Yankees where he won another 34 games over two seasons before returning to Arizona in 2007. Johnson spent 2007 and ’08 with the Diamondbacks before finishing out his career with San Francisco in 2009. For his major league career, Johnson appeared in 618 games, 603 of which were starts, and compiled 303 wins and 166 losses with a 3.29 ERA and 4875 strikeouts, the second highest total in MLB history to date. His record with Seattle alone was 130-74 with a 3.42 ERA and 2162 strikeouts.  He added another 14 wins in the postseason against 18 losses. He compiled five 300-strikeout seasons, was chosen to ten All-Star Games and won five Cy Young awards (one in the AL and 4 in the NL with the Diamondbacks). Johnson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. His #51 was retired by the Diamondbacks.

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.  

 

MVP Profile: Thurman Munson, 1976

Catcher, New York Yankees

Age:  29 (June 7)

7^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190 

Prior to 1976:

A native of Akron, Ohio, Munson began playing midget league baseball before moving on to junior boys and American Legion ball. At Canton’s Lehman High School he played football and basketball, as well as baseball, where he first was utilized as a catcher, although his primary position was shortstop. After batting .581 as a senior, he was named to the All-Ohio high school team. Offered numerous college football scholarships, he instead accepted a baseball scholarship to Kent State University where he excelled and received College All-America recognition. Selected fourth overall by the Yankees in the 1969 amateur draft, Munson signed for a $70,000 bonus. Initially assigned to the Binghamton Triplets of the Class AA Eastern League he hit .301 in 71 games along with 6 home runs and 37 RBIs while also developing his skills behind the plate. Promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League in 1969, he was also inducted into the Army Reserve, serving at Fort Dix in New Jersey and playing with Syracuse when possible (and compiling a .363 average in 28 games). Promoted to the Yankees in August to fill in for catcher Frank Fernandez, Munson batted .256 in 26 games and hit his first major league home run. After a brief return to Syracuse, he was called back up to the Yankees in September and threw out 7 base runners during the final month. With Fernandez traded to Oakland, Munson was set to take over the primary catching duties in 1970. Overcoming a slow start at the plate, he batted .302 with 25 doubles, 6 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .386 on-base percentage. Cocky and talented, he quickly became popular with teammates. After the season he was a near-unanimous AL Rookie of the Year selection. During the 1971 season, Munson was knocked unconscious and hospitalized following a collision at the plate with Baltimore catcher Andy Etchebarren but missed minimal time as he demonstrated his toughness and determination. He was an All-Star for the first time on his way to batting .251 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 OBP. Additionally, he led AL catchers with a .998 fielding percentage and by throwing out 61 % of runners attempting to steal against him. In 1972 a long-running feud with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk was ignited when Fisk slid hard into Munson in a play at the plate (the two would ignite a major brawl the following year as their rivalry intensified). For the year, Munson continued to establish himself as a top all-around backstop as his average rebounded to .280 with a .343 OBP and 7 home runs with 46 RBIs. Defensively he placed second in the league with 71 assists. A very methodical hitter, in 1973 Munson batted .301 with 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .362 OBP while receiving his first Gold Glove for his defensive performance. He finished twelfth in league MVP voting. Bothered by injuries in 1974, Munson’s average dipped to .261 and his OBP to .316 while he totaled 13 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a strained forearm hindered his throwing ability. His production rebounded in 1975 to .318 with a .366 OBP, 24 doubles, 12 home runs, and 102 RBIs. He was named team captain by manager Billy Martin in 1976 in recognition of his role as a team leader.

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

C – 121, DH – 21, RF – 9, PH – 4, LF – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 665 [14, tied with Amos Otis]

At Bats – 616 [6]

Runs – 79 [15, tied with Chris Chambliss]

Hits – 186 [4]

Doubles – 27 [19, tied with Rick Burleson & Reggie Jackson]

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 17 [14, tied with five others]

RBI – 105 [2]

Bases on Balls – 29

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

Strikeouts – 38

Stolen Bases – 14

Caught Stealing – 11

Average - .302 [9]

OBP - .337

Slugging Pct. - .432 [16, tied with Carl Yastrzemski & Mickey Rivers]

Total Bases – 266 [6]

GDP – 17 [8, tied with Reggie Jackson, Toby Harrah & Gene Clines]

Hit by Pitches – 9 [4]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 10 [5, tied with Joe Rudi & Fred Lynn] 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, HR - 8, RBI – 50, AVG - .319, OBP - .354, SLG - .455

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) vs. Oakland 6/4 – 11 innings, (in 4 AB) at Minnesota 6/15, (in 4 AB) at Cleveland 7/2, (in 5 AB) vs. Oakland 7/21

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on seventeen occasions

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 12

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Oakland 7/21

Pinch-hitting – 3 for 4 (.750) with 1 2B & 3 RBI

Fielding (C )

Chances – 627

Put Outs – 537

Assists – 78

Errors – 12

Passed Balls – 12

DP – 8

Pct. - .981

Postseason Batting: 9 G (ALCS vs. KC Royals – 5 G, World Series vs. Cincinnati – 4 G)

PA – 40, AB – 40, R – 5, H – 19, 2B – 2,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 5, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 1, AVG - .475, OBP - .475, SLG - .525, TB – 21, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL at C)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Thurman Munson, NYY: 304 points – 18 of 24 first place votes, 90% share

George Brett, KCR: 217 points – 2 first place votes, 65% share

Mickey Rivers, NYY: 179 points – 1 first place vote, 53% share

Hal McRae, KCR: 99 points – 29% share

Rod Carew, Min.: 71 points – 1 first place vote, 21% share

Chris Chambliss, NYY: 71 points – 21% share

(1 first place vote apiece for Amos Otis, KCR who ranked seventh & Mark Fidrych, Det who ranked eleventh)

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The Yankees went 97-62 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 10.5 games over the Baltimore Orioles, while leading the league in fewest batting strikeouts (616). Returning to the renovated Yankee Stadium, the Yankees rode a 10-3 April into first place and never looked back, easily taking the AL East title. Won ALCS over the Kansas City Royals, 3 games to 2, won by a walk-off home run by first baseman Chris Chambliss in the deciding fifth game. Lost World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 0.

Aftermath of 1976:

The arrival of slugging outfielder Reggie Jackson in 1977 ignited discord between he and Munson, especially when critical comments appeared in print. The Yankees repeated as AL pennant winners and Munson batted .308 with 18 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .351 OBP. In the World Series triumph over the Dodgers in which Jackson starred, Munson hit .320 to contribute to achieving a championship. Heading into 1978, the veteran backstop expressed a desire to be traded, preferably to Cleveland, to be closer to his Ohio home, a desire that the Yankee front office did not follow up on, not wanting to send away a popular and productive player. The ensuing season was tumultuous and ended with the Yankees beating Boston in a tie-breaking playoff to win the AL East. Munson batted .297 with 27 doubles, 6 home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .332 on-base percentage. Advancing to another World Series matchup with the Dodgers, New York won four straight games after losing the first two to take the title. Munson again hit well in the Series with a .320 average, 3 doubles, and 7 RBIs. Intense and insecure, Munson had a strained relationship with the New York media but was an effective team leader. In 1979 he was dealing with severe shoulder and knee pain but was hitting .288 with a .340 OBP when his career, and life, came to a tragic end in August when the private jet he was flying crashed while he attempted to land at Akron-Canton Airport. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Yankees, Munson batted .292 with 1558 hits that included 229 doubles, 32 triples, and 113 home runs. He scored 696 runs and compiled 701 RBIs and a .346 OBP. Appearing in 30 postseason games, he hit .357 with 3 home runs and 22 RBIs. A seven-time All-Star, he also was awarded three Gold Gloves and placed in the top 20 in AL MVP voting five times. The Yankees retired his #15 and placed a plaque in his honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

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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 & Cy Young Profile: Don Newcombe, 1956

Pitcher, Brooklyn Dodgers

Age:  30 (June 14)

6^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 220 

Prior to 1956:

A New Jersey native, Newcombe began playing semi-pro baseball while in high school, which didn’t field a baseball team, and was mentored by a neighbor, who taught him the pitching windup featuring a high leg kick that he utilized throughout his career. Always big for his age, Newcombe dropped out of high school to sign with the Negro National League Newark Eagles for $170 per month in 1944. The 18-year-old was 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in his first season and 3-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 1945. In October of ’45, he and catcher Roy Campanella played in an exhibition series at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field that featured Negro League players against white major leaguers and were signed by Brooklyn to follow up the integration of organized baseball that would start with Jackie Robinson. Robinson mentored the two players as they prepared to join (and integrate) Nashua of the Class B New England League in 1946. Temperamental and insecure, Newcombe had a solid season for Nashua, producing a 14-4 record with a 2.21 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 155 innings pitched. He also was impressive as a batter as he hit .311 and proved to be a good pinch-hitter. Returning to Nashua in 1947 he improved to 19-6 with a 2.91 ERA and 186 strikeouts. Earning a promotion to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League in 1948, Newcombe compiled a 17-6 tally with a 3.14 ERA and 144 strikeouts over the course of 189 innings, and he also threw a no-hitter. Newcombe improved his control as he developed his outstanding fastball along with a looping curve and slider. Much to his chagrin, he started the 1949 season back with Montreal. He was called up to the Dodgers in May and went on to produce a 17-8 record for the pennant-winning club along with a 3.17 ERA, 5 shutouts, and 149 strikeouts, earning NL Rookie of the Year recognition. Brooklyn lost the World Series to the Yankees and Newcombe started two games, both losses, that made him the first African-American pitcher to start a World Series game, and set the stage for years of postseason frustration. “Newk” followed up with another solid season in 1950. With the Dodgers locked in a tight pennant race with the Phillies, he pitched five straight complete-game wins between August 21 to Sept. 6, when he was asked to start both games of a double-header against Philadelphia, winning the first game and trailing 2-0, in a game Brooklyn eventually won, when he left in the seventh inning. With the NL pennant on the line on Oct. 1, Newcombe faced off against Philadelphia’s ace RHP Robin Roberts and pitched 10 innings in defeat. He finished the season with a record of 19-11 and a 3.70 ERA with 130 strikeouts. In 1951, the Dodgers appeared to be on the way to an easy pennant when a second-half surge by the arch-rival New York Giants resulted in a season-extending best-of-three playoff. After the teams split the first two games, Newcombe started the decisive third game at the Polo Grounds and pitched into the ninth inning, when he was relieved by RHP Ralph Branca with a 4-2 lead and runners on second and third. New York slugger Bobby Thomson homered off Branca to win the game and pennant for the Giants. Newcombe’s final record for the season was 20-9 with a 3.28 ERA and league-leading 164 strikeouts. He missed the next two years due to military service, and struggled upon his return in 1954, compiling a 9-8 tally with a 4.55 ERA and 82 strikeouts over the course of 144.1 innings. Newcombe became embroiled in controversy early in the 1955 season when he was fined for walking out on the team when refusing to pitch batting practice prior to a game. It was all better when he pitched a one-hit shutout against the Cubs in his next start on his way to a 14-1 mark at the All-Star break and 20-5 season record for the pennant-winning Dodgers with a 3.20 ERA and 143 strikeouts while accumulating 233.2 innings. He also had an outstanding year at the plate, batting .359 with 7 home runs and 23 RBIs. Newcombe was 0-1 in the World Series triumph over the Yankees but placed seventh in National League MVP voting.

1956 Season Summary

Appeared in 52 games

P – 38, PH – 14

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38

Games Started – 36 [4, tied with Johnny Antonelli]

Complete Games – 18 [4]

Wins – 27 [1]

Losses – 7

PCT - .794 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [2, tied with Johnny Antonelli]

Innings Pitched – 268 [4]

Hits – 219 [8, tied with John Klippstein]

Runs – 101 [10, tied with Bob Rush]

Earned Runs – 91 [9]

Home Runs – 33 [2]

Bases on Balls – 46

Strikeouts – 139 [7]

ERA – 3.06 [5]

Hit Batters – 3 [20, tied with nine others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4 [17, tied with six others]

League-leading wins were +7 ahead of runners-up Warren Spahn & Johnny Antonelli

Midseason Snapshot: 11-5, ERA - 3.58, SO - 67 in 118 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 10 (in 9 IP) vs. Milwaukee 8/2

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 8/11

Batting

PA – 128, AB – 111, R – 13, H – 26, 2B – 6, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 16, BB – 12, SO – 18, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .234, GDP – 4, HBP – 1, SH – 3, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 65

Put Outs – 25

Assists – 39

Errors – 1

DP – 5

Pct. - .985

Postseason Pitching: G – 2, (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4.2, H – 11, R – 11, ER – 11, HR – 4, BB – 3, SO – 4, ERA – 21.21, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Don Newcombe, Brook.: 223 points – 8 of 24 first place votes, 66% share

Sal Maglie, Brook.: 183 points – 4 first place votes, 54% share

Hank Aaron, Mil.: 146 points – 43% share

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 126 points – 1 first place vote, 38% share

Jim Gilliam, Brook.: 103 points – 4 first place votes, 31% share

(3 first place votes apiece cast for Roy McMillan, Cin., who ranked sixth & Pee Wee Reese, Brook., who ranked eighth; 1 first place vote cast for Duke Snider, Brook., who ranked tenth)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Don Newcombe, Brook.: 10 of 16 votes, 63% share

Sal Maglie, Clev./Brook.: 4 votes, 25% share

Whitey Ford, NYY: 1 vote, 6% share

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 1 vote, 6% share

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The Dodgers went 93-61 to win the NL pennant by 1 game over the Milwaukee Braves. The pitching staff led the NL in shutouts (12, tied with Milwaukee and St. Louis), strikeouts (772), and fewest hits allowed (1251). The Dodgers battled the Braves all season, finally pulling ahead in late September and wrapping up the pennant with Newcombe’s 27^th win in the finale against Pittsburgh. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3. After winning the first two games, the Dodgers lost the next three, most notably Game 5 in which Yankee RHP Don Larsen pitched a perfect game. Newcombe started two games, both losses, failing to make it past the second inning in Game 1 and taking the loss in the decisive Game 7. 

Aftermath of 1956:

In 1957 Newcombe was involved in more off-field controversy during a year in which his record dropped to 11-12 with a 3.49 ERA. With the franchise’s move to Los Angeles in 1958 he got off to an 0-6 start and was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, where he went 7-7 with a 3.85 ERA the rest of the way. Newcombe rebounded somewhat in 1959, posting a 13-8 tally and 3.16 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 222 innings. Off to a mediocre start with the Reds in 1960, he was sold to the Cleveland Indians where he was relegated to the bullpen in his last major league season. Released prior to the 1961 season he played for Spokane in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and went 9-8 with a 4.96 ERA. Moving on to Japan in 1962, he was utilized primarily as an outfielder and first baseman by the Chunichi Dragons and hit .262 with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs in his final professional season. For his major league career, Newcombe compiled a 153-96 record with a 3.57 ERA, 145 complete games, 24 shutouts, and 1187 strikeouts in 2251.2 innings pitched. With the Dodgers his record was 123-66 with a 3.51 ERA, 111 complete games, 22 shutouts, and 913 strikeouts over the course of 1662.2 innings. Appearing in 5 World Series games, typically with disappointing results, his tally was 0-4 with an 8.59 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched. Overall as a batter he hit .268 with 15 home runs and 109 RBIs. Newcombe was a four-time All-Star and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting three times, winning once. In retirement he admitted to years of alcoholic drinking, which likely contributed to his off-field problems. After dealing with his own problem, he became director of Community Relations for the Dodgers and regularly made the rounds of major league teams during spring training to share his experience and warn of the dangers of alcohol abuse. He died at the age of 92 in 2019.

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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.

Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league 

Highlighted Year: Frank Isbell, 1901

First Baseman, Chicago White Sox

Age:  26 (Aug. 21)

1^st season with White Sox

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190

Prior to 1901:

A native of Delevan, New York, Isbell first surfaced in baseball in Minneapolis, where he was a semi-professional pitcher and outfielder around 1895. He also pitched briefly for Macalester College, where teammates referred to him as “The Tall Pine”. In 1896 he joined St. Paul of the Western League where he made more of an impression with his .365 batting average than his pitching. Utilized as a pitcher and utility player, he joined the NL’s Chicago Orphans (now Cubs) in 1898 where off the field, he heroically rescued a baby from a burning house in St. Louis. On the field he produced a 4-7 pitching record with a 3.56 ERA and batted .233 before he was sent back to St. Paul. Isbell resurfaced with the White Sox of the new American League in 1901, where he became the starting first baseman.   

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

1B – 137, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, SS – 1, P – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 612 [11, tied with Dave Fultz]

At Bats – 556 [7]

Runs – 93 [17]

Hits – 143

Doubles – 15

Triples – 8

Home Runs – 3

RBI – 70 [19]

Bases on Balls – 36

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 37 [14, tied with Billy Maloney]

Stolen Bases – 52 [1]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .257

OBP - .311

Slugging Pct. - .329

Total Bases – 183

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 7 [16, tied with four others]

Sac Hits – 13 [15, tied with Wid Conroy, Billy Sullivan & Bill Friel]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading stolen bases were +6 ahead of runner-up Sam Mertes

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, 3B – 3, HR – 3, RBI - 45, SB – 30, AVG - .282, SLG – .362, OBP – .331

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Most hits, game – 3 on ten occasions

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. Milwaukee 5/18, (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/28, (in 3 AB) at Bos. Americans 6/17

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 1

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Milwaukee 5/17, vs. Milwaukee 5/18

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Pitching

G – 1, GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 0-0, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 1, H – 2, R – 1, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 0, SO – 0, ERA – 9.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Fielding

Chances – 1519

Put Outs – 1387

Assists – 101

Errors – 31

DP – 79

Pct. – .980

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The White Sox went 83-53 to win the first AL pennant by 4 games over the Boston Americans, while leading the league in runs scored (819), stolen bases (280), and walks drawn (475). The well-balanced White Sox were 24-9 by the end of May and, despite a brief dip in July and a 13-13 August, led the league the rest of the way. Isbell paced the club’s league-leading stolen base total.

Aftermath of 1901:

Isbell continued to be a valuable member of the White Sox due to his versatility (he appeared at all nine positions during his time with the team), although his batting average dipped to .252 with a .276 OBP in 1902 and .242 with a .266 OBP in 1903. His lack of power caused him to lose his first base job to Jiggs Donahue in 1904 and he spent most of his time at second base. Prematurely balding and nicknamed “Bald Eagle” to his dismay, he hit a dismal .210 in ’04, but jumped to .296 in 1905 with 21 doubles and 11 triples while seeing action primarily at second base and right field. The low-hitting 1906 White Sox, known as “the Hitless Wonders” won the AL pennant in 1906 and Isbell contributed by hitting .279 with 18 doubles, 11 triples, and a .324 OBP. In his only taste of World Series action, he fared poorly at the plate until the last two games of the Series against the crosstown rival Cubs, won by the White Sox in six games while Isbell contributed four doubles and 2 RBIs in Game 5 and three singles and an RBI in the decisive Game 6. His overall batting statistics in the Series were .308 with 4 runs, 8 hits, and 4 RBIs. Hitting poorly in 1907 he requested his release so he could manage Wichita in the Western Association. Returning to the White Sox in 1908, Isbell missed the first two months of the season due to a salary holdout.  He reclaimed his first base job and batted .247 with a .297 OBP in 84 games while the White Sox contended for another pennant. He played one more season for the White Sox in 1909, hit poorly, and was released afterward. For his major league career, spent almost entirely with the White Sox, Isbell batted .250 with 1056 hits that included 158 doubles, 62 triples, and 13 home runs. He scored 501 runs and compiled 455 RBIs, 253 stolen bases, a .289 OBP, and a .326 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, Isbell managed and was a team president with minor league clubs. He later worked for the Wichita recreation department, operated a gas station, and served as a Sedgewick County Commissioner. Isbell died in 1941 at age 65.

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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: Clark Griffith, 1901

Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Age:  31

1^st season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’6”    Weight: 156 

Prior to 1901:

Born in a Missouri log cabin, Griffith was a sickly youth in a farming family who first learned about baseball from Civil War veterans. Small and unhealthy, he acted as a mascot and water boy for the local town team. Moving with his family to Illinois at age 12, he was considered too small for his high school team and played in local pickup games as a catcher and pitcher. In 1887 he joined the nearby Bloomington Reds as a pitcher. In an 1888 exhibition game against Milwaukee of the Western Association, his pitching performance impressed the Milwaukee manager and he signed a contract for $225 per month. The 18-year-old hurler produced a 12-12 record for Milwaukee in 1888 with a 2.45 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 228 innings pitched. In 1889 his tally improved to 23-18 with 34 complete games, a 3.81 ERA, and 214 strikeouts. In 1891 he was lured into the American Association, which was a major league at the time, and was 11-8 with St. Louis until a sore arm led to his release in July. He was picked up by the Boston Reds late in the season and found himself out of work when the league disbanded. He headed west to play minor league ball in 1892 and ’93 and joined the National League with the then-Chicago Colts late in the 1893 season. He developed into a star, posting a 21-14 mark in 1894 and improving to 26-14 with a 3.93 ERA in 1895. Lacking a powerful fastball, Griffith got by on control, as he commanded a variety of breaking balls. He also utilized trick pitches like a scuff ball, often ostentatiously scratching the ball against his spikes, which was not illegal at the time, but caused one opposing team to bill him for the cost of eleven damaged baseballs. He was also adept at quick-pitching batters, not always allowing a hitter to get set prior to throwing the first strike. Wily and crafty on the mound, he tried to outwit his opponents, typically with success. His records from 1896 through 1899 were 23-11, 21-18, 24-10, and 22-14. He led the NL with 38 complete games in 1897, and with a 1.88 ERA in 1898. By 1898 the team was known as the Orphans, following the departure of long-time player and manager Cap Anson, and was no longer as successful. Griffith went 22-14 with a 2.79 ERA for the eighth-place Orphans in 1899. He followed up with a 14-13 tally and a 3.05 ERA with the fifth-place club in 1900. Griffith, who had become knowledgeable about the business side of baseball, became involved in the plans to turn the American League into a rival major league. He worked to recruit several NL players to sign with AL clubs for 1901, and he himself became player/manager of the new league’s White Sox, owned by his friend Charles Comiskey.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35 [14]

Games Started – 30 [14, tied with Casey Patten & Earl Moore]

Complete Games – 26 [14, tied with Casey Patten, George Winter & Bill Bernhard]

Wins – 24 [3]

Losses – 7

PCT - .774 [1]

Saves – 1 [2, tied with fourteen others]

Shutouts – 5 [1, tied with Cy Young]

Innings Pitched – 266.2 [12]

Hits – 275 [15]

Runs – 114

Earned Runs – 79

Home Runs – 4 [20, tied with seven others]

Bases on Balls – 50

Strikeouts – 67 [16, tied with Bert Husting]

ERA – 2.67 [4]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading win percentage was +.007 ahead of runner-up Cy Young

Midseason Snapshot: 15-4, ERA - 2.21, SO - 37 in 151 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 on six occasions

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) at Phila. A’s 6/25

Batting

PA – 117, AB – 89, R – 21, H – 27, 2B – 3, 3B – 1, HR – 2, RBI – 14, BB – 23, SO – 5, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .303, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 92

Put Outs – 9

Assists – 78

Errors – 5

DP – 3

Pct. - .946

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The White Sox went 83-53 to win the first AL pennant by 4 games over the Boston Americans. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.98) & shutouts (11). The well-balanced White Sox were 24-9 by the end of May and, despite a brief dip in July and a 13-13 August, led the league the rest of the way.

Aftermath of 1901:

The White Sox dropped to fourth place in 1902, although still with a winning record, and Griffith posted a 15-9 tally with a 4.18 ERA. Now nicknamed “The Old Fox” for his cleverness, he moved on as player/manager of the New York Highlanders in 1903. The future Yankees had been moved from Baltimore to New York with the hope of establishing the American League in the nation’s biggest market. In his last season as a full-time pitcher, Griffith went 14-11 with a 2.70 ERA as the Highlanders finished fourth with a 72-62 record. New York strongly contended in 1904 and, pitching in 16 games (11 of them starts) “The Old Fox” compiled a 7-5 mark with a 2.87 ERA. Inserting himself primarily as a reliever in 1905 and ’06, Griffith produced records of 9-6 and 2-2, with ERAs of 1.68 and 3.02. He resigned as manager during the 1908 season, unhappy with his team’s performance and his treatment by the club’s ownership (which led to lasting animosity toward the renamed Yankees in later years). Much sought after to manage other teams, he chose to return to the National League with the Cincinnati Reds in 1909. Following a disappointing tenure in Cincinnati, Griffith returned to the American League as manager of the Washington Senators in 1912. Adept at developing new talent, he guided the revamped Senators to a surprising second-place finish. In his first few years as manager, Griffith purchased a 10% interest in the team for $27,000. Making a pitching appearance a year from 1912 to 1914, he ended his role as a playing manager permanently in the latter year. For his major league pitching career, he produced a 237-146 record with a 3.31 ERA, 337 complete games, 22 shutouts, and 955 strikeouts in 3385.2 innings. With the White Sox his tally was 39-16 with a 3.34 ERA, 46 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 118 strikeouts in 479.2 innings. He continued to manage the Senators through 1920, when, in partnership with William M. Richardson, he purchased 80% of the team’s stock. As a manager his record was 1491-1367 with one pennant. The Senators won AL pennants in 1924, ’25, and 1933 including a World Series title in 1924. He became known as a shrewd talent evaluator, who pioneered in the signing of Cuban players, and who was resourceful, stubborn, and outspoken. Griffith was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. His adopted son, Calvin, took over as the team’s owner following Griffith’s death in 1955 at age 85, and moved the franchise to Minnesota in 1961. He retained ownership of the Twins until 1984.

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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.