Highlighted Year: Ellie Rodriguez, 1969

Catcher, Kansas City Royals

Age:  23 (May 24)

1^st season with Royals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 185 

Prior to 1969:

Born in Puerto Rico, Eliseo Rodriguez moved to New York City with his family in 1953 where he played stickball in his youth. He attended Yankee games and became a fan of star catcher Yogi Berra. Rodriguez boxed and played baseball. After winning two bouts in a Golden Gloves competition, a broken finger caused him to shift his focus to baseball. Following his high school graduation in 1964, he played for a Spanish League team that won 16 straight games and defeated a Puerto Rican squad for the championship. Rodriguez’s performance drew the interest of major league scouts and he signed with the Kansas City Athletics. Appearing in 17 games with Daytona Beach of the Class A Florida State League in 1964, he batted .238 and was shifted to Wytheville of the Rookie-level Appalachian League where he hit .354 in 56 games, while also developing his technique behind the plate. Taken by the Yankees in the first-year draft, he was assigned to Greensboro of the Carolina League in 1965 and batted .272 with 45 RBIs and a .386 on-base percentage. Advancing to Columbus of the Class AA Southern League in 1966, he was a league All-Star while hitting .233 with a .322 OBP. Rodriguez split 1967 between Binghamton of the Class AA Eastern League and Syracuse of the Class AAA International League and batted a combined .246 with a .321 OBP. He spent the 1967-68 offseason playing in Puerto Rico with the champion Caguas Criollos. Rodriguez split 1968 between Syracuse and the Yankees. In 45 games with Syracuse he hit .291 with a .396 OBP and in nine games with the Yankees he batted .208 with a .296 OBP and performed well defensively. In the offseason he was chosen by the Royals in the AL expansion draft.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 95 games

C – 90, PH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 308

At Bats – 267

Runs – 27

Hits – 63

Doubles – 10

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 20

Bases on Balls – 31

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 26

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .236

OBP - .333

Slugging Pct. - .296

Total Bases – 79

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 8

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 0

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, HR - 2, RBI - 14, AVG - .260, OBP - .342

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at California 5/3, (in 4 AB) vs. Oakland 6/18, (in 4 AB) at Minnesota 7/8, (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 7/20

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) at Boston 6/8, (in 4 AB) at NY Yankees 6/9

HR at home – 0

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at NY Yankees 6/9

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 7 (.143)

Fielding

Chances – 477

Put Outs – 433

Assists – 39

Errors – 5

Passed Balls – 8

DP - 2

Pct. - .990 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Royals went 69-93 to finish fourth in the AL Western Division, 28 games behind the division-winning Minneesota Twins, giving them the best record of any of the four major league expansion teams that year while drawing 902,414 fans to Municipal Stadium. Rodriguez had a strong first half as the club’s regular catcher, but a batting slump in the season’s second half had him splitting time with Buck Martinez.

Aftermath of 1969:

Rodriguez was platooned with Ed Kirkpatrick, who hit with more power, in 1970. Appearing in 80 games he batted .225 with a .312 OBP while hitting only one home run, as opposed to Kirkpatrick’s 18. In 1971 he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, where he became the starting catcher and led the league by throwing out 58 % of baserunners who attempted to steal on him. His hitting remained a weakness as he batted .210 with a .311 OBP and 12 extra-base hits. An adjustment to his batting stance led to a stronger performance in 1972, as he hit .285 with a .382 OBP and was an All-Star for the second time. The Brewers briefly contended in 1973, leading the AL East on June 17. Rodriguez overcame a broken left wrist and proved to be an effective team leader during the surge. The club slumped thereafter, Rodriguez’s batting average dropped as well, and the highly-touted Darrell Porter took over the regular catching duties. Rodriguez ended up batting .269 with a .376 OBP and 9 extra base hits while throwing out 52 % of baserunners attempting to steal. Following the season, he was dealt to the California Angels where he took over as the starting backstop in 1974. He responded by hitting .253 with a .373 OBP, 20 doubles, 7 home runs, and 36 RBIs. Defensively he led AL catchers with 782 putouts, 75 assists, and 56 runners caught stealing. Having drawn criticism from Dick Williams, who took over as manager midway through the season, Rodriguez found himself in competition with veteran Andy Etchebarren, a trade deadline pickup, for playing time. For the year he appeared in 90 games and batted .235 with a .380 OBP and 9 extra-base hits. Prior to the 1976 season he was traded to the Dodgers where he saw limited action and hit .212. A broken collarbone suffered in winter action in Puerto Rico had Rodriguez starting the 1977 season on the disabled list. Released by the Dodgers in May, he signed with Pittsburgh and was assigned to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League where he batted .224 in 49 games. He spent the next three seasons in the Mexican League  where he co-managed the Coatzacoalcos Azules in 1979. Following his last active season as a player in 1982, he retired. For his major league career, Rodriguez batted .245 with 533 hits that included 76 doubles, 6 triples, and 16 home runs. He scored 220 runs and compiled 203 RBIs and a .356 OBP. With the Royals he batted .231 with 115 hits, 18 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 35 RBIs, 52 runs scored, and a .323 OBP. The two-time All-Star was more appreciated for his defense, although his batting was occasionally, but not consistently, productive. Following his playing career, he scouted and coached in Puerto Rico.

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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. 

MVP Profile: Mickey Mantle, 1962

Outfielder, New York Yankees

Age:  30

12^th season with Yankees

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 195 

Prior to 1962:

An Oklahoma native, Mantle was named after star catcher Mickey Cochrane, his father’s favorite player. Growing up in the town of Commerce (hence a later nickname, “the Commerce Comet”), his father taught him baseball and developed the natural right-hander into a switch hitter. He honed his skills playing sandlot ball, where he was a shortstop and drew the attention of a scout for the Yankees, who signed him following his high school graduation in 1949 for an $1100 signing bonus and $400 for the remainder of the ’49 season. Assigned to Independence of the Class D Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League he batted .313 in 89 games with 15 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs, and 63 RBIs, while also stealing 20 bases. While his hitting was impressive, he had difficulty with his throwing accuracy at shortstop, with bad throws being the cause of most of his 47 errors. Advancing to the Joplin Miners of the Class C Western Association in 1950, Mantle hit a league-best .383 with 30 doubles, 12 triples, 26 home runs and 136 RBIs while committing 55 errors in the field. Called up to the Yankees in September, he rode the bench and observed as the club nailed down the AL pennant. Invited to spring training with the Yankees in 1951, he began the transition to the outfield and drew rave newspaper stories with his batting power from both sides of the plate and great running speed. With Joe DiMaggio’s announcement that the ’51 season would be his last, manager Casey Stengel named Mantle as his successor in center field, putting added pressure on the 19-year-old phenom. Starting the season in right field, he initially hit well until encountering a severe slump in June and July, at which time he was sent down to Kansas City of the Class AAA American Association. In 40 Class AAA games Mantle hit .361 with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs. Recalled by the Yankees, he hit well the rest of the way and ended up batting .267 in 96 major league games with 13 home runs and 65 RBIs. In Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Giants, Mantle tore ligaments in his right knee when he caught his spikes on a drainage outlet while chasing a fly ball, bringing his season to an end, and commencing a long string of injuries that would afflict him during his career. Following surgery in the offseason, in 1952 he transitioned to center field in May and went on to hit .311 with 37 doubles, 7 triples, 23 home runs, and 87 RBIs while striking out a league-leading 111 times. He was an All-Star for the first time and finished third in AL MVP voting. Mantle hit two more home runs in the World Series triumph over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Powerfully built and capable of driving the ball long distances from either side of the plate, he also impressed with his speed and throwing arm. He became a target of vocal fan criticism at times, not helped by receiving a deferment from the military draft due to osteomyelitis in his left leg which seemed incongruous in relation to his baseball performance. In 1953 Mantle batted .295 with 21 home runs and 92 RBIs. One of the homers, hit while batting right-handed at Washington’s spacious Griffith Stadium, traveled an estimated 565 feet. The Yankees faced the Dodgers in the World Series again, winning while Mantle contributed another two home runs, one of them a grand slam. While the Bronx Bombers lost out in the 1954 pennant race, “the Mick” topped the AL with 129 runs scored and hit .300 with 27 home runs and 102 RBIs. The Yankees regained the pennant in 1955 while Mantle led the AL in triples (11), home runs (37), walks drawn (113), on-base percentage (.431), and slugging percentage (.611). A hamstring injury limited him to three games in the World Series loss to Brooklyn. By 1956, he was established as a budding superstar who had improved his game with each season despite dealing with nagging injuries and he had received a salary increase from $17,000 to $33,000. Mantle came through with an outstanding season in which he won the Triple Crown by batting .353 with 52 home runs and 130 RBIs. He also topped the AL in runs scored (132), slugging (.705), and total Bases (376), and received league MVP recognition. He added three more home runs in the seven-game World Series victory over Brooklyn, one of which came in support of RHP Don Larsen in his Game 5 perfect game. The Yankees won another AL pennant in 1957 and Mantle was again the MVP, batting .365 with 34 home runs and 94 RBIs while leading the circuit with 146 walks drawn. Hindered by a leg injury during the seven-game World Series loss to the Milwaukee Braves, Mantle still hit .263 with a home run. In 1958 Mantle again topped the AL in home runs (42) as well as walks drawn (129) and total bases (307) while batting .304 with a .443 OBP. He placed fifth in league MVP balloting as the Yankees again won the pennant. He added two more homers in the World Series, as the Yanks came from behind to defeat the Braves in a rematch. In a down year for the club in 1959, Mantle, who was now earning $70,000, hit .285 with 31 home runs and 75 RBIs. Joined in the lineup by right fielder Roger Maris, who was obtained from the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, Mantle led the league with 40 home runs and 119 runs scored while batting .275 with 94 RBIs although hindered by chronic knee problems. He finished a close second to Maris in the MVP voting and further hit .400 with 3 home runs and 11 RBIs in the seven-game World Series loss to Pittsburgh. With manager Casey Stengel replaced by Ralph Houk in 1961, the Yankees won the pennant in a season highlighted by the home run race between Mantle and Maris. The two were neck-and-neck into September, with Maris finally hitting a record 61 homers to 54 for Mantle, who missed 10 of the team’s final 12 games due to injury and illness. In addition, he batted .317 with 128 RBIs and a .448 OBP and led the AL in walks drawn (126) and slugging percentage (.687). The Yankees defeated Cincinnati in the World Series with Mantle appearing in only two games. He finished second to Maris in league MVP voting once again.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 123 games

CF – 94, RF – 23, PH – 6

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 502

At Bats – 377

Runs – 96 [7, tied with Rich Rollins & Leon Wagner]

Hits – 121

Doubles – 15

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 30 [7]

RBI – 89 [15, tied with Norm Cash]

Bases on Balls – 122 [1]

Int. BB – 9 [6, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 78 [20, tied with Roger Maris]

Stolen Bases – 9 [16, tied with Jackie Brandt, Willie Kirkland & Bob Johnson]

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .321 [2]

OBP - .486 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .605 [1]

Total Bases – 228

GDP – 4

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +12 ahead of runner-up Norm Siebern

League-leading OBP was +.074 ahead of runner-up Norm Siebern

League-leading slugging pct was +.060 ahead of runner-up Harmon Killebrew

Midseason snapshot: HR – 17, RBI – 36, AVG - .333, SLG – .721, OBP – .515

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 8/27, (in 4 AB) vs. Washington 9/25

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 14

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 7 at KC A’s 8/19

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 6 (.167) with 1 HR & 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 223

Put Outs – 214

Assists – 4

Errors – 5

DP – 1

Pct. - .978

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. San Francisco)

PA – 29,AB – 25, R – 2, H – 3, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 5, SB – 2, CS – 0, AVG - .120, OBP - .241, SLG - .160, TB – 4, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

All-Star (Started for AL in RF, first game)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Mickey Mantle, NYY.: 234 points - 13 of 20 first place votes, 84% share

Bobby Richardson, NYY: 152 points – 5 first place votes, 54% share

Harmon Killebrew, Min.: 99 points – 1 first place vote, 35% share

Leon Wagner, LAA: 85 points – 30% share

Dick Donovan, Clev.: 64 points – 23% share

(1 first place vote for Tom Tresh, NYY who ranked 12^th)

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The Yankees went 96-66 to win the AL pennant by 5 games over the Minnesota Twins while leading the league in runs scored (817), hits (1509), RBIs (791), batting (.267), slugging (.426), and total bases (2404). The Yankees were among the leaders in the AL from the start and took over first place to stay on July 8, although they faltered in August and September. A May leg injury sidelined Mantle for five weeks, but when healthy he helped to spur the club along with 2B Bobby Richardson and RHP Ralph Terry. Rookie Tom Tresh performed ably at shortstop until Tony Kubek returned from his military commitment, at which time he moved to left field in a Rookie of the Year performance. Won World Series over the San Francisco Giants, 4 games to 3. Terry and Tresh were heroes in a key fifth-game win.

Aftermath of 1962:

In the offseason, the club gave Mantle a raise to $100,000 per year, which would be his annual salary for the remainder of his career. In 1963, a broken foot limited him to 65 games and a .314 average with 15 home runs and 35 RBIs. Back in action in 1964, and despite being hindered by an August knee injury, Mantle batted .303 with 35 home runs and 111 RBIs while topping the circuit with an on-base percentage of .423. The Yankees narrowly won another pennant but lost the ensuing World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals, despite Mantle’s 3 home runs (one of them a game-winner) and 8 RBIs. 1964 marked the end of a long, sustained stretch of success for the Yankees. In decline along with the club in 1965, Mantle, hindered by a shoulder injury in the season’s second half, missed a total of 40 games and hit just .255 with 19 home runs and 46 RBIs. While his once formidable skills continued to deteriorate, he hit .288 in 1966 with 23 home runs and 56 RBIs. Shifted to first base in 1967 in an effort to reduce wear-and-tear, Mantle appeared in 144 games and batted .245 with 22 home runs and 55 RBIs. Playing in one last season in 1968, he again made 144 appearances and hit .237 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs, reaching the end of his illustrious career at age 36. For his major league career, played entirely with the Yankees, Mantle batted .298 with 2415 hits that included 344 doubles, 72 triples, and 536 home runs. He scored 1676 runs and compiled 1509 RBIs in addition to 153 stolen bases. He drew 1733 walks and had a .421 OBP and .557 slugging percentage. Appearing in 65 World Series games, Mantle hit a record 18 home runs while batting .257 with 40 RBIs. In addition to being a three-time MVP, Mantle was a 20-time All-Star. An excellent center fielder with his speed and strong throwing arm, he twice led the AL in assists and received a Gold Glove in 1962. The Yankees retired his #7 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. In the 1980s Mantle accumulated much wealth thanks to the sports memorabilia industry, but years of late-night carousing and heavy drinking took a toll, and he died of liver cancer in 1995 at age 63.

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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 Profile: Sandy Koufax, 1966

Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  30

11^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1966:

A native of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Koufax (who was originally named Sanford Braun until he took his stepfather’s name), excelled at basketball in high school and played sandlot baseball where his pitching talent was first exhibited. Following high school he attended the Univ. of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship. He performed well at basketball in college but caught the interest of major league baseball scouts by posting a 3-1 record with 51 strikeouts in 30 innings, with blazing speed, although having difficulty with his control he walked 30 batters as well. While all three New York teams were interested (not least because his being Jewish would add to his fan appeal), and he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 for $6000 plus a $14,000 bonus. He transferred to Columbia University to continue his college education but dropped out due to the problem of having to fulfill his military obligation during the offseason. The bonus rules of the time required him to play for the major league club rather than spend time in the minors. Following an ankle injury that put him on the disabled list early during the 1955 season, the 19-year-old Koufax saw his first action as a reliever in June. His first start was derailed by wildness, but he struck out 14 batters in a later game against Cincinnati. In his first two seasons he made 28 appearances (15 of them starts) and went 4-6 with 60 strikeouts and 57 walks in 100.1 innings pitched. He saw no World Series action in either 1955 or ’56. Playing winter ball in Puerto Rico helped in his development. He saw more action in 1957, the last year for the Dodgers in Brooklyn, going 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA and 122 strikeouts with 51 walks while pitching 104.1 innings. Moving with the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1958, he started 26 of 40 games and compiled an 11-11 tally with a 4.48 ERA and 131 strikeouts with 105 walks in 158.2 innings pitched. He got off to a poor start in 1959 until he strung together three straight complete game wins in June and had an 18-strikeout performance against the Giants at the end of August on his way to an 8-6 mark with a 4.05 ERA and 173 strikeouts with 92 walks over the course of 153.1 innings. The Dodgers won the NL pennant and Koufax saw his first World Series action against the Chicago White Sox, appearing in two games, losing a 1-0 decision in Game 5 in which he pitched 7 innings and surrendered just five hits while striking out 6 batters before a crowd of 92,706 at the LA Coliseum. 1960 was a more disappointing season in which he pitched 175 innings and went 8-13 with a 3.91 ERA and 197 strikeouts while issuing 100 walks. Frustrated with his career thus far, Koufax worked to improve his delivery, mechanics, and control. Strong, with long arms and fingers, he refined his rising fastball and developed an excellent overhand curve. The result in 1961 was an 18-13 record with a 3.52 ERA, 15 complete games, and a league-leading 269 strikeouts. He also was an All-Star for the first time. The move by the Dodgers from the LA Coliseum to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium in 1962 also proved beneficial. Off to a strong start in 1962, Koufax suffered a career-threatening circulatory problem with his index finger which went numb as a result. He still managed his first career no-hitter against the expansion New York Mets shortly before being shelved until September at the cost of his endurance and effectiveness. The Dodgers faded down the stretch and ended up tied for first with the Giants, necessitating a season-extending playoff, won by San Francisco. In his abbreviated season, Koufax went 14-7 with a league-leading 2.54 ERA while striking out 216 batters in 184.1 innings pitched. Entering 1963 there were concerns about Koufax’s condition, although he had finally developed into an outstanding pitcher. The Dodgers won the pennant in ’63 and Koufax contributed a sterling 25-5 record, again leading the league with a 1.88 ERA, as well as 11 shutouts and 306 strikeouts. Along the way he threw a no-hitter against the arch-rival Giants. His performance earned him NL MVP recognition as well as the major league Cy Young Award. In the four-game World Series sweep of the Yankees, Koufax was MVP. His winning effort in Game 1 included 15 strikeouts, which set a World Series record at the time. He also won the decisive Game 4, going the distance in winning 2-1. Already bothered by arthritis in his left arm that required special treatment, in 1964 Koufax remained extremely effective until a sore elbow finished him for the season in August. He still ended up with a 19-5 record in just 28 starts and won his third straight National League ERA title with a 1.74 ERA while pitching 223 innings. He also pitched his third career no-hitter, this time against the Phillies, and struck out 223 batters while hurling seven shutouts and 15 complete games. By this point, the star southpaw was utilizing ice baths to reduce swelling in his elbow. The Dodgers dropped to sixth place but returned to the top of the NL in 1965. Koufax contributed a 26-8 record that included his then-record fourth no-hitter, a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs. He also set a major league strikeout record with 382 while topping the NL for a fourth consecutive time with his 2.04 ERA and leading the league with 27 complete games and 335.2 innings pitched. In the midst of a hot pennant race against the Giants, he threw four complete game wins in his final five starts. In the World Series against Minnesota, Koufax refused to pitch on the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur but went on to post a 2-1 tally with a 0.38 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 24 innings as the Dodgers won in seven games. He was named the Series MVP and went on to receive his second Cy Young Award while placing second in league MVP voting. In 1966, Koufax and star RHP Don Drysdale staged a spring joint contract holdout which resulted in a raise for Koufax from $110,000 to $130,000.

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in 41 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 41

Games Started – 41 [1, tied with Jim Bunning]

Complete Games – 27 [1]

Wins – 27 [1]

Losses – 9

PCT - .750 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [1, tied with five others]

Innings Pitched – 323 [1]

Hits – 241 [8]

Runs – 74

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 19

Bases on Balls – 77 [7]

Strikeouts – 317 [1]

ERA – 1.73 [1]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [20, tied with four others]

League-leading complete games were +2 ahead of runner-up Juan Marichal

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Juan Marichal

League-leading innings pitched were +9 ahead of runner-up Jim Bunning

League-leading strikeouts were +65 ahead of runner-up Jim Bunning

League-leading ERA was -0.49 lower than runner-up Mike Cuellar

Midseason Snapshot: 15-4, ERA - 1.60, SO - 165 in 168.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 11 IP) vs. Philadelphia 7/27

10+ strikeout games – 15

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. San Francisco 5/19, (in 9 IP) vs. NY Mets 5/28

Batting

PA – 124, AB – 118, R – 5, H – 9, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 5, BB – 5, SO – 57, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .076, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 38

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 30

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .974

Postseason Pitching: G – 1 (World Series vs. Baltimore)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 6, H – 6, R – 4, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 2, SO – 2, ERA – 1.50, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

MLB Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for NL)

2^nd in NL MVP voting (208 points - 9 first place votes, 74% share)

MLB Cy Young voting:

Sandy Koufax, LAD: 20 of 20 votes, 100% share

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The Dodgers went 95-67 to win the NL pennant by 1.5 games over the San Francisco Giants. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.62), complete games (52, tied with the Giants & Phillies), shutouts (20), fewest hits allowed (1287) and fewest runs allowed (490). The light-hitting Dodgers, who got by on speed, pitching, and defense were seven games out of first on May 13 after losing the first game of a three-game series at Pittsburgh. In a tight race with the Giants and Pirates, LA finally took over first place to stay on September 11, with Koufax winning the nightcap of a season-ending double-header at Philadelphia to nail down the pennant. Lost World Series to the Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 0. In a pitching-dominated Series, the Dodgers batted a cumulative .142 with no runs scored after the third inning of Game 1 and were further burdened by sloppy defensive play. 

Aftermath of 1966:

Fearful that the arthritis would cripple him for life if he continued to pitch, Koufax retired at age 30 while still at the top of his game. Efforts by the Dodgers to lure him back failed, and the quiet and unassuming Koufax went on to a short broadcasting career. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Dodgers, he compiled a 165-87 record with a 2.76 ERA and 2396 strikeouts in 2324.1 innings pitched. He further pitched 137 complete games with 40 shutouts, including four no-hitters. Concerned about causing serious injury, he avoided throwing knockdown pitches and hit only 18 batters during his career. In World Series action, he appeared in 8 games (7 of them starts) and produced a 4-3 record with a 0.95 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 57 innings, and he was a two-time World Series MVP. His Series record of 15 strikeouts in a game lasted until 1968. A seven-time All-Star, Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 at age 36, making him the youngest person to become a Hall of Famer. The Dodgers retired his #32. In retirement he spent time as a special pitching instructor for the Dodgers. He also maintained a low public profile.

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Dick Farrell, 1962

Pitcher, Houston Colt .45s

Age:  28 (April 8)

1^st season with Colt .45s

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 215 

Prior to 1962:

A Massachusetts native, Farrell, the son of an amateur athlete known as “Big Turk” came to be known as “Turk”, a lasting nickname. A polio victim before he was two, he wore a leg brace until age six. Overcoming the disease after many hospital treatments, he walked with a slight limp for the remainder of his life. He still managed to become an accomplished athlete at St. Mary’s High School in Brookline, excelling in football and basketball as well as baseball, where his pitching record from sophomore to senior years was 45-5. Farrell passed on college scholarship offers to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies out of high school. Initially assigned to the Schenectady Blue Jays of the Class A Eastern League in 1953, the big 19-year-old posted a 7-3 record with a 3.39 ERA. Reassigned to Schenectady in 1954, Farrell went 11-15 for a last-place team while recording 115 strikeouts in 216 innings pitched. Moving up to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League in 1955, Farrell posted a 12-12 tally with a 3.94 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 185 innings pitched. He also hit a league-longest 475-foot home run at MacArthur Stadium in Syracuse. During the winter he pitched in the Venezuelan Association, where he performed well, including a one-hitter in the Caribbean Series. Unable to crack Philadelphia’s pitching staff in the spring of 1956, he found himself back in the International League with the Miami Marlins. “Turk”, after recovering from a broken ankle that cost him the first two months of the season, went 12-6 with a 2.50 ERA. Along the way he lost 2-0 while throwing a two-hitter due to allowing 10 walks. Receiving a late-season call-up to the Phillies, he lost his only start but stuck with the parent club in 1957 as a reliever, despite typically having started during his minor league career. Farrell went on to excel as a rookie, appearing in 52 games and compiling a 10-2 record with 10 saves, a 2.38 ERA, and 54 strikeouts in 83.1 innings pitched. With his excellent fastball, he was an All-Star for the first time in 1958, although his second half performance tailed off, likely due to overwork and the weakening effects of a severe hay fever allergy. He finished with an 8-9 tally and 11 saves in 54 relief appearances and a 3.35 ERA. The Phillies were a last-place club in 1959 and Farrell took blame as a hard-partying ringleader of the so-called “Dalton Gang” of carousers and whose pitching performance dropped to 1-6 with 6 saves and a 4.74 ERA in 38 appearances. Along the way he was briefly demoted to Buffalo of the International League. Training diligently prior to the 1960 season, he returned to good form, appearing in 59 games and posting a 10-6 record with 11 saves and a 2.70 ERA. With the team in full rebuilding mode, Farrell became a desirable trade asset, but started the 1961 season with the Phillies. A poor start damaged his trade value, but he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in May. He continued to struggle and became prone to surrendering walks and home runs. For the year he pitched in 55 games and went 8-7 with 10 saves and a 5.20 ERA. Left unprotected by the Dodgers in the expansion draft for the two new National League entries for 1962, Farrell was chosen by Houston, who converted him back into a starting pitcher.   

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 43 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 43 [19, tied Don Drysdale & Don Ferrarese]

Games Started – 29

Complete Games – 11 [15, tied with four others]

Wins – 10

Losses – 20 [2, tied with Dick Ellsworth & Al Jackson]

PCT - .333

Saves – 4 [17, tied with six others]

Shutouts – 2 [10, tied with fourteen others]

Innings Pitched – 241.2 [13]

Hits – 210 [19, tied with Bob Buhl]

Runs – 91

Earned Runs – 81

Home Runs – 21 [17, tied with Don Drysdale & Vern Law]

Bases on Balls – 55

Strikeouts – 203 [4]

ERA – 3.02 [7]

Hit Batters – 5

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 9 [8, tied with five others]

Midseason Snapshot: 5-10, ERA - 2.58, SO - 95 in 108.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis 7/20

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at LA Dodgers 6/16, (in 8 IP) at NY Mets 6/22, (in 7 IP) at Philadelphia 6/26

Batting

PA – 82, AB – 78, R – 3, H – 14, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 3, BB – 0, SO – 28, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .179, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 3, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 40

Put Outs – 10

Assists – 28

Errors – 2

DP – 1

Pct. - .950

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Colt .45s went 64-96 to finish eighth in the NL, 36.5 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants. From a respectable record of 31-36 on June 22, the Colt .45s went through a 5-29 stretch although a 15-12 September allowed them to finish eighth in the ten-team league. Farrell suffered some tough defeats along the way due to an offense that had difficulty scoring runs. The team drew 924,456 fans to temporary Colt Stadium as they awaited the construction of their new domed stadium.

Aftermath of 1962:

Houston remained strong in pitching and weak in producing runs again in 1963. Farrell reproduced his 3.02 ERA while posting a winning record of 14-13, compiling 12 complete games and 141 strikeouts. In 1964 Farrell got off to a hot start and was 10-1 at the All-Star break. The run production dropped off in the second half and “Turk” finished at 11-10, although with a still respectable 3.27 ERA and 117 strikeouts over the course of 198.1 innings. The club had a new name in 1965, the Astros, as well as a new home in the Astrodome. They remained a losing team and Farrell dropped to 11-11 with a 3.50 ERA. Appearing to have lost some zip on his fastball, the Astros entertained trade offers. While no longer a carouser, “Turk” was accused of throwing occasional spitballs. He remained with Houston in 1966, starting in just 21 of his 32 pitching appearances as he was relegated to the bullpen. His record was 6-10 with a 4.60 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 152.2 innings pitched. He also showed a propensity for giving up the long ball, surrendering 23 home runs. Farrell returned to the Phillies in May of 1967. Once again almost exclusively a reliever, he posted a 10-6 mark for the ’67 season along with 12 saves and a 2.34 ERA. He was at his best with the Phillies, combining with another veteran, Dick Hall, to solidify the bullpen. Farrell started off well in 1968 but slumped to end up at 4-6 with 12 saves and a 3.48 ERA in 54 appearances. Following a poor season in 1969 he was released, thus ending his major league career, although he tried to catch on with other teams over the next couple of seasons, seeing action in the Mexican League as well. For his major league career, Farrell compiled a 106-111 record with a 3.45 ERA, 41 complete games, 5 shutouts, 83 saves, and 1177 strikeouts in 1704.2 innings pitched. With Houston he went 53-64 with a 3.42 ERA, 41 complete games, 5 shutouts, 8 saves, and 694 strikeouts in 1015 innings pitched. He was a five-time All-Star. Following his retirement from baseball Farrell worked in the oil and gas industry until his death due to an auto accident in England at age 43 in 1977. Years later it was revealed that he was the biological father of Richard Dotson, who pitched primarily with the Chicago White Sox in the 1980s. A fiercely competitive power pitcher and off-field prankster, Farrell led a talented Houston pitching staff in the franchise’s early years.

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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: Roger Clemens, 1998

Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

Age:  36 (Aug. 4)

2^nd season with Blue Jays

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1998:

A native of Ohio who moved to Texas in high school, Clemens attended San Jacinto Junior College, which had a strong baseball program, before moving on to the University of Texas, passing up a contract offer from the New York Mets, who drafted him as an amateur in 1981. He was a power-pitching member of the Texas squad that won the 1983 College World Series before signing with the Boston Red Sox, who made him a first-round draft pick that year. The highly driven Clemens climbed readily through Boston’s minor league system and joined the parent club in 1984. Somewhat unsteady as a rookie, Clemens compiled a 9-4 record with a 4.32 ERA and was shut down in September due to a tendon injury in his pitching arm. Several injuries marred his 1985 season that concluded with surgery on his right shoulder after posting a 7-5 record with a 3.29 ERA in just 15 starts. “The Rocket” broke out with a dominating season in 1986 as he compiled a 24-4 record with an AL-leading 2.48 ERA. His 238 strikeouts included a single-game record 20 against Seattle. Clemens was the league MVP as well as Cy Young Award recipient. He spent ten more seasons with the Red Sox, often highlighted by controversy. He briefly walked out during spring training in 1987 over a contract dispute and overcame a slow 4-6 start to end up with another Cy Young Award-winning season, ultimately posting a 20-9 record with the fifth-place Red Sox. In 1988 he was an All-Star once again and compiled an 18-12 tally and topped the AL in complete games (18) and shutouts (7). Boston returned to the top of the AL East. Clemens led the AL in ERA in 1990 (1.93) to go along with a 21-6 mark and 209 strikeouts. Clemens led the AL in ERA for three straight years from 1990 to ’92 and won a third Cy Young Award in 1991. Clemens led the AL with a 2.41 ERA in 1992, his third straight ERA title, while also compiling an 18-11 record and 5 shutouts with 208 strikeouts. His performance slipped thereafter as his record dropped to 11-14 with a 4.46 ERA in 1993, and after a fair year in 1994, he slipped badly again in ’95. Clemens had another 20-strikeout single-game performance in 1996 on his way to a 10-13 record with a league-leading 257 strikeouts. “The Rocket” signed a three-year free agent contract worth $24.75 million with the Blue Jays in 1997 and won the AL Cy Young Award that year, going 21-7 with a league-best 2.05 ERA and 292 strikeouts with a fifth-place team that went 76-86.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [7, tied with eleven others]

Complete Games – 5 [7, tied with four others]

Wins – 20 [1, tied with Rick Helling & David Cone]

Losses – 6

PCT - .769 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [2, tied with Jamie Moyer & Brian Moehler]

Innings Pitched – 234.2 [3]

Hits – 169

Runs – 78

Earned Runs – 69

Home Runs – 11

Bases on Balls – 88 [6, tied with Jimmy Haynes]

Strikeouts – 271 [1]

ERA – 2.65 [1]

Hit Batters – 7 

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6

League-leading strikeouts were +20 ahead of runner-up Pedro Martinez

League-leading ERA was - 0.24 lower than runner-up Pedro Martinez

Midseason Snapshot: 9-6, ERA - 3.55, SO - 120 in 119 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 18 (in 9 IP) vs. KC Royals 8/25

10+ strikeout games – 11

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 7 IP) at Oakland 5/2

Batting

PA – 6, AB – 4, R – 0, H – 0, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 1, SO – 0, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .000, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 35

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 27

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .971

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

11^th in AL MVP voting (49 points, 13% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

Roger Clemens, Tor.: 140 points – 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Pedro Martinez, Bos.: 65 points – 46% share

David Wells, NYY: 31 points – 22% share

David Cone, NYY: 16 points – 11% share

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The Blue Jays went 88-74 to finish third in the AL Eastern Division, 26 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees. A youth movement had the Blue Jays unloading several veterans at the end of July and brought an improvement to the club’s fortunes that included an 11-game winning streak as part of a 42-32 August and September that lifted them into third place. For the second straight year Clemens won the pitching version of the Triple Crown in the AL.

Aftermath of 1998:

In the offseason Clemens requested a trade to a contending team and was dealt to the New York Yankees just prior to the 1999 season. He posted a 14-10 tally for the ’99 Yankees. At age 36 he was showing signs of wear as he completed only one of his 30 starts while dropping to under 200 innings pitched, and his ERA rose to 4.60. He picked up a win in the World Series triumph over Atlanta. Clemens improved in 2000 to 13-8 with a 3.70 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 204.1 innings. The Yankees were again division champs and Clemens pitched a one-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts against Seattle in the ALCS. In the World Series against the cross-town Mets, he pitched 8 shutout innings in a game better remembered for an odd altercation with Mets catcher Mike Piazza who broke his bat on a play in which Clemens threw the barrel of the broken bat at him as he ran toward first as the ball rolled foul, infuriating Piazza and causing the benches to clear. The Yankees won the Series and Clemens was fined $50,000 for the broken bat incident. “The Rocket” won another Cy Young Award in 2001 as he posted a 20-3 tally and 3.51 ERA with 213 strikeouts for the pennant-winning club. Clemens followed up with a 13-6 record in 2002 and a 4.35 ERA and 192 strikeouts while pitching 180 innings. Hinting at retirement in 2003, in which he went 17-9 with a 3.91 ERA, he followed LHP Andy Pettitte, a teammate and friend with the Yankees, to the Houston Astros as a free agent in 2004 and had an 18-4 record with a 2.98 ERA and received a seventh Cy Young Award. At age 43 in 2005, he led the NL with a 1.87 ERA as the Astros won the league pennant for the first time in franchise history. Clemens re-signed with Houston in ’06 and ended up with a 7-6 record and 2.30 ERA while the club failed to reach the postseason. Clemens returned to the Yankees for one final year in 2007. He later returned to organized baseball in 2012 at the age of 50, appearing with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. He started two games and had no decisions.  Overall, in the major leagues, he compiled a 354-184 record and 3.12 ERA with 4672 strikeouts over the course of 4916.2 innings. In the postseason he was 12-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 173 strikeouts. His numbers with Blue Jays were 41-13 with a 2.33 ERA and 563 strikeouts. Controversy erupted over his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs during the later stages of his career, thus far keeping him from achieving election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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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: Joe DiMaggio, 1947

Outfielder, New York Yankees

Age:  32

9^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 193 

Prior to 1947:

Born in California as the son of an Italian immigrant fisherman, DiMaggio was raised in San Francisco where he played for several amateur and semi-pro baseball teams before he followed his older brother Vince onto the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League near the end of the 1932 season. Signed for $225 per month to play for the Seals in 1933 he was shifted from shortstop to the outfield. His 1933 season was highlighted by a PCL-record 61-game hitting streak on his way to a .340 average with 28 home runs and 169 RBIs. DiMaggio hit .341 in 101 games for the Seals in 1934 until he was sidelined by a knee injury that made major league teams leery of pursuing him. The Yankees offered the Seals five players and $25,000 for DiMaggio’s contract, under the provision that he would play for the Seals in 1935 and prove that his knee was healthy. He had a big year with 34 home runs, 154 RBIs, and a .398 batting average. Joining the Yankees in 1936 he made an immediate impact, batting .323 with 44 doubles, a league-leading 15 triples, 29 home runs, and 125 RBIs. He also led AL outfielders with 22 assists and started for the AL in the All-Star Game and finished eighth in league MVP voting while the Yankees returned to the top of the AL for the first time in four years and won the World Series. DiMaggio had a bigger year in 1937, placing second in AL MVP voting while leading the circuit in runs scored (151), home runs (46), slugging percentage (.673), and total bases (418) while also hitting .346 and accounting for 18 outfield assists. He had a third straight All-Star season in 1938 in which he batted .324 with 32 doubles, 13 triples, 32 home runs, and 140 RBIs. In the field he contributed 20 assists. He ranked sixth in AL MVP voting as the Yankees made it three straight World Series titles. An excellent all-around batter who hit for power and average out of a wide stance, DiMaggio was also a formidable baserunner and covered much ground in center field with his speed and as his outfield assist numbers reveal, he had a strong throwing arm. In 1939, DiMaggio hit a league-leading .381 along with 30 home runs, 126 RBIs, a .448 on-base percentage, and a .671 slugging percentage. He received league MVP honors for the first time as the Yankees won another title. He capped the four-game sweep of Cincinnati in the World Series when he scored the winning run in Game 4 as Cincinnati catcher Ernie Lombardi lay dazed next to home plate following a collision with another scoring baserunner. The Yankees dropped to third place in the AL in 1940, but DiMaggio was not at fault as he again topped the league’s batters with a .352 average while also compiling 28 doubles, 9 triples, 31 home runs, and 133 RBIs. His 1941 season was highlighted by a record 56-game hitting streak and he finished with a .357 average along with 43 doubles, 11 triples, 30 home runs, and a league-leading 125 RBIs. The Yankees won the pennant and World Series and DiMaggio, known as “Joltin’ Joe” and “the Yankee Clipper”, received his second AL MVP award. In 1942 DiMaggio saw his batting average drop to .305 while he still contributed 29 doubles, 13 triples, 21 home runs, and 114 RBIs. He missed the next three seasons as a result of World War II duty in the Army Air Force. Returning to the Yankees in 1946 he had a relative off-year, batting .290 with 25 home runs and 95 RBIs for the third-place team. In the offseason, a bone spur was surgically removed from his left heel. Further surgery kept DiMaggio out of action until mid-April of the 1947 season.

1947 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

CF – 139, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 601

At Bats – 534

Runs – 97 [5]

Hits – 168 [5, tied with Bob Dillinger]

Doubles – 31 [4]

Triples – 10 [4, tied with Bobby Doerr & Dale Mitchell]

Home Runs – 20 [6]

RBI – 97 [3]

Bases on Balls – 64 [18, tied with Luke Appling & Elmer Valo]

Int. BB – 15 [2, tied with George McQuinn]

Strikeouts – 32

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .315 [7]

OBP - .391 [8]

Slugging Pct. - .522 [2]

Total Bases – 279 [2, tied with Joe Gordon]

GDP – 14 [15, tied with six others]

Hit by Pitches – 3 [10, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, 3B – 3, HR - 11, RBI - 50, AVG - .338, SLG - .559, OBP – .422

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Bos. Red Sox 5/25, (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 6/1, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/3, (in 5 AB) at Bos. Red Sox 9/3

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 11

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 6/1

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Cleveland 6/1

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 2 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 319

Put Outs – 316

Assists – 2

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .997 

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

PA – 32,AB – 26, R – 4, H – 6, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 5, BB – 6, IBB – 1, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .231, OBP - .375, SLG - .462, TB – 12, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for AL in CF)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Joe DiMaggio, NYY.: 202 points - 8 of 24 first place votes, 60% share

Ted Williams, BosRS.: 201 points – 3 first place votes, 60% share

Lou Boudreau, Clev.: 168 points – 1 first place vote, 50% share

Joe Page, NYY: 167 points – 7 first place votes, 50% share

George Kell, Det.: 132 points – 39% share

(3 first place votes for George McQuinn, NYY who ranked sixth; 2 first place votes for Eddie Joost, PhilaA who ranked 11^th)

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The Yankees went 97-57 to win the AL pennant by 12 games over the Detroit Tigers while leading the league in runs scored (794), hits (1439), triples (72), home runs (115), RBIs (748), batting (.271), slugging (.407) and total bases (2158). In first place by 4.5 games following a loss at Washington in the first game of a June 29 double header, the Yankees proceeded to win 19 straight games to increase their margin to 11.5 games. The double-digit lead held up the rest of the way. Won World Series over the Brooklyn Dodgers, 4 games to 3 in a hard-fought Series filled with memorable moments. Aside from hitting two home runs DiMaggio most memorably was robbed of a potential third in Game 6 on a spectacular catch by obscure reserve outfielder Al Gionfriddo, eliciting a rare display of emotion from the typically reserved and undemonstrative DiMaggio, who kicked the dirt near second base in frustration upon seeing the catch had been made.

Aftermath of 1947:

The Yankees finished third in a torrid AL pennant race in 1948 although DiMaggio batted .320 and topped the league in home runs (39), RBIs (155), and total bases (355). He placed second in league MVP voting. The chronic heel injury caused him to miss the first 65 games of the 1949 season and a bout with pneumonia put him in the hospital in September. Appearing in just 76 games he hit .346 with 14 home runs and 67 RBIs. DiMaggio played in 139 games in 1950 and batted .301 with 32 home runs and 122 RBIs. With age and injuries catching up to him, he played one more season in 1951, hitting .263 with 12 home runs and 71 RBIs. He retired and for his major league career that was spent entirely with the Yankees, DiMaggio batted .325 with 2214 hits that included 389 doubles, 131 triples, and 361 home runs. He also compiled 1537 RBIs, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .579 slugging percentage. Playing in ten World Series (9 of which the Yanks won), “the Yankee Clipper” hit .271 with 8 home runs and 30 RBIs. DiMaggio was a 13-time All-Star and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. The Yankees retired his #5 and after his death in 1999 a monument was placed in his honor at Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. Classy and dignified, DiMaggio personified the Yankee championship teams of his time. In retirement he had a short marriage to glamorous actress Marilyn Monroe that kept his name in the public eye and fell victim to his private nature and discomfort with the trappings of celebrity. He later served as a vice president and coach for the Oakland Athletics and a commercial spokesperson for several businesses. His brothers Vince and Dom also played major league baseball and were each fine center fielders.

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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.