Highlighted Year: Cy Young, 1902

Pitcher, Boston Americans

Age:  35

2^nd season with Americans

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1902:

An Ohio native, Denton Young, known as “Dent” in his youth, quit school following the sixth grade to help on his father’s farm. Playing baseball in his spare time and showing skill as a pitcher, he organized a team in his hometown of Gilmore before playing semi-professionally. In 1890 he signed with Canton of the Tri-States League for $60 per month. He was given the nickname “Cy”, which may have been short for “Cyclone” or may have been a slang term for a rube from the country, and the 23-year-old went 15-15 for a last-place club while striking out 201 batters and issuing only 33 walks. Following a no-hitter in which he recorded 18 strikeouts, he joined the Cleveland Spiders of the National League, and winning over his new teammates who were initially put off by his hick-like appearance, compiled a 9-7 record with a 3.47 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 147.2 innings pitched. With excellent control of his fastball, curve, and changeup, he had a big year for the fifth-place Spiders in 1891, producing a 27-22 tally with a 2.85 ERA and 187 strikeouts while accumulating 423.2 innings that included 43 complete games. Cleveland rose to second place in 1892 and Young led the NL in wins with his 36-12 record, in ERA (1.93), and shutouts (9) while totaling 453 innings and 48 complete games. Adjusting to the increase in distance between batters and pitchers from 55 feet, 6 inches, to 60 feet, 6 inches in 1893, Young’s ERA rose to 3.36, but he still produced a 33-16 tally and struck out 102 batters over 422.2 innings. His 103 walks had him averaging a league-best 2.2 walks per 9 innings, a tribute to his outstanding control. With the Spiders dropping to sixth in 1894, Young had a rough season, which included seven losses in a row, on his way to a 26-21 mark with a 3.94 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 408.2 innings that included 44 complete games. He and the Spiders bounced back in 1895, with the club finishing second and qualifying for the postseason Temple Cup series while Young posted a 35-10 record with a 3.26 ERA, 36 complete games that included a league-leading 4 shutouts, and 121 strikeouts. He won another three games as Cleveland defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the Temple Cup series. In 1896 his tally was 28-15, which included a stretch where he went 14-4 following a slow start. He also had a 3.24 ERA, 42 complete games, and led the league with 5 shutouts and 140 strikeouts. He also wore a fielder’s glove while pitching for the first time. Well-liked and respected for his honesty and gentlemanly behavior, Young twice filled in as an umpire during the season. In 1897 he was a twenty-game winner for the seventh consecutive season, going 21-19 with a 3.78 ERA, including a no-hitter against Cincinnati, 35 complete games, and 335.2 innings pitched, although his strikeout total dropped to 88. He made it eight straight twenty-win seasons in 1898, with a 25-13 record, 2.53 ERA, 40 complete games, and 101 strikeouts over 377.2 innings. With the brothers who owned the Spiders having also acquired the NL’s St. Louis franchise (then called the Perfectos and renamed the Cardinals in 1900), Young, along with other Cleveland stars, was transferred to St. Louis in 1899. Young kept up his winning ways, posting a 26-16 tally with a 2.58 ERA, another 40 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 111 strikeouts while accumulating 369.1 innings. In 1900, the 33-year-old hurler produced a 20-18 mark with a 3.00 ERA, 32 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 115 strikeouts in 321.1 innings. By this point in his career, his great overhand fastball was losing some of its fire, and he began to rely more on breaking pitches and his excellent control. Not liking the hot summer weather in St. Louis or the NL’s $2400 salary cap, Young jumped to Boston of the new American League for $3000 in 1901, helping to provide immediate legitimacy to the new circuit. He did so impressively in 1901 by winning the pitching Triple Crown with a 33-10 record, 1.62 ERA, and 158 strikeouts over 371.1 innings.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 45 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 45 [1]

Games Started – 43 [1]

Complete Games – 41 [1]

Wins – 32 [1]

Losses – 11 [20, tied with four others]

PCT - .744 [3]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [5, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 384.2 [1]

Hits – 350 [3]

Runs – 136 [13, tied with Harry Howell]

Earned Runs – 92 [18]

Home Runs – 6 [16, tied with Willie Sudhoff & Gene Wright]

Bases on Balls – 53

Strikeouts – 160 [2]

ERA – 2.15 [3, tied with Bill Bernhard]

Hit Batters – 13 [3, tied with Addie Joss, Jack Townsend & Lewis Wiltse]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading games pitched were +3 ahead of runners-up Bill Dinneen & Jack Powell

League-leading games started were +1 ahead of runner-up Bill Dinneen

League-leading complete games were +2 ahead of runner-up Bill Dinneen

League-leading wins were +8 ahead of runner-up Rube Waddell

League-leading innings pitched were 13.1 ahead of runner-up Bill Dinneen

Midseason Snapshot: 18-4, ERA – 2.19, SO – 91 in 197.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 4/19

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Chi. White Sox 6/14, (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. A’s 7/10, (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/24

Batting

PA – 157, AB – 148, R – 17, H – 34, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 12, BB – 5, SO – 20, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .230, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 99

Put Outs – 10

Assists – 82

Errors – 7

DP – 4

Pct. – .929

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The Americans (aka Pilgrims) went 77-60 to finish third in the AL, 6.5 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.02) and fewest runs allowed (600). The Americans, led by the pitching of Cy Young and Bill Dinneen, and the hitting of outfielders Buck Freeman and Patsy Dougherty and player/manager Jimmy Collins, rose into contention during a 16-10 May, sharing first place from May 28-30. Staying among the leaders through June, a 6-game July losing streak put them 6.5 games back but was immediately followed by an 8-game winning streak which moved them back into a close second place. Holding steady through August, the club fell behind the surging Athletics, as well as the St. Louis Browns, for good in September.

Aftermath of 1902:

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

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

Highlighted Year: Jim Wilson, 1955

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  33

1^st season with Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1955:

Born in San Diego, Wilson moved with his family to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he pitched for Classical High School from 1936-38. The family returned to the West Coast and Wilson finished high school in Seaside, Oregon. After playing some semipro ball in Oregon he attended the Univ. of Oregon for a semester before transferring to San Diego State where he saw more action in 1940 and ’41 at first base and in the outfield due to a sore arm. Time off from baseball in 1942 while he worked on a ferry boat provided needed rest for his throwing arm and following the 1943 college season he was signed by the Boston Red Sox. First assigned to the Louisville Colonels of the Class AA American Association, the 21-year-old had a rough time, going 0-5 with a 5.68 ERA. Back with Louisville in 1944, he turned things around by posting a 19-8 record with a 2.77 ERA, 22 complete games, and 147 strikeouts over 237 innings. Moving up to the Red Sox in 1945, he started off in difficult fashion and his season ended in August when he suffered a fractured skull when struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Detroit outfielder Hank Greenberg. While it was initially believed that his career was over, he made a complete recovery and was able to return in 1946. For 1945 his record was 6-8 with a 3.30 ERA and 50 strikeouts over the course of 144.1 innings. In the offseason he worked in a defense plant job. After appearing in one game for the Red Sox in 1946 he was sent back to Louisville where he went 10-6 with a 3.02 ERA, 12 complete games, and 126 strikeouts over 158 innings. Wilson spent 1947 with Louisville and had a 4-4 tally with a 2.65 ERA when his season was again cut short by a batted ball, this one striking his left shin and breaking it in four places. In the offseason he was dealt to the St. Louis Browns as part of the trade that brought shortstop Vern Stephens to Boston. Wilson saw scant action with the Browns in 1948 before being sent down to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA American Association where he produced a 7-13 tally and 4.01 ERA with 108 strikeouts over 175 innings. Sold to the Cleveland Indians in the offseason, he was then selected by the Philadelphia Athletics in the Rule 5 draft. After appearing in two games with the A’s that resulted in a 14.40 ERA, he was returned to Cleveland and then dealt to Detroit in August. Pitching in Class AAA with Baltimore and Buffalo, farm teams of the Tigers and Browns, respectively, he was a combined 7-11 with a 3.94 ERA, although he won a 5-0 rain-abbreviated no-hitter against Jersey City in his first Buffalo start. In 1950 the Tigers assigned Wilson to the Seattle Rainiers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and had an excellent season, going 24-11 with a 2.95 ERA, 26 complete games, and 228 strikeouts over 293 innings. Immediately following the season, and now in great demand, Wilson was acquired by the Boston Braves. Relying on a fastball, curve, and changeup, he was showing development as a pitcher. Finally in the majors to stay in 1951, limited by a sore arm early in the season, he made 15 starts in 20 appearances for the 76-78 Braves and posted a 7-7 tally and a 5.40 ERA with 33 strikeouts over 110 innings. With a mediocre seventh-place club in 1952, Wilson started 33 games and went 12-14 with a 4.23 ERA, 14 complete games, and 104 strikeouts over 234 innings. With the move of the Braves to Milwaukee in 1953, the team’s fortunes improved but Wilson’s did not, as he posted a 4-9 record and 4.34 ERA in 18 starts. The club was unable to unload him for the $10,000 waiver price in the offseason, and he returned to have a fine performance in 1954. Used infrequently out of the bullpen until June, an injury opened a slot in the starting rotation, and he pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in his second start on his way to an All-Star selection and 8-2 record for the year along with a 3.52 ERA, 6 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 52 strikeouts over 127.2 innings. Immediately prior to the 1955 season, Wilson was purchased by the Orioles.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 31 [6, tied with five others]

Complete Games – 14 [8]

Wins – 12 [14, tied with Art Ditmar, Ned Garver & Willard Nixon]

Losses – 18 [1]

PCT - .400

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [7]

Innings Pitched – 235.1 [4]

Hits – 200 [8]

Runs – 104 [3]

Earned Runs – 90 [6, tied with Tom Brewer]

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

Bases on Balls – 87 [9, tied with Tom Brewer & Tommy Byrne]

Strikeouts – 96 [12]

ERA – 3.44 [12]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [4, tied with five others]

League-leading losses were +1 ahead of runner-up Bob Porterfield

Midseason Snapshot: 6-9, ERA - 2.50, SO - 44 in 122.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 12.2 IP) at Cleveland 5/31, (in 11 IP) vs. NY Yankees 9/5, (in 9 IP) vs. Detroit 9/10

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Chi. White Sox 7/18

Batting

PA – 92, AB – 89, R – 4, H – 15, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 1, SO – 18, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .169, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 56

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 39

Errors – 2

DP – 0

Pct. - .964

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Orioles went 57-97 to finish seventh in the AL, 39 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The Orioles got off to an 0-6 start and were 4-12 by the end of April. By the end of June, they were in last place at 20-50 and languished in the cellar until a strong September, highlighted by a seven-game winning streak, propelled them into seventh.

Aftermath of 1955:

Wilson got off to a 4-2 start in 1956 before being traded to the Chicago White Sox, who were seeking a starting pitcher, as part of a six-player deal. An All-Star for a third consecutive year, Wilson lost eight straight games at one point and finished with a combined record of 13-14 with a 4.28 ERA, 7 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 113 strikeouts over 208 innings. Although not an All-Star in 1957, he had a solid season in which he led the AL with 5 shutouts while posting a 15-8 tally and 3.48 ERA with 12 complete games and 100 strikeouts over 201.2 innings. Along the way he pitched 8.1 innings of no-hit ball on his way to a 1-0, 10-inning shutout of the Kansas City Athletics in April. Wilson played one more season with the White Sox in 1958 at age 36. He went 9-9 with a 4.10 ERA in his final year as a player. For his major league career, Wilson compiled an 86-89 record with a 4.01 ERA, 75 complete games, 19 shutouts, and 692 strikeouts over 1539 innings. With the Orioles he was 16-20 with a 3.80 ERA, 15 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 128 strikeouts over 286.1 innings pitched. A three-time All-Star, he never appeared in the postseason. Following his playing career he was a scout for the Orioles and Houston before becoming Director of Scouting and Player Development for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1972. He became VP and General Manager of the Brewers until being named Executive Director of the Major League Scouting Bureau in 1974. He died at the age of 64 in 1986.  

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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: Bob Turley, 1954

Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

Age:  24 (Sept. 19)

2^nd season with Browns/Orioles

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 215 

Prior to 1954:

An Illinois native, Turley was banned from his youth baseball league in East St. Louis at age 12 due to his size and strength relative to other boys his age. Pitching in a municipal league, he regularly faced adults as a teenager. Drawing the interest of the St. Louis Browns, just across the Mississippi River from his home city, Turley signed for $200 per month following his high school graduation in 1948. The 17-year-old hurler was first assigned to Belleville of the Class D Illinois State League where he posted a 9-3 record and a 4.45 ERA while walking 71 batters over 97 innings along with 53 strikeouts. Struggling to control his outstanding fastball, Turley moved on to Aberdeen of the Class C Northern League where he went 23-5 with a 2.31 ERA and 205 strikeouts, as well as 131 walks in 230 innings pitched. With teams at the Class A and AA levels in 1950 he produced a combined 11-16 tally and 4.58 ERA with 137 walks. In 1951 with San Antonio of the Class AA Texas League (the team he finished up with in 1950), Turley’s record was 20-8 with a 2.96 ERA, 200 strikeouts, and 142 walks over 268 innings. Receiving a September call-up to the Browns he lost an 8-3 decision to the Chicago White Sox. Turley spent 1952 in the Army, where he played service baseball. Joining the Browns in 1953 he appeared in 10 games (7 of them starts) and was 2-6 with a 3.28 ERA, 61 strikeouts and 44 walks in 60.1 innings of action. With the move of the Browns to Baltimore in 1954, where they were rechristened the Orioles, the hard-throwing Turley sought to improve his consistency and control.

1954 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 35 [2]

Complete Games – 14 [9, tied with Bob Keegan]

Wins – 14 [12, tied with Ned Garver & Jack Harshman]

Losses – 15 [6, tied with Bob Porterfield, Mickey McDermott & Billy Hoeft]

PCT - .483 [20]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 247.1 [7]

Hits – 178

Runs – 106 [3, tied with Don Larsen]

Earned Runs – 95 [4]

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 181 [1]

Strikeouts – 185 [1]

ERA – 3.46 [20]

Hit Batters – 7 [5, tied with Tom Brewer & Harry Byrd]

Balks – 1 [5, tied with eighteen others]

Wild Pitches – 5 [7, tied with Dean Stone, Harry Byrd & Mel Parnell]

League-leading bases on balls surrendered were +67 ahead of runner-up Arnie Portocarrero

League-leading strikeouts were +30 ahead of runner-up Early Wynn

Midseason Snapshot: 7-9, ERA - 3.70, SO – 103 in 138.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 4/21

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 4/21, (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Red Sox 8/7

Batting

PA – 90, AB – 81, R – 8, H – 11, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 5, BB – 2, SO – 23, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .136, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 43

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 35

Errors – 1

DP – 1

Pct. - .977

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

23^rd in AL MVP voting, tied with Hank Bauer, NYY & Al Kaline, Det. (4 points, 1% share) 

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The relocated Orioles went 54-100 to finish seventh in the AL, 57 games behind the pennant-winning Cleveland Indians, thus matching their last record as the St. Louis Browns the previous year. The pitching staff led the league in walks issued (688). The offensively challenged Orioles were 14-26 by the end of May and continued to struggle through the summer, including an August 14-game losing streak, to finish only three games out of the cellar.

Aftermath of 1954:

While having demonstrated better control of his fastball, slider, sinker, changeup, and curve, Turley was typically outstanding for the first few innings of his starts before wearing down. Having been an All-Star for the first time, he was traded to the Yankees in the offseason as part of a 17-player deal. Already named by The Sporting News as the hardest throwing pitcher in the major leagues with his live fastball, “Bullet Bob” started off well with his new club in 1955 and was an All-Star again on his way to a 17-13 tally with a 3.06 ERA and 210 strikeouts, while once more topping the AL in walks with 177. The Yankees won the pennant and lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series as Turley lost his lone start. Starting only 21 games in 1956, Turley had a respectable 8-4 record along with a poor 5.05 ERA. Having lost his spot in the starting rotation in September due to losing manager Casey Stengel’s confidence, he developed an innovative (for the time) no-windup delivery at the urging of pitching coach Jim Turner. In the World Series rematch with Brooklyn and following RHP Don Larsen’s perfect game utilizing a similar delivery, Turley started Game 6 and struck out 11 batters and pitched 9 shutout innings before losing in the tenth. A spot starter and reliever for much of 1957, he went 13-6 with a 2.71 ERA, 9 complete games, and 152 strikeouts. He started and won Game 6 of the World Series against the Milwaukee Braves, who went on to win behind RHP Lew Burdette in the decisive Game 7. The Yankees won a fourth straight pennant in 1958 and Turley had an outstanding season, posting a 21-7 record with 19 complete games. Relying more on his curve and slider, he was able to pitch more effectively deep into games, but his rate of strikeouts dropped. He ended up with 168 over 245.1 innings. In the World Series rematch against the Braves, he was knocked out of Game 2 in the first inning. But with the Yankees down three games to one, Turley’s five-hit Game 5 shutout proved to be the turning point. Turley relieved and picked up the final out to save Game 6. Relieving Larsen in Game 7, he pitched 6.2 innings and picked up the decisive win as well as Series MVP recognition. In addition, he received the major league Cy Young Award. 1959 proved to be a rough year for both Turley and the Yankees. Turley was demoted to the bullpen at one point on his way to an 8-11 record with a 4.32 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 154.1 innings pitched. While the club returned to pennant-winning form in 1960, Turley, bothered by back and elbow injuries, started only 24 of 34 games he appeared in and posted a 9-3 mark with a 3.27 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 173.1 innings. Hindered by bone chips in his elbow in 1961, Turley dropped to 3-5 and a 5.75 ERA while managing only 72 innings. Following surgery to remove the bone chips in the offseason, he made it into only 24 games in 1962 with mediocre results. Sold to the Los Angeles Angels following the season, he lasted until July of 1963 when he was released with a 2-7 tally and finished the year with the Boston Red Sox. He retired after the ’63 season and became a pitching coach for Boston in 1964. An abortive attempt to catch on with Houston in 1965 never made it past spring training and he retired for good. For his major league career, Turley compiled a 101-85 record with a 3.64 ERA, 78 complete games, 24 shutouts, and 1265 strikeouts in 1712.2 innings. With the Browns/Orioles he was 16-22 with a 3.51 ERA, 17 complete games, 1 shutout, and 251 strikeouts in 315 innings pitched. Appearing in 15 World Series games, his record was 4-3 with a 3.19 ERA, and 46 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. A three-time All-Star, he was at his best during his 1958 Cy Young-winning season, before arm woes set in, but he first displayed his ability with the Browns and Orioles. In retirement from baseball he became highly successful in the insurance industry and real estate until his death in 2013 at age 82.

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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: Jack Powell, 1902

Pitcher, St. Louis Browns

Age:  28 (July 9)

1^st season with Browns

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 195 

Prior to 1902:

An Illinois native, Powell moved to Chicago with his family In his youth. He developed his pitching skill playing semipro baseball in the 1890s. Often throwing batting practice for the NL’s Chicago Colts (now Cubs) he failed to impress manager Cap Anson and he wasn’t signed by them. In 1896 he did sign with the Fort Wayne Farmers of the Inter-State League and performed well for the second-place club. In 1897 he joined the National League’s Cleveland Spiders. After being fined for participating in an illegal Sunday game, he pitched a three-hitter against Louisville in his first start and went on to post a 15-10 record with a 3.16 ERA, two shutouts, and 61 strikeouts over 225 innings pitched. In an oddity for the time, he pitched without a windup and tended to be quick in his delivery. Requiring little warmup time, he often went the distance in his starts In 1898 he went 23-15 with a 3.00 ERA, 36 complete games, 112 strikeouts over 342 innings, and a league-leading 6 shutouts. He bore a resemblance to teammate Cy Young, the team’s top starting pitcher, but had a less powerful fastball. He threw with a sidearm motion, getting by on control and off-speed pitches to augment his lack of speed. Transferred to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1899, he again won 23 games while losing 19 and posted a 3.52 ERA, 40 complete games, and 87 strikeouts while compiling 373 innings. In 1900 his record was 17-17 with a 4.44 ERA, 28 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 77 strikeouts over the course of 287.2 innings. Spending one more season with the Cardinals in 1901, Powell’s tally was 19-19 with a 3.54 ERA, 33 complete games, and 133 strikeouts over 338.1 innings pitched. In 1902 he jumped to the American League Browns and paired well with RHP Red Donahue.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 44 games

P – 42, RF – 2, C – 1, 1B – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 42 [2, tied with Bill Dinneen]

Games Started – 39 [3]

Complete Games – 36 [3, tied with Al Orth]

Wins – 22 [3, tied with Red Donahue]

Losses – 17 [6, tied with Casey Patten & Bill Carrick]

PCT - .564 [12]

Saves – 2 [1]

Shutouts – 3 [5, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 328.1 [3]

Hits – 320 [8]

Runs – 144 [10]

Earned Runs – 117 [6]

Home Runs – 12 [2, tied with Jack Townsend]

Bases on Balls – 93 [5]

Strikeouts – 137 [3]

ERA – 3.21 [14]

Hit Batters – 9 [12, tied with six others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [9, tied with Jack Harper]

League-leading saves were +1 ahead of ten runners-up

Midseason Snapshot: 10-8, ERA – 2.67, SO – 53 in 155 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 6/18, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. White Sox 7/2, (in 9 IP) at Phila. A’s 7/28, (in 9.1 IP) at Bos. Americans 8/23

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Detroit 5/8, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 8/29

Batting

PA – 145, AB – 127, R – 15, H – 26, 2B – 9, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 15, BB – 10, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .205, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 3, SF – N/A 

Fielding

Chances – 85

Put Outs – 16

Assists – 63

Errors – 6

DP – 5

Pct. - .929

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The Browns went 78-58 to finish second in the AL, 5 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. With a revamped roster, the Browns became locked in a tight race with Boston and the A’s, in which they were in first as late as August 13, but they fell off the pace and couldn’t gain ground on the surging Athletics in September.

Aftermath of 1902:

Powell held out for more money in the spring of 1903 and didn’t report to the Browns until shortly prior to the commencement of the season. His subsequent record was a disappointing 15-19, although with a 2.91 ERA, 33 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 169 strikeouts over the course of 306.1 innings. Lingering bad feelings with owner Robert Hedges led to his being traded to the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) in 1904. Pitching for a team that contended for the pennant he posted a 23-19 tally with a 2.44 ERA, 38 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 202 strikeouts over 390.1 innings. The heavy workload caught up with him in 1905 and dealing with a sore arm, he dropped to 10-14 with a 3.27 ERA, 16 complete games, and 96 strikeouts over 231 innings. By September he was back with the Browns. For the remainder of his career he never again worked 300 innings in a season or recorded 30 complete games. His tally in 1906 was 13-14 with a fine 1.77 ERA, but with 25 complete games and 132 strikeouts over 244 innings. His record dropped further in 1907 to 13-16 with a 2.68 ERA, 27 complete games, and 96 strikeouts over 255.2 innings. He produced his last winning tally in 1908 at 16-13 with a 2.11 ERA, 23 complete games, and 85 strikeouts over 256 innings. Powell’s records from 1909 to 1912 were 12-16, 7-11, 8-19, and 9-17 respectively. His best ERA during that period was 2.11 in 1909 when he also accumulated 239 innings, his highest total for that time period, although he had as many as 19 complete games in 1912, which was his last major league season. Powell pitched in the American Association in 1913 and in the Pacific Coast League in 1914 and after playing semipro ball for a few years attempted an unsuccessful comeback with the Browns during the 1918 season when rosters were depleted due to World War I. For his major league career, Powell compiled a 245-255 record with a 2.97 ERA, 422 complete games, 46 shutouts, 15 saves, and 1621 strikeouts over 4389 innings. He is one of only two major league pitchers to win over 200 games and finish with an overall losing record. With the Browns his record was 117-143 with a 2.63 ERA, 210 complete games, 27 shutouts, 11 saves, and 884 strikeouts over 2229.2 innings. Powell died at age 70 in 1944.

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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: Felipe Alou, 1966

First Baseman/Outfielder, Atlanta Braves

Age:  31 (May 12)

3^rd season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1966:

A native of the Dominican Republic, Alou was the son of a carpenter and blacksmith. He fished and swam in the nearby ocean and developed into an excellent athlete and student. He became a member of the Dominican national track team and played baseball for local amateur teams. He entered a pre-med program at the University of Santo Domingo and also played baseball and was a member of the Dominican Republic’s gold-medal winning squad in the 1955 Pan-American Games. Not initially interested in pursuing a major league career until his father and uncle lost their jobs, he signed with the New York Giants for $200. Alou was initially assigned to Lake Charles in the Class C Evangeline League in 1956, which was expelled from the league along with another integrated team. Reassigned to the Cocoa Indians of the Class D Florida State League, the 21-year-old outfielder was homesick and dealing with racism for the first time but performed well by batting a league-leading .380 with 15 doubles, 6 triples, 21 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .460 on-base percentage, and a .582 slugging percentage. Advancing to Minneapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1957, Alou hit poorly and was demoted after 24 games to Springfield of the Class A Eastern League where he batted .306 with 12 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .354 OBP, and a .462 slugging percentage. With the move of the Giants to San Francisco, Phoenix of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League became their top minor league club and Alou was sent there to start the 1958 season. He was hitting .319 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs when the Giants called him up in June. He got off to a hot start at the plate while playing regularly in right field but tailed off to finish at .253 with 4 home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .325 OBP. Part of a crowded outfield situation in 1959, Alou appeared in 95 games and hit .275 with 10 home runs, 33 RBIs, a .318 OBP, and a .466 slugging percentage. Impressive defensively, the team’s move to Candlestick Park in 1960 resulted in his batting .264 with 17 doubles, 8 home runs, 44 RBIs, a .299 OBP, and a .410 slugging percentage over the course of 106 games and 322 at bats. By 1961 his brother Mateo (known as Matty) was a teammate (and outfield platoon partner) on the Giants, and they would soon be joined by another brother, Jesus, yet another oufielder. Appearing in 132 games in ’61 Alou hit .289 with 18 home runs, 52 RBIs, a .333 OBP, and a .465 slugging percentage. He held the right field job to himself in 1962, a pennant-winning season for the Giants. He proved adept at adjusting to the tricky winds at Candlestick Park and also batted .316 with 30 doubles, 25 home runs, 98 RBIs, a .356 OBP, and a .513 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the first time and placed thirteenth in league MVP voting. In his first taste of postseason action, he hit .269 in the seven-game World Series loss to the Yankees and most gallingly struck out in the ninth inning of the climactic seventh game when he was unable to execute a sacrifice bunt with Matty on first base and no outs while down 1-0. He followed up with another solid year in 1963, batting .281 with 20 home runs, 82 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .474 slugging percentage. During this time, he became an outspoken advocate for Latin American ballplayers. In the offseason Alou was traded to the Milwaukee Braves as part of a seven-player deal. Having suffered a knee injury while playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic, Alou had difficulty at the plate and in the outfield. His hitting dropped off to .253 with 26 doubles, 9 home runs, 51 RBIs, a .306 OBP, and a .395 slugging percentage. Appearing primarily in center field, he was also utilized at first base. Returning to form in 1965, he batted .297 with 29 doubles, 23 home runs, 78 RBIs, a .338 OBP, and a .481 slugging percentage. Defensively he split time between first base and the outfield. A lame-duck team in Milwaukee in ’65, the Braves made the move to Atlanta in 1966.

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

1B – 89, LF – 45, CF – 43, RF – 5, 3B – 3, SS – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 706 [2]

At Bats – 666 [1]

Runs – 122 [1]

Hits – 218 [1]

Doubles – 32 [4]

Triples – 6 [17, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 31 [8]

RBI – 74

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – 6

Strikeouts – 51

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 7 [19, tied with five others]

Average - .327 [2]

OBP - .361 [10, tied with Orlando Cepeda]

Slugging Pct. - .533 [9]

Total Bases – 355 [1]

GDP – 11

Hit by Pitches – 12 [3, tied with Adolfo Phillips]

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 2 

League-leading at bats were +10 ahead of runner-up Glenn Beckert

League-leading runs scored were +5 ahead of runner-up Hank Aaron

League-leading hits were +13 ahead of runner-up Pete Rose

League-leading total bases were +13 ahead of runner-up Roberto Clemente

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 17, HR - 20, RBI - 45, AVG - .298, SLG - .504, OBP – .326

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at San Francisco 4/26

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 12

Most home runs, game – 2 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 6

Most RBIs, game – 3 at LA Dodgers 7/9, at LA Dodgers 8/23

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 832

Put Outs – 769

Assists – 53

Errors – 10

DP – 63

Pct. - .988

Awards & Honors:

NL All-Star: Sporting News

All-Star

5^th in NL MVP voting (83 points – 2 first place votes, 30% share)

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In their first season in Atlanta, the Braves went 85-77 to finish fifth in the NL, 10 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers while drawing 1,539,801 spectators to Atlanta Stadium and leading the league in runs scored (782), home runs (207), RBIs (734), and walks drawn (512). The hard-hitting Braves, taking advantage of their new power-friendly home venue, and lacking quality pitching, were at 52-59 when manager Bobby Bragan was replaced by Billy Hitchcock in August. The club caught fire and went 33-18 the rest of the way to finish with a winning record. Splitting time between first base and the outfield, Alou was typically the leadoff hitter and contended for the NL batting title, eventually finishing second to brother Matty.

Aftermath of 1966:

Hindered by bone chips in his elbow in 1967, Alou’s batting production dipped to .274 with 26 doubles, 14 home runs, 43 RBIs, 76 runs scored, a .318 OBP, and a .408 slugging percentage. He still saw most of his action at first base while making 56 appearances in the outfield. He rebounded in 1968 to .317 with 37 doubles, 5 triples, 11 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a league-leading 210 hits while also compiling a .365 OBP and .438 slugging percentage. Defensively, he appeared exclusively in center field. Hitting well to start the 1969 season, Alou suffered a broken finger and missed two weeks in June. The Braves swung a trade with San Diego for veteran outfielder Tony Gonzalez, who platooned with Alou in center field during the remainder of the season. Appearing in 123 games, Alou batted .282 with 13 doubles, 5 home runs, 32 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .345 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was traded to the Oakland Athletics for RHP Jim Nash. Playing primarily in left field with the A’s in 1970, he hit .271 with 25 doubles, 8 home runs, 55 RBIs, a .308 OBP, and a .367 slugging percentage. Dealt to the New York Yankees early into the 1971 season, he returned to splitting time at first base and the outfield, and following a slow first half, he came on strong to finish at .288 with 21 doubles, 6 triples, 8 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .333 OBP, and a .409 slugging percentage. Primarily a first baseman in 1972, Alou played in 120 games and batted .278 with 25 extra-base hits and a .326 OBP. Hitting only .236 for the Yankees in 1973, he was dealt to Montreal where he finished the season. Sold to the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason, he lasted only three games before being released, thus ending his playing career at age 39. For his major league career, Alou batted .286 with 2101 hits that included 359 doubles, 49 triples, and 206 home runs. He scored 985 runs and compiled 852 RBIs, 107 stolen bases, a .328 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. With the Braves he batted .295 with 989 hits, 464 runs scored, 163 doubles, 20 triples, 94 home runs, 335 RBIs, 40 stolen bases, a .338 OBP, and a .440 slugging percentage. Appearing in eight postseason games he hit .259 with one RBI. A three-time All-Star, he twice finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting. Following his playing career, Alou managed in the Dominican Republic and in the minor leagues. He also coached and managed at the major league level, producing a 1033-1021 record with the Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants. He received National League Manager of the Year recognition with the Expos in 1994. His brother Matty played in the major leagues until 1974 and Jesus from 1963-79, most notably with the Giants and Houston. His son Moises was an outfielder from 1990 until 2008, most notably with Montreal, the Marlins, Houston, the Cubs, and the Giants.

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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: Del Crandall, 1953

Catcher, Milwaukee Braves

Age:  23

3^rd season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1953:

A California native, Crandall began playing sandlot baseball in his youth. Pudgy and enthusiastic, he became a catcher early on, mentored by ex-minor league catcher Pep Lemon, who managed the local semipro baseball team. He became a standout at Fullerton High School and also played American Legion ball. Since his father didn’t want him to sign with a major league club that had many prospects on their farm teams, he turned down a $20,000 offer from the Dodgers and signed with the Milwaukee farm team of the Boston Braves for two years and $4000. The 17-year-old Crandall struggled in spring training in 1948 and was assigned to Leavenworth of the Class C Western Association where he batted .304 with 27 doubles, 15 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .359 on-base percentage. Due to injuries to both catchers with Milwaukee, he started all seven games in the American Association playoffs. After nearly sticking with the Braves to start the 1949 season, Crandall was instead assigned to Evansville of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League where he hit .351 with 8 home runs and 36 RBIs in 38 games before being called up to the Braves. As a brash 19-year-old who was also tall for a catcher of that era and athletic with the ability to hit for power, Crandall also demonstrated good throwing ability and moved well behind the plate. He appeared in 67 games as a rookie (59 of them starts) and batted .263 with 10 doubles, 4 home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .291 OBP. He placed second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and was named to The Sporting News Rookie All-Star team. A broken finger hindered his hitting in 1950 and he hit just .220 with 4 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .257 OBP while appearing in 79 games (62 of them starts). He then spent the next two years in the Army. Returning to the Braves in 1953, who moved to Milwaukee, he was part of a team with a strong core of young players.

1953 Season Summary

Appeared in 116 games

C – 108, PH – 9, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 420

At Bats – 382

Runs – 55

Hits – 104

Doubles – 13

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 15

RBI – 51

Bases on Balls – 33

Int. BB – 5 [19, tied with five others]

Strikeouts – 47

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .272

OBP - .330

Slugging Pct. - .429

Total Bases – 164

GDP – 13 [19, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, HR - 9, RBI - 28, AVG - .301, OBP - .360, SLG – .492

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 5 AB) vs. NY Giants 5/12, (in 4 AB) at Cincinnati 5/31, (in 4 AB) vs. Cincinnati 7/2, (in 5 AB) vs. Brooklyn 8/6 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 6

Most home runs, game – 1 on fifteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Brooklyn 5/4, vs. Phila. Phillies 5/18, at Chi. Cubs 5/24, vs. Cincinnati 7/3

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 5 (.200) with 1 R & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 637

Put Outs – 566

Assists – 62

Errors – 9

Passed Balls – 6

DP – 13

Pct. - .986

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

24^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Hank Thompson, NYG (1 vote, 0% share)

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In their first season in Milwaukee, the Braves went 92-62 to finish second in the NL, 13 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers while drawing 1,826,397 spectators to County Stadium. The Braves quickly moved into contention and were in first place, on and off, from May 23 until June 27. The club ultimately couldn’t keep pace with the Dodgers and dropped into second place.

Aftermath of 1953:

Having demonstrated his all-around abilities in 1953, Crandall followed up in 1954 by overcoming a slow start at the plate in batting .242 with 21 home runs, 64 RBIs, a .305 OBP, and a .425 slugging percentage. Defensively, he ranked fifth among NL backstops by throwing out 49.2 % of baserunners attempting to steal against him. He also placed second in double plays with 11 and first in assists with 79. He also proved to be adept at handling pitchers and was a quiet but effective team leader (he was named team captain). Benched briefly in 1955 after getting off to another slow start at the plate, he went on to hit .236 with 26 home runs, 62 RBIs, a .299 OBP, and a .457 slugging percentage. His defense remained strong. In a season of great promise for the Braves in 1956, Crandall slumped with the rest of the club during the final month and ended up batting .238 with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs, a .313 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. The Braves finally won the pennant in 1957 and Crandall hit .253 with 15 home runs, 46 RBIs, a .308 OBP, and a .410 slugging percentage. Shortening his swing due to a shoulder injury from the previous year lowered his power numbers, but he had several extra base hits in key situations along the way, perhaps his biggest being a towering home run in the eighth inning of the decisive Game 7 of the World Series that gave Milwaukee a decisive lead over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. His handling of pitchers again drew praise, particularly in the World Series where RHP Lew Burdette defeated the Yankees three times and Crandall was credited for steadying the nervous Burdette in the Series-clinching game. The Braves won the NL pennant again in 1958 and Crandall batted .272 with 23 doubles, 18 home runs, 63 RBIs, a .348 OBP, and a .457 slugging percentage. In the World Series rematch with the Yankees, New York came from behind to win in seven games and Crandall’s bat was one of those that fell silent for Milwaukee in the last three losing games. The Braves ended up tied with the Dodgers atop the NL in 1959, falling to LA in a season-extending playoff. For the year Crandall hit .257 with 19 doubles, 21 home runs, 72 RBIs, a .318 OBP, and a .423 slugging percentage. He continued to excel defensively, leading NL catchers in assists (71) and double plays (15), and he received his second consecutive Gold Glove. Crandall had another solid season for the second-place Braves in 1960, especially after he was moved up to second in the batting order by manager Chuck Dressen, and batted .294 with 19 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .334 OBP, and a .430 slugging percentage. He again received a Gold Glove for his defensive performance. After years of impressive durability, Crandall missed almost all of the 1961 season due to a sore arm. When he returned to action in 1962 he found himself splitting time behind the plate with the up-and-coming young Joe Torre. In 107 games he hit .297 with 8 home runs, 45 RBIs, a .348 OBP, and a .417 slugging percentage. He still received a Gold Glove and a handful of MVP votes. He spent one last season with the Braves in 1963 backing up Torre and batting only .201 with a .251 OBP in 86 games. Traded to the San Francisco Giants in the offseason, he backed up starting backstop Tom Haller and hit .231 in 1964. Dealt to Pittsburgh in 1965, Crandall appeared in 60 games with negligible production and finished his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1966. For his major league career Crandall batted .254 with 1276 hits that included 179 doubles, 18 triples, and 179 home runs. He scored 585 runs and compiled 657 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and a .404 slugging percentage. With the Braves he batted .257 with 1176 hits, 552 runs scored, 167 doubles, 17 triples, 170 home runs, 628 RBIs, a .313 OBP, and a .412 slugging percentage. Appearing in 13 World Series games, he hit .227 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. An 11-time All-Star, Crandall finished in the top 17 in NL MVP voting five times and received four Gold Gloves. Following his playing career, he managed at the minor and major league levels, including stints with the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners. He was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2003 and died at age 91 in 2021.

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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: Herman Long, 1900

Shortstop, Boston Beaneaters

Age:  34 (April 13)

11^th season with Beaneaters

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 160 

Prior to 1900:

A Chicago native, Long was the son of German immigrants and began playing semipro baseball in the 1880s. In 1887 he joined Arkansas City of the Kansas State League and pitched and played shortstop. In August he was sold to Emporia of the Western League where he batted .256 in 19 games. Long started the 1888 Western League season with the Chicago Maroons where he burnished his reputation as a rising star shortstop and outfielder. In July he was traded to the Kansas City Blues where he spent the remainder of the season. Long joined the Kansas City Cowboys of the American Association, which was a major league at the time, in 1889. He batted .275 with 32 doubles, 6 triples, 3 home runs, 60 RBIs, 89 stolen bases, and a .358 on-base percentage. At shortstop, he led the league in putouts (335) and errors (117). He demonstrated great running speed and range, but with the rudimentary gloves that were worn at the time and the poor condition of the fields, being able to get to a hard-hit ball didn’t mean he could cleanly field it. But when he did field the ball, he often made spectacular plays. As one newspaper account stated, “even Long’s two errors were brilliant”. In 1890 he joined the Boston Beaneaters of the National League. In his first game with the Beaneaters, he hit two home runs and made seven assists at shortstop. Hindered by a back injury later in the season, he ended up hitting .251 with 15 doubles, 8 home runs, 52 RBIs, 49 stolen bases, and a .320 OBP. Healthy in 1891, he missed only one game with the pennant winning club and batted .282 with 21 doubles, 12 triples, 9 home runs, 75 RBIs, 60 stolen bases, a .377 OBP, and a .407 slugging percentage. Defensively he led all NL shortstops in putouts (345) and double plays (60). 1892 was another pennant-winning season for Boston and Long batted .280 with 33 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, 78 RBIs, 115 runs scored, 57 stolen bases, a .334 OBP, and a .378 slugging percentage. He was again among the league leaders at shortstop in putouts (297), assists (497), and double plays (65), while leading in errors (99). The Beaneaters made it three straight NL pennants in 1893 and Long, who had been in a salary dispute with the club in the spring, led the circuit with 149 runs scored while hitting .288 with 22 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, 58 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, a .376 OBP, and a .382 slugging percentage. Defensively he led NL shortstops with 67 double plays. The club dropped in the standings in 1894 but Long remained a consistent performer, scoring 136 runs and batting .324 with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 79 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, a .375 OBP, and a .505 slugging percentage. During the 1895 season the newly married Long came under public criticism from manager Frank Selee for deficiencies as a team player. His production remained strong and he was still among the top shortstops defensively. He was also adept at executing the hit-and-run. Nicknamed “the Flying Dutchman”, following another strong offensive performance in 1897 in which he batted .322 with 32 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .358 OBP, and a .444 slugging percentage, his average dropped off to .265 in both 1898 and ’99 while his OBPs were .311 and .321 respectively. Defensively, he topped NL shortstops with 68 DPs in 1898 and placed second with 351 putouts in 1899. The Beaneaters were a pennant-winning club in 1898 and finished second in 1899.  

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 125 games

SS – 125

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 550

At Bats – 486

Runs – 80

Hits – 127

Doubles – 19

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 12 [1]

RBI – 66

Bases on Balls – 44 [17]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 23

Stolen Bases – 26

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .261

OBP - .325

Slugging Pct. - .391

Total Bases – 190

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 18 [8, tied with Claude Ritchey & Barry McCormick]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading home runs were +1 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

Fielding

Chances – 759

Put Outs – 257

Assists – 454

Errors – 48

DP – 34

Pct. - .937

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The Beaneaters went 66-72 to finish fourth in the NL, 17 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas while leading the league in home runs (48). The Beaneaters were off to a terrible 5-17 start through May 22 before going on a 16-3 run that pulled them into third place. Continuing to be streaky, an 8-game losing streak from June 29 to July 6 had them in sixth place and well behind the contenders. They played .500 ball during the season’s second half to salvage a fourth-place finish. 

Aftermath of 1900:

Long played two more seasons with Boston, with his performance diminishing, although as his range decreased his fielding percentage improved (he led NL shortstops in that category in both 1901 and ’02). He jumped to the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) in 1903 and only lasted with the club until June due to poor performance at the plate and in the field, where his arm had lost its strength. Picked up by the Detroit Tigers he was shifted to second base where his defense was still substandard, and he only batted .222 in 69 games. Hired as player/manager by the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class A American Association in 1904, he resigned in June and appeared in one game for the Philadelphia Phillies, in which he had one hit in his final major league appearance. For his major league career, Long batted .277 with 2129 hits that included 342 doubles, 97 triples, and 91 home runs. He scored 1456 runs and compiled 1055 RBIs, 537 stolen bases, a .335 OBP, and a .383 slugging percentage. With the Beaneaters he batted .280 with 1292 runs scored, 1902 hits, 295 doubles, 91 triples, 88 home runs, 964 RBIs, 434 stolen bases, a .337 OBP, and a .390 slugging percentage. Following his long major league career, Long played and managed with Des Moines of the Western League and batted .307 for the league champions. After playing for two minor league teams in 1906, his career as a player came to an end. His health deteriorated thereafter and he died of tuberculosis at age 43 in 1909. Appreciated at the time for his all-around outstanding play at shortstop, he was eventually inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame and there is currently a plaque in his honor on display at Atlanta’s Truist Park (the franchise’s present-day home). Despite finishing in the top 12 in the Baseball Hall of Fame’s first Old Timer’s poll in 1936, he has still not been enshrined to date.  

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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.