Highlighted Year: Willie Sudhoff, 1903

Pitcher, St. Louis Browns

Age: 29 (Sept. 17)

2^nd season with Browns

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 165 

Prior to 1903:

A St. Louis native, Sudhoff played youth and semipro baseball before joining a team in the short-lived Central League in 1897. Returning to St. Louis he continued to pitch for semipro clubs before joining the NL’s St. Louis Cardinals (then called the Browns) later in 1897, He produced a 2-7 record for the lowly club with a 4.47 ERA. Small in stature, he had an unimpressive fastball and got by with a repertoire of curves and changeups. In 1898 his tally was 11-27 with a 4.34 ERA, 35 complete games, and 65 strikeouts along with 102 walks and 27 hit batters over 315 innings for the cellar-dwelling team. In 1899 he was transferred to the Cleveland Spiders, a dreadful club under the same ownership as St. Louis. He got off to a 3-8 start with a horrendous 6.98 ERA before returning to the Cardinals, where he showed improvement and finished with a combined record of 15-18 and a 5.00 ERA with 24 complete games, 39 strikeouts, 87 walks and 22 hit batters over 264.2 innings. Much improved in 1900, Sudhoff was rarely used by the Cardinals but brought his ERA down to 2.76 to go with a 6-8 tally and dramatically decreased his walks and hit batters. In 1901, his record improved to 17-11 but with a higher ERA of 3.52. He also produced 25 complete games and 78 strikeouts over 276.1 innings pitched. In 1902 Sudhoff joined several other Cardinals in jumping to the American League’s Browns, newly relocated from Milwaukee. The team was good and Sudhoff went 12-12 with a 2.86 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 220 innings.  

1903 Season Summary

Appeared in 41 games

P – 38, PH – 2, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38 [7, tied with Jack Powell]

Games Started – 35 [6, tied with Cy Young]

Complete Games – 30 [11, tied with Al Orth]

Wins – 21 [3, tied with Rube Waddell, Jack Chesbro & Bill Dinneen]

Losses – 15 [12, tied with five others]

PCT - .583 [9, tied with Jack Chesbro]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 5 [4, tied with Tom Hughes]

Innings Pitched – 293.2 [11, tied with Patsy Flaherty]

Hits – 262 [14]

Runs – 100

Earned Runs – 74 [20, tied with Frank Kitson]

Home Runs – 4 [17, tied with five others]

Bases on Balls – 56 [19]

Strikeouts – 104 [16]

ERA – 2.27 [8]

Hit Batters – 9 [9, tied with five others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [14, tied with eight others]

Midseason Snapshot: 10-8, ERA – 2.33, SO – 53 in 139.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 9 IP) at Washington 6/4, (in 9 IP) vs. Detroit 8/2

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Washington 5/11, (in 9 IP) at Washington 6/4, (in 9 IP) at Detroit 7/30

Batting

PA – 118, AB – 110, R – 12, H – 20, 2B – 1, 3B – 2, HR – 0, RBI – 6, BB – 3, SO – 21, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .182, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 124

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 104

Errors – 5

DP – 0

Pct. - .960

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The Browns went 65-74 to finish sixth in the AL, 26.5 games behind the pennant-winning Boston Americans. The pitching staff led the league in fewest walks issued (237). Failing to build on their success of the previous season, the inconsistent Browns were just below .500 at 26-27 by the end of June, after a season-high 8-game winning streak to enter the month that was followed by a 7-game losing streak. By August they were well off the pace, continuing to be an up-and down team that alternated between sixth and seventh until reaching sixth place to stay on August 7.

Aftermath of 1903:

Sudhoff followed up with a disappointing season in 1904 and compiled an 8-15 record and 3.76 ERA with 20 complete games and 63 strikeouts over 222.1 innings. Bothered by a sore arm in 1905, he produced a 10-20 tally and 2.99 ERA with 23 complete games and 70 strikeouts over 244 innings. In the offseason he was traded to the Washington Senators. In nine 1906 appearances with the Senators, Sudhoff was 0-2 with a 9.15 ERA when his contract was sold to the Kansas City Blues of the American Association. Never playing for the Blues, he instead pitched for semipro teams in the St. Louis area for the remainder of the year. With the Senators keeping him on their reserve list, he was unable to join another team in organized baseball and continued to play for outlaw semipro teams during 1908 as his career came to an end. For his major league career, Sudhoff compiled a 102-135 record with a 3.60 ERA, 199 complete games, 10 shutouts, 603 walks, 125 hit batters, and 516 strikeouts over 2075.1 innings. With the Browns he went 51-62 with a 2.92 ERA, 93 complete games, 7 shutouts, 255 walks, 44 hit batters, and 279 strikeouts over 980 innings. Following his baseball career, he worked for the St. Louis water department until being committed to a sanitarium for the violently insane and he died at the age of 42 in 1917. A pitcher who was often with mediocre clubs experienced his most noteworthy success with the Browns in 1902 and ’03, Sudhoff came to a sad end.

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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 will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason. 

Highlighted Year: Joe Torre, 1966

Catcher/First Baseman, Atlanta Braves

Age: 26 (July 18)

6^th season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 212 

Prior to 1966:

A native of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Torre played sandlot baseball as a teen. Slow and overweight, but a good hitter with power, he switched from first base to catcher and drew the interest of the Milwaukee Braves, the team his older brother, Frank, played for as a first baseman, and signed with them in 1959 for a $22,500 bonus. Having dropped 20 pounds as part of his conditioning program, he first played in the Florida Instructional League in the fall of ’59. Next, he joined Eau Claire of the Class C Northern League in 1960 and batted .344 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs. He received a late-season call-up to the Braves and got his first major league hit as a pinch-hitter. Torre started the 1961 season with the Louisville Colonels of the Class AAA American Association but was called up by the Braves in May due to an injury to starting catcher Del Crandall. He hit well from the start and demonstrated a strong throwing arm from behind the plate as well. In 113 games Torre hit .278 with a .330 on-base percentage, 10 home runs, and 42 RBIs. He finished second in league Rookie of the Year voting. With Crandall back in 1962, Torre was limited to 80 games and batted .282 with 5 home runs and 26 RBIs. Taking over as the regular catcher in 1963, Torre was an All-Star for the first time on his way to hitting .293 with 14 home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .350 OBP. He also saw action at first base, where he displayed good technique and kept his bat in the lineup. With Crandall dealt for veteran catcher Ed Bailey in 1964, Torre saw more action at first base while making 96 appearances behind the plate. He batted .321 with a .365 OBP, 20 home runs, and 109 RBIs. Once again an All-Star, where he was the starting backstop for the National League, he also placed fifth in league MVP balloting. In 1965 Torre hit .291 with 27 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .372 OBP. He caught in 100 games and made 49 appearances at first base, as lefty-hitting backup Gene Oliver split time with Torre behind the plate. Despite questions regarding his defensive ability as a catcher, Torre received a Gold Glove for his efforts. The franchise moved to Atlanta in 1966, and Torre hit the first home run for the Braves in their new ballpark.

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

C – 111, 1B – 39, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 614

At Bats – 546

Runs – 83 [18]

Hits – 172 [13]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 36 [4, tied with Willie McCovey]

RBI – 101 [7]

Bases on Balls – 60 [12, tied with Rico Carty & Clay Dalrymple]

Int. BB – 8

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .315 [6, tied with Willie Stargell]

OBP - .382 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .560 [4]

Total Bases – 306 [6]

GDP – 18 [6]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: HR – 21, RBI - 53, AVG - .286, SLG – .542, OBP – .365

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Most hits, game – 3 on thirteen occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 5 at St. Louis 7/19 – 12 innings

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 3 (.333) with 1 R, 1 3B & 3 RBI

Fielding ( C )

Chances – 685

Put Outs – 607

Assists – 67

Errors – 11

Passed Balls – 13

DP – 9

Pct. - .984

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (Started for NL at C)

16^th in NL MVP voting (18 points – 6% 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.

Aftermath of 1966:

Hobbled by an ankle injury in 1967 that required offseason surgery, Torre slumped badly at the plate in his last 40 games and finished at .277 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs. In an injury-plagued 1968 season, Torre hit .271 with just 10 home runs and 55 RBIs. During spring training in 1969, the Braves traded Torre to the St. Louis Cardinals for first baseman Orlando Cepeda. Torre became the regular first baseman for St. Louis in 1969, appearing in only 18 games behind the plate. His batting production rebounded to .289 with 18 home runs and 101 RBIs with a .361 OBP. The departure of catcher Tim McCarver and the arrival of first baseman Dick Allen in the offseason had Torre appearing more as a catcher in 1970, but he also appeared in 73 games at third base due to the departure of regular third sacker Mike Shannon due to illness. Torre batted .325 with 21 home runs, 100 RBIs, and a .398 OBP. The slimmed down Torre entered 1971 as the Cards’ regular third baseman. He went on to have a spectacular season in which he led the NL in batting (.363), hits (230), RBIs (137), and total bases (352) while slugging 24 home runs along with 34 doubles and 8 triples, as well as a .421 OBP, and .555 slugging percentage. He received league MVP recognition and was named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. In 1972, Torre’s production dropped off to .289 with 11 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .357 OBP. The distraction of off-field problems did not help, but he remained a productive part of the lineup and was an All-Star once again. By 1973 he was seeing the most action at first base and his hitting continued to slip as he batted .287 with 13 home runs, and 69 RBIs, although his OBP was a respectable .376. Torre spent one more season with St. Louis in 1974 in which he hit .282 with 11 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a .371 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to the New York Mets for two pitchers. Playing primarily at third base in 1975, he was troubled by reduced range in the field and batted only .247 with 6 home runs and 35 RBIs. Torre was back at first base in 1976, and as his playing time continued to dwindle, he hit .306 with a .358 OBP. During the 1977 season he replaced Joe Frazier as the club’s manager. While initially a player/manager, his playing career ended in June. For his major league playing career, Torre batted .297 with 2342 hits that included 344 doubles, 59 triples, and 252 home runs. He scored 996 runs and compiled 1185 RBIs, 779 walks, a .365 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. With the Braves he batted .294 with 154 doubles, 21 triples, 142 home runs, 552 RBIs, 470 runs scored, 334 walks drawn, a .356 OBP, and a .462 slugging percentage. A nine-time All-Star, he finished among the top 5 in NL MVP voting three times, with the one win in ’71. Following the conclusion of his playing career, Torre continued as manager of the Mets through the 1981 season when he was fired following a 286-420 tenure. His next managerial stop was a return to the Braves from 1982-84. Atlanta won the AL West title in Torre’s first year at the helm and contended in 1983. A losing season in 1984 led to his dismissal after having compiled an overall 257-229 record. Following several seasons as a television commentator, Torre’s next managerial job came with the Cardinals from 1990-95, where his teams went 351-354 with no postseason appearances. The New York Yankees hired him in 1996, and he managed through 2007 with his teams going 1173-767 with six AL pennants and four World Series titles. Along the way Torre overcame a bout with prostate cancer in 1999. Refusing to accept a salary cut for 2008, Torre moved on to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three seasons from 2008-2010 where his teams went 259-227 and twice reached the playoffs. As a manager, Torre put together a record of 2326-1997 with the six pennants and four World Series championships. The Yankees retired his #6 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 in recognition of his managerial success. He was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2016.

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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: Johnny Logan, 1953

Shortstop, Milwaukee Braves

Age: 27

3^rd season with Braves

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1953:

A native of Endicott, New York, Logan was the son of a Russian immigrant and learned sports from his brother and older boys in the community. He excelled at football, in addition to baseball, at Union-Endicott High School. Drafted into the Army immediately following his high school graduation in 1945, he briefly went to an extension college of Syracuse University before signing with the Boston Braves in 1947 for $2500. Initially assigned to Evansville of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League the 21-year-old shortstop batted .331 with 32 doubles, 13 triples, 6 home runs, 82 RBIs, a .404 on-base percentage, and a .488 slugging percentage. Named a league all-star, he was promoted up to Milwaukee of the Class AAA American Association in 1948 where he experienced difficulty and was sent down to the Pawtucket Slaters of the Class B New England League where he hit .325 with a .381 OBP in 45 games and was sent to the Dallas Eagles of the Class AA Texas League where in 32 games he batted .283 with a .339 OBP. Logan was back in Class AAA with Milwaukee in 1950, was the starting shortstop in every game, and hit .296 with 28 doubles, 6 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .347 OBP. Joining the Braves in 1951, he saw scant action prior to being sent back down to Milwaukee. In June the Braves replaced manager Billy Southworth with Tommy Holmes. Logan was soon recalled to the Braves and appeared in 62 games and batted .219 with a .298 OBP. He started 1952 with Milwaukee until the Braves made another managerial change during the Memorial Day weekend and replaced Holmes with Charlie Grimm, who had managed Logan in Class AAA. Logan was again recalled to the Braves and Grimm inserted him in the lineup. He went on to lead NL shortstops with a .972 fielding percentage, although his range was lacking. His hitting improved to .283 with 21 doubles, 4 home runs, and a .334 OBP. Prior to the 1953 season, the Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee.

1953 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

SS – 150

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 668 [9, tied with Bill Bruton]

At Bats – 611 [4]

Runs – 100 [14, tied with Ralph Kiner]

Hits – 167 [17, tied with Bobby Adams]

Doubles – 27 [15]

Triples – 8 [8, tied with seven others]

Home Runs – 11

RBI – 73

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 33

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .273

OBP - .326

Slugging Pct. - .398

Total Bases – 243

GDP – 13 [19, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 7 [3, tied with Jackie Robinson]

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

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 17, 3B – 3, HR - 7, RBI - 40, AVG - .274, OBP - .333

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 8

Most home runs, game – 1 on eleven occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Pittsburgh 8/30

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 796

Put Outs – 295

Assists – 481

Errors – 20

DP – 104

Pct. - .975 

Awards & Honors:

20^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Gus Bell, Cin. (3 points – 1% 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:

Logan solidified his place as a sure-handed fielder in 1954 by leading NL shortstops in assists (489), attesting to his improved range, as well as fielding percentage (.969). In addition he batted .275 with 17 doubles, 7 triples, 8 home runs, 66 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. He finished eighteenth in league MVP voting. Logan was an All-Star for the first time in 1955 as he co-led the NL in doubles with 37 while hitting .297 with 13 home runs, 83 RBIs, a .360 OBP, and a .442 slugging percentage. He again topped league shortstops with 511 assists. The Braves continued to contend in 1956 and Logan batted .281 with 27 doubles, 15 home runs, 46 RBIs, a .340 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. The Braves finally culminated their rise to the top of the National League in 1957 and Logan contributed by hitting .273 with 19 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, 49 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .401 slugging percentage. He further burnished his reputation as a clutch hitter and his defense remained solid, helped by the in-season arrival of veteran second baseman Red Schoendienst in a trade with the Giants. The Braves defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series where Logan set a World Series record for shortstops with 10 assists in the 10-inning Game 4, which was won by the Braves when third baseman Eddie Mathews homered in the bottom of the tenth with Logan on base. Fiery and prone to getting into altercations, Logan most notably maintained a long-term feud with Cincinnati second baseman Johnny Temple. Milwaukee again won the NL pennant in 1958 and Logan hit a substandard .226 with 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. Logan’s batting rebounded in 1959 to .291 with 17 doubles, 13 home runs, 50 RBIs, a .369 OBP, and a .411 slugging percentage. The Braves ended up tying for first place with the Los Angeles Dodgers, necessitating a season-extending best-of-three playoff. The Dodgers won the first game in Milwaukee, and In the seventh inning of the second game, Dodger first baseman Norm Larker, running from first and trying to break up a double play, crashed into Logan, knocking him unconscious and out of the game, an event that was viewed as a key moment as LA went on to win. In 1960 Logan’s batting production dropped to .245 with 14 doubles, 7 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. Challenged by young Felix Mantilla at short, he became expendable in the offseason when the Braves obtained veteran shortstop Roy McMillan from Cincinnati. Relegated to part-time duty in 1961, he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates in June, providing a veteran bench presence in Pittsburgh, For the year he appeared in a total of 45 games and hit .197 with a .250 OBP. Logan spent two more seasons as a reserve with the Pirates until he was released following the 1963 season. Signed by the Nankai Hawks of Japan’s Pacific League in 1964, Logan had the opportunity to play for another championship club. Nankai finished first and went on to win the Japan Series against the Hanshin Tigers. For the year, Logan batted .189 with a .245 OBP and retired. For his major league career, he batted .268 with 1407 hits that included 216 doubles, 41 triples, and 93 home runs. He scored 651 runs and compiled 547 RBIs, a .330 OBP, and a .378 slugging percentage. With the Braves he batted .270 with 1329 hits, 624 runs scored, 207 doubles, 40 triples, 92 home runs, 521 RBIs, a .330 OBP, and a .384 slugging percentage. Appearing in 14 World Series games he hit .154 with 3 doubles, a home run, and 4 RBIs. A four-time All-Star, he was inducted into the Milwaukee Braves Honor Roll and the Walk of Fame at Milwaukee’s Miller Park. He died in 2013 at the age of 87. An intense competitor and key player for the Braves during their best seasons in Milwaukee, he was also remembered for his colorful speech containing amusing malapropisms.

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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: Charlie “Kid” Nichols, 1901

Pitcher, Boston Beaneaters

 

Age: 32 (Sept. 14)

12^th season with Beaneaters

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Charles Nichols first began playing baseball there along with his brothers. Moving to Kansas City with his family, around 1885 he began to play regularly for amateur teams prior to joining the Kansas City Cowboys of the Western League in 1887 where the 17-year-old pitcher posted an 18-12 record and 3.37 ERA with 30 complete games and 65 strikeouts over 269.2 innings. Looking young and physically unimpressive with a slender physique, he received the enduring nickname “Kid” from his older teammates. Despite his mound success, the Cowboys didn’t seek to re-sign him for 1888, and he joined the Memphis Grays of the Southern League where he produced a 11-8 tally and 2.28 ERA before the league dissolved in June. The next month he returned to Kansas City and joined the city’s other Western League club, the Blues, where he finished out the season by going 16-2 with a 1.14 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 158.1 innings. Signing with Omaha of the Western Association in 1889, Nichols produced an outstanding 39-8 record and 1.75 ERA with 47 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 368 strikeouts over 438 innings pitched. Moving along to the Boston Beaneaters along with manager Frank Selee in 1890, Nichols continued to perform impressively in his rookie major league season by compiling a 27-19 tally and 2.23 ERA with 47 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 222 strikeouts over 424 innings. Relying on a fastball and curve delivered with excellent control from a simple windup, Nichols excelled again in 1891 with a 30-17 record and 2.39 ERA with 45 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 240 strikeouts over 425.1 innings. The Beaneaters prospered by winning three straight pennants from 1891 to ’93 and Nichols contributed 30-win seasons in each of those years. He went 35-16 in 1892 and 34-14 in 1893, a season in which the modern pitching distance of 60 Feet, 6 inches was established, which proved to be the downfall of many pitchers but had no effect on Nichols’ effectiveness, although his ERA rose to 3.52. He achieved his fourth consecutive thirty-win season in 1894, posting a 32-13 record, albeit with a 4.75 ERA (the league average was 5.33 that year) along with 40 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 113 strikeouts over 407 innings (it was also his fifth, and last, 400-inning season). His 1895 tally was 27-16 with a 3.41 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 390.2 innings. Nichols reached 30 wins in 1896-97-98 with tallies of 30-14, 31-11, and 31-12 respectively. He also topped the NL with 368 innings pitched in 1897. His record dipped somewhat in 1899 to 21-19 although with a respectable 2.99 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 343.1 innings. He entered 1900 as the winningest NL pitcher of the 1890s at 298-151, and he then endured a 1900 season in which he was hindered by injuries for the first time in his career and finished at 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA.  

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 55 games

P – 38, 1B – 5, PH – 5, LF – 4, CF – 2, RF – 1

 [Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38 [7, tied with Frank Kitson, Willie Sudhoff & Vic Willis]

Games Started – 34 [10, tied with Bill Dinneen]

Complete Games – 33 [5, tied with Jack Powell, Vic Willis & Red Donahue]

Wins – 19 [11, tied with Jack Powell & Frank Kitson]

Losses – 16 [12, tied with Rube Waddell & Togie Pittinger]

PCT - .543 [14]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 4 [7, tied with Jesse Tannehill & Luther Taylor]

Innings Pitched – 321 [6]

Hits – 306 [9]

Runs – 146 [10]

Earned Runs – 115 [5]

Home Runs – 8 [7, tied with Luther Taylor & Bill Dinneen]

Bases on Balls – 90 [8]

Strikeouts – 143 [6]

ERA – 3.22 [18]

Hit Batters – 10 [16, tied with five others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 8 [10, tied with Jay Hughes]

Midseason Snapshot: 8-9, ERA - 3.38, SO - 68 in 149 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 12 IP) at Cincinnati 6/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 8 IP) at Cincinnati 9/27

Batting

PA – 175, AB – 163, R – 16, H – 46, 2B – 8, 3B – 7, HR – 4, RBI – 28, BB – 8, SO – 39, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .282, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 4, SF – N/A

Fielding (P)

Chances – 100

Put Outs – 27

Assists – 69

Errors – 4

DP – 1

Pct. - .960

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The Beaneaters went 69-69 to finish fifth in the NL, 20.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in fewest hits allowed (1196). The Beaneaters were out of the first division by May and were stuck in fifth for the remainder of the season despite a good September performance. 

Aftermath of 1901:

In 1902 Nichols took the opportunity to become co-owner and manager of the Kansas City Blue Stockings of the Class A Western League. He pitched for the Blue Stockings as well, posting a 26-7 record and 1.82 ERA. Returning as player/manager in 1903, he produced a 21-12 tally and 2.51 ERA. Nichols returned to the National League in 1904 as player/manager of the St. Louis Cardinals and had a fine season on the mound for the fifth-place club with a 21-13 record and 2.02 ERA. Falling out of favor with team ownership in 1905, Nichols was relieved of his managerial duties in May but retained as a pitcher until released in July with a 1-5 tally and 5.40 ERA. Picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies, he went 10-6 the rest of the way for an overall record of 11-11 with a 3.12 ERA. Nichols returned to the Phillies in 1906, but suffering from pleurisy he retired after four appearances. For his major league career, Nichols compiled a 362-208 record and 2.96 ERA with 532 complete games, 48 shutouts, and 1881 strikeouts over 5067.1 innings. He won 30 games a record seven times. With the Beaneaters his record was 330-183 with a 3.00 ERA, 476 complete games, 44 shutouts, and 1680 strikeouts over 4549 innings. A good hitting pitcher, Nichols batted .226 with 58 doubles, 24 triples, 16 home runs, and 278 RBIs. He pitched and managed in the minor leagues and with semipro clubs after leaving the major leagues. He also scouted for a time and became an accomplished bowler. An outstanding player who was popular and highly respected during his career, Nichols was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949, four years before his death at age 83.

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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: Rusty Staub, 1969

Outfielder, Montreal Expos

Age:  25 (April 1)

1^st season with Expos

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1969:

A native of New Orleans, the red-haired Daniel Joseph Staub received the nickname of “Rusty” as an infant. He played on the New Orleans Jesuit High School baseball team as a first baseman while his brother Chuck was in center field. His American Legion team won the national championship in 1960 and Jesuit High School won the Louisiana AAA title in 1961. He signed a contract with the Houston Colt .45s, who were a year away from joining the National League as an expansion team, for a $100,000 bonus. After hitting well in the Arizona Fall League in ’61, Staub was assigned to the Durham Bulls of the Class B Carolina League where he had an excellent season, batting .293 with a league-leading 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .430 OBP, and a .483 slugging percentage. The 19-year-old Staub started the 1963 season with Houston following a strong spring showing, and with veteran Pete Runnels at first base, Staub started the year in right field. He struggled during his rookie season and hit .224 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .309 OBP. A poor start in 1964 caused Staub to be sent down to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .314 in 71 games with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .646 slugging percentage. Returning to the Colt .45s in September he finished the major league portion of his season with a .216 batting average (up from .202 when he was demoted), 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .272 OBP. Houston had been emphasizing youth in its team building, of which Staub was a key component. The renamed club moved into the Astrodome in 1965 and Staub started off slowly but came on to hit .281 in the season’s second half to finish at .256 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. His batting production was far better on the road than in the spacious new ballpark, and like other outfielders he struggled to keep track of fly balls against the dome’s background. Staub showed great improvement in 1966, batting .280 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a .345 OBP. In the field, his 13 assists placed second among NL right fielders and demonstrated the strength of his throwing arm. He was an All-Star for the first time in 1967 as, with his outstanding swing and line-drive power, he led the NL with 44 doubles while hitting .333 with 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .398 OBP, and .473 slugging percentage. As the Astrodome was not conducive to home run hitters, Staub tailored his swing accordingly. Staub held out for eight days in 1968 before signing a $45,000 contract. Shifted to first base he batted .291 with 37 doubles, 6 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .373 OBP, and was again an All-Star. Having run afoul of manager Harry Walker, Staub was traded during the offseason to the expansion Expos, where he returned to right field.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

RF – 156, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 673 [13]

At Bats – 549

Runs – 89 [17, tied with Willie Stargell]

Hits – 166 [14, tied with Ron Santo]

Doubles – 26 [17, tied with Willie McCovey, Curt Blefary & Gary Sutherland]

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 29 [8, tied with Willie Stargell & Ron Santo]

RBI – 79

Bases on Balls – 110 [3, tied with Joe Morgan]

Int. BB – 11 [14, tied with Johnny Callison, Julian Javier & Al Oliver]

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .302 [10]

OBP - .426 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .526 [7, tied with Tony Perez]

Total Bases – 289 [10]

GDP – 13

Hit by Pitches – 9 [6, tied with Alex Johnson]

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, HR – 13, RBI – 41, AVG – .292, OBP - .408, SLG – .466

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Philadelphia 4/17

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

Most HR, game – 1 on twenty-nine occasions occasions

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at NY Mets 7/13

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 3 (.333) with 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 291

Put Outs – 265

Assists – 16

Errors – 10

DP – 2

Pct. - .966

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

36^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Orlando Cepeda, Atl. & John Edwards, Hou. (1 point, 0% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Expos went 52-110 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Eastern Division, 48 games behind the division-winning New York Mets while drawing 1,212,608 fans to little Jarry Park (Parc Jarry). The Expos were 7-13 at the end of April, despite a no-hitter by RHP Bill Stoneman. Typically, they were pitching challenged, unable to make the most of the power displayed by outfielders Staub and Mack Jones, plus the surprising rookie third baseman Coco Laboy. They settled into the NL East cellar and were at their best during an 11-15 September.

Aftermath of 1969: 

Immensely popular in Montreal and called “Le Grand Orange” by the French-speaking fans, Staub followed up with another outstanding season in 1970. He batted .274 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBIs, a .394 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. He became an active promoter of the young club throughout Canada, developed several business sidelines in the city,  took classes in French, and even became a wine connoisseur and chef. He played in all 162 games for the Expos in 1971 despite a wrist injury and hit .311 with 34 doubles, 19 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .392 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the fifth straight year (including all three in Montreal. But while he was prospering on the field, the Expos were not and in 1972 Staub was dealt to the New York Mets for three young players (SS Tim Foli, 1B Mike Jorgensen, and OF Ken Singleton). He performed well for the Mets until suffering a broken wrist when hit by a pitch in June. The injury required surgery that effectively ended his season. Limited to 66 games he batted .293 with 9 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. Back in action in 1973, Staub hit .279 with 36 doubles, 15 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .361 OBP. The Mets, who were in last place in the NL East in early August, surged to the division title, albeit with only an 82-79 record. They defeated Cincinnati in the NLCS, helped in no small part by Staub’s three home runs. Injuring his shoulder when hitting the outfield fence following a key catch in Game 4, his throwing was hindered in the seven-game World Series loss to the Oakland Athletics, although he batted .423 with 11 hits that included a home run. In 1974, struggling with his weight and an assortment of injuries, he hit a disappointing .258 with 19 home runs, 78 RBIs, and a .347 OBP. His production improved in 1975 to .282 with 19 home runs, 105 RBIs, a .371 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. In the offseason, the Mets dealt Staub to the Detroit Tigers in a four-player trade that most prominently included LHP Mickey Lolich, going from Detroit to New York. While Lolich flopped with the Mets in 1976, Staub prospered with his new club, batting .299 with 28 doubles, 15 home runs, 96 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .433 slugging percentage. Utilized exclusively as a Designated Hitter in 1977, but despite being unhappy at not playing in the outfield, his bat remained productive as he hit .278 with 34 doubles, 22 home runs, 101 RBIs, a .336 OBP, and a .448 slugging percentage. Staub was still a DH exclusively in 1978 and was again productive, batting .273 with 30 doubles, 24 home runs, 121 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a slugging percentage of .435. Seeking a contract extension, Staub held out in 1979 and threatened to retire to run his restaurant in New York. He eventually rejoined the club in May but by July 20 he was hitting only .236 with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs. Staub was traded back to the Expos at that point, who were now contenders in the NL East. Used primarily as a first baseman and pinch-hitter upon his return to Montreal, he batted .267 in 38 games with 3 homers and 14 RBIs. During spring training in 1980, Staub was dealt once again, this time to the Texas Rangers where he again found himself typically appearing as a DH. Playing in 109 games he hit .300 with 23 doubles, 9 home runs, 55 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .459 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason, Staub finished out his career with the Mets from 1981 to ’85 as a pinch-hitter and backup at first base. His .317 batting average in 1981 was his best of those last seasons with the Mets, and he hit a total of 13 home runs with 102 RBIs during those seasons as well. For his major league career, Staub batted .279 with 2716 hits that included 499 doubles, 47 triples, and 292 home runs. He scored 1189 runs and compiled 1466 RBIs, a .362 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. With the Expos he batted .295 with 290 runs scored, 531 hits, 86 doubles, 18 triples, 81 home runs, 284 RBIs, a .402 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. Appearing in 11 postseason games he hit .341 with 4 homers and 11 RBIs. A six-time All-Star, Staub finished in the top 20 in league MVP voting four times. He also became the first major league player to reach 500 hits with four different teams. The Expos (now Washington Nationals) retired his #10 and he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, the New York Mets Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Beyond his playing career he operated two restaurants in New York and became a broadcaster for radio and telecasts of Mets games for several seasons. He also set up two charitable foundations, the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children Benefit Fund and the Rusty Staub Foundation to assist food pantries. Staub died in 2018 at the age of 73.

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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 will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason.

Highlighted Year: Roy Howell, 1978

Third Baseman, Toronto Blue Jays

Age:  24

2^nd season with Blue Jays (1^st complete)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1978:

A native of Lompoc, California, Howell grew up doing physically demanding farming and ranching work and excelled in football and baseball in high school. Chosen in the first round of the 1972 amateur draft by the Texas Rangers, the 18-year-old third baseman was initially assigned to Pittsfield of the Class AA Eastern League and batted .250 with a .336 on-base percentage in 48 games. In an offseason hunting accident, Howell was shot and seriously wounded in his left arm. Teammates nicknamed him “Target”, which lasted for the remainder of his playing career. Returning to Pittsfield in 1973, he hit .242 with 12 doubles, 15 home runs, 47 RBIs, a .376 OBP, and a .462 slugging percentage. Newly married in 1974, Howell moved up to Spokane of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .281 with 23 doubles, 5 triples, 22 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .377 OBP, and .474 slugging percentage. He impressed the organization with his plate discipline and received a late-season call-up to the Rangers where manager Billy Martin immediately inserted him into the starting lineup for both games of a double-header. He appeared in a total of 13 games with Texas and hit .250 with a home run and three RBIs along with a .283 OBP. Taking over as the starting third baseman for the Rangers during 1975, Howell batted .251 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 51 RBIs, and a .322 OBP. Spotty at bat and in the field in 1976, he hit .253 with 28 doubles, 8 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .295 OBP. He further committed an AL-leading 28 errors at third base. Howell lost his starting job at third base in 1977 and saw limited action until traded to the Blue Jays in May. The change of teams yielded good results right away as Howell went on a 15-game hitting streak on his way to batting .316 for the Blue Jays with 10 home runs, 44 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .451 slugging percentage.  

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in 140 games

3B – 131, RF – 5, PH – 3, DH – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 601

At Bats – 551

Runs – 67

Hits – 149

Doubles – 28 [18]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 8

RBI – 61

Bases on Balls – 44

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 78

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .270

OBP - .325

Slugging Pct. - .376

Total Bases – 207

GDP – 10

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, HR - 4, RBI - 47, AVG - .293, OBP - .347

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Detroit 4/14, (in 5 AB) vs. Detroit 6/21

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 6

Most home runs, game – 1 on eight occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Baltimore 6/26

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 2 (.000) with 1 BB

Fielding (3B)

Chances – 437

Put Outs – 109

Assists – 306

Errors – 22

DP – 27

Pct. - .950

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Blue Jays went 59-102 to finish seventh (last) in the AL Eastern Division, 40 games behind the division-winning New York Yankees while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (28). The Blue Jays showed improvement in their second season, particularly defensively, and surged in August with a 16-14 record (the first winning month in team history), but the club crashed during a disastrous 4-21 September that included eight straight losses to close out the season and placed in the cellar once again in the tough AL East. Howell showed significant defensive improvement but missed 41 games due to injury.

Aftermath of 1978:

Benefiting from a hard-nosed approach to baseball and good work ethic, Howell improved his home run and RBI totals in 1979 to 15 and 72 respectively, although his batting average sank to .247 and his OBP dropped to .310. His defense continued to get better but his relationship with the Toronto front office began to decline. Having taken the club to arbitration in 1980, Howell hit .269 with 28 doubles, 9 triples, 10 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .335 OBP.A free agent in the offseason, Howell signed with the Milwaukee Brewers for five years and $1.825 million. During the strike-shortened 1981 season, Howell proved to be a disappointment, batting .238 with 13 doubles, 6 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .306 OBP. He also regressed defensively. He saw less playing time in 1982 for the pennant-winning Brewers and was most extensively utilized as a Designated Hitter. He hit .260 with 17 extra-base hits, 38 RBIs, and a .305 OBP. He went hitless in 11 at bats in the World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Howell spent two more seasons with the Brewers, with his playing time and production diminishing in 1983 and ’84. Released by the club following the 1984 season, and with one more year remaining on his contract, he failed to make the San Francisco Giants in 1985 and played for Philadelphia’s Class AAA Portland farm team in the Pacific Coast League where he batted .262 with 9 home runs and 37 RBIs. When he failed to catch on with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986, he retired. For his major league career, Howell batted .261 with 991 hits that included 183 doubles, 31 triples, and 80 home runs. He scored 422 runs and compiled 454 RBIs, a .321 OBP, and a .389 slugging percentage. With the Blue Jays he batted .272 with 532 hits, 219 runs scored, 101 doubles, 17 triples, 43 home runs, 234 RBIs, a .335 OBP, and .407 slugging percentage. Appearing in 9 postseason games he hit .105 with no extra-base hits. Following his career in organized baseball, Howell played in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989 and was a minor league coach and manager.   

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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: Dave Stenhouse, 1962

Pitcher, Washington Senators

Age: 29 (Sept. 12)

1^st season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1962:

A native of Westerly, Rhode Island, Stenhouse was part of an athletic family. His father and uncle starred in three sports at Westerly High School, where Stenhouse himself performed with distinction in basketball and football, as well as baseball. A good student, he moved on to the University of Rhode Island where he excelled in basketball and baseball on his way to earning a degree in Industrial Engineering. Upon graduation in 1955, he signed with the Chicago Cubs. His first professional experience came with the Burlington Bees of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa-(or Three I) League in ’55 in which he produced a 0-1 record in six appearances. He advanced to the Lafayette Oilers of the Class C Evangeline League in 1956 and posted a 16-4 tally and 1.92 ERA, 14 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 181 strikeouts over 183 innings pitched. In addition to a fastball, Stenhouse had developed an effective knuckle-curveball in high school which was his best pitch. He would add a sinker and slider that he used effectively. Advancing to Des Moines of the Class A Western League in 1957, he went 12-13 with a 3.54 ERA, 11 complete games, and 184 strikeouts over 201 innings. With Pueblo of the Western League and Fort Worth of the Class AA Texas League in 1958, his production was a combined 17-9 with a 3.15 ERA, 17 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 190 strikeouts over 237 innings, although he was hindered by a sore arm. Drafted away from the Cubs by the Cincinnati Reds in 1959, he was assigned to the Seattle Rainiers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he turned in a 12-13 tally and 2.84 ERA, 12 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 118 strikeouts over 200 innings. Barely missing making the Cincinnati roster in the spring of 1960, Stenhouse returned to Seattle and posted a 13-12 mark and 4.16 ERA with 11 complete games and 134 strikeouts over 186 innings. Still unable to crack the Reds pitching staff in 1961, Stenhouse was assigned to Jersey City of the Class AAA International League where his record was 14-12 with a 3.32 ERA, 12 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 144 strikeouts over 214 innings. Having put in a long and solid minor league apprenticeship, Stenhouse was traded to the Senators in the offseason as part of a four-player deal where he finally got the opportunity to pitch for a major league club.  

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 26

Complete Games – 9 [11, tied with Gene Conley, Juan Pizarro & Milt Pappas]

Wins – 11 (20, tied with five others)

Losses – 12 (14, tied with five others)

PCT - .478

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [11, tied with fourteen others]

Innings Pitched – 197 [20]

Hits – 169

Runs – 84

Earned Runs – 80

Home Runs – 24 [11, tied with Chuck Estrada, Don Mossi & Jim Grant]

Bases on Balls – 90 [9]

Strikeouts – 123 [19, tied with Dan Pfister]

ERA – 3.65 [17]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

Midseason Snapshot: 6-4, ERA - 3.03, SO – 58 in 95 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 6 IP) vs. Cleveland 8/10, (in 10 IP) at Minnesota 7/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Chi. White Sox 7/17, (in 7 IP) at NY Yankees 5/6

Batting

PA – 66, AB – 58, R – 3, H – 3, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 1, SO – 13, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .052, GDP – 2, HBP – 1, SH – 6, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 54

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 33

Errors – 0

DP – 3

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (started second game for AL)

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In their second season, the expansion Senators went 60-101 to finish tenth (last) in the AL, 35.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in fewest saves (13) and fewest strikeouts (771). Playing in the new DC Stadium (later RFK Stadium), the power-deprived Senators started poorly and were 26-53 at the All-Star break, with both manager Mickey Vernon and GM Ed Doherty under threat of dismissal. The club went on a 28-31 run thereafter before tailing off in September, causing the firing of Doherty but not Vernon. The pitchers, including Stenhouse, featured best throughout the disappointing season. Stenhouse started the year off in the bullpen prior to moving into the starting rotation in May. Soon after the All-Star break, he suffered a knee injury and lost his next six starts and went only 5-8 during the season’s second half.

Aftermath of 1962:

In 1963, Stenhouse’s season ended in July due to elbow surgery. His record was only 3-9 in 16 starts with a 4.55 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 87 innings. He suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1964, highlighted by a three-hit shutout of the Orioles in July, and ended up with a 2-7 tally and 4.81 ERA. He found himself back in the minors in 1964 where he lasted until 1967, but he was unable to recover the form that made him an All-Star as a rookie in 1962. For his major league career, spent entirely with the Senators, his record was 16-28 with a 4.14 ERA, 12 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 214 strikeouts over 372 innings. Following his playing career, he returned to Rhode Island and coached baseball and basketball at Rhode Island College and Brown University. Stenhouse died in 2023 at age 90. His son, Mike, was an outfielder and first baseman who played for Montreal, Minnesota, and Boston between 1982 and ’86.

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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 will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason.