Highlighted Year: Bob Schmidt, 1958

Catcher, San Francisco Giants

Age:  25 (April 22)

1^st season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1958:

A St. Louis native, Schmidt was signed by the New York Giants in 1951. Initially assigned to Lenoir of the Class D Carolina League, the 18-year-old backstop appeared in 50 games and batted .284 with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .363 on-base percentage. Advancing to Oshkosh of the Class D Wisconsin State League in 1952, his batting average dropped to .248 and he hit 17 doubles, 11 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .342 OBP. Schmidt missed the next two seasons due to military service. Upon his return to the minors in 1955, he played for Danville of the Class B Carolina League and batted .265 with 29 doubles, 14 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .315 OBP. Moving up to the Dallas Eagles of the Class AA Texas League in 1956, Schmidt hit .283 with 17 doubles, 13 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .364 OBP, and a .445 slugging percentage. In 1957 he moved on to the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AAA American Association and batted .262 with 17 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .313 OBP, and a .438 slugging percentage. Making it to the relocated Giants in 1958, he split the catching duties with Valmy Thomas.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in 127 games

C – 123, PH – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 432

At Bats – 393

Runs – 46

Hits – 96

Doubles – 20

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 14

RBI – 54

Bases on Balls – 33

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 59

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .244

OBP - .306

Slugging Pct. - .412

Total Bases – 162

GDP – 19 [4, tied with Frank Thomas & Stan Musial]

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 2 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 12, HR - 12, RBI - 32, AVG - .265, OBP - .329

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at LA Dodgers 5/13

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 8

HR on road – 6

Most home runs, game – 1 on fourteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. LA Dodgers 8/31

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 6 (.333) with 1 HR, 1 RBI & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 682

Put Outs – 616

Assists – 54

Errors – 12

Passed Balls – 3

DP – 10

Pct. - .982

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Giants went 80-74 in their first San Francisco season to finish third in the NL, 12 games behind the pennant-winning Milwaukee Braves while leading the league in runs scored (727), doubles (250) and RBIs (682). The Giants got off to a strong start and were in first place for all but two days from May 18 to June 10. They remained close to the top and were last in first on July 29. They dropped into third place to stay during a 14-17 August and drew a total of 1,272,625 fans to their temporary home at Seals Stadium, nearly doubling the attendance from their last year at New York’s Polo Grounds. Schmidt had a strong first half as a hitter. A highlight occurred when he and outfielder Hank Sauer became the first players in NL history to hit back-to-back pinch home runs in a game against the Braves.

Aftermath of 1958:

In 1959, now sharing the catching duties with Hobie Landrith and Jim Hegan, Schmidt’s offensive production dropped to .243 with 7 doubles, 5 home runs, 20 RBIs, and a .296 OBP. In 1960, he saw the most action behind the plate for the Giants and hit a respectable .267 with 8 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .317 OBP. Early in the 1961 season he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds as part of the deal for veteran catcher Ed Bailey. Hindered by a knee injury, Schmidt was limited to a total of 29 games and batted .132 with one home run, 5 RBIs, and a .212 OBP. In the offseason, he was dealt again, this time to the Washington Senators. Splitting time at catcher with Ken Retzer in 1962, Schmidt appeared in 88 games and hit .242 with 14 doubles, 10 home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .281 OBP, while leading all AL catchers in fielding percentage (.987). Purchased by the New York Yankees in May of 1963, he was assigned to Richmond of the Class AAA International League where he batted .245 with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .321 OBP. Back with Richmond in 1964, Schmidt hit .254 with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .306 OBP.  He started the 1965 season with the Yankees, platooning with Johnny Blanchard in place of injured starting catcher Elston Howard. In June he was sent down to the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League to make room for the up-and-coming catcher Jake Gibbs, which marked the end of his major league career. His 1965 statistics with the Yankees were a batting average of .250 with a home run, 3 RBIs, and a .302 OBP. With Toledo he hit .294 with 6 home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .357 OBP. Schmidt played one more season with Toledo in 1966 before ending his playing career. For his major league career, he batted .243 with 317 hits that included 55 doubles, 4 triples, and 39 home runs. He scored 133 runs and compiled 150 RBIs, a .298 OBP, and a .381 slugging percentage. With the Giants he batted .252 with 233 hits, 94 runs scored, 39 doubles, 4 triples, 27 home runs, 112 RBIs, a .307 OBP, and a .391 slugging percentage. He had no World Series appearances and his 1958 All-Star selection was his only one. Following his playing career, Schmidt went into construction and died in 2015 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: George Davis, 1901

Shortstop, New York Giants

Age:  31 (Aug. 23)

9^th season with Giants

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Cohoes, New York, Davis was playing for tavern-sponsored baseball teams by age 15 in 1886. Already a switch-hitter, he was with a semipro team in Albany in 1889. With a player shortage in the NL due to competition from the Players League in 1890, Davis joined the Cleveland Spiders and appeared primarily in the outfield where he accounted for 35 assists while batting .264 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 73 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .336 on-base percentage, and a .375 slugging percentage. In 1891 he hit .289 with 35 doubles, 12 triples, 3 home runs, 89 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .354 OBP, and a .409 slugging percentage, while striking out only 29 times. A good and versatile defensive player, he was again primarily used in the outfield as well as at third base, and on three occasions as a pitcher (with bad results). In 1892 his batting average dropped to .241, but with 27 doubles, 12 triples, 5 home runs, 82 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .312 OBP helped by drawing 58 walks. In 1893 Davis was traded to the New York Giants for star catcher/first baseman Buck Ewing, where he was installed at third base and batted .355 with 22 doubles, 27 triples, 11 home runs, 119 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. Along the way he set a short-lived league record with a 33-game hitting streak. He became a fan favorite and was mentored by manager Monte Ward, with whom he bore a physical resemblance once he grew a handlebar mustache. 1894 was another strong season in which Davis hit .352 with 27 doubles, 19 triples, 9 home runs, 93 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .434 OBP, and a .541 slugging percentage. With the purchase of the Giants by Andrew Freedman in 1895, Ward stepped down as manager and the intelligent and articulate Davis became his successor at age 24, making him the NL’s youngest manager at the time. The club was off to a 16-17 start when Davis was relieved of his managerial duties. With Freedman refusing to give him his requested release, Davis stayed on as a player and batted .340 with 36 doubles, 9 triples, 5 home runs, 101 RBIs, 48 stolen bases, a .417 OBP, and a .500 slugging percentage. Moved to shortstop during the 1896 season, Davis continued to thrive while the Giants, under the abrasive and miserly Freedman, floundered. He hit .320 with 25 doubles, 12 triples, 5 home runs, 99 RBIs, 48 stolen bases, a .387 OBP, and a .449 slugging percentage. In 1897 Davis topped the National League with 135 RBIs while batting .353 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, 65 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. Playing at shortstop for the full year, he excelled, leading NL shortstops in putouts (339) and double plays (67). His excellent range and throwing ability were on full display at his new position. In 1898 Davis hit .307 with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 2 home runs, 86 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .351 OBP, and a .381 slugging percentage. His fielding remained solid at shortstop. Bothered by injuries in 1899 “Gorgeous George” batted .337 with 28 extra-base hits (22 of them doubles), 59 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, a .394 OBP, and a .420 slugging percentage. Named team captain in 1900, he again became player/manager after the club got off to a dreadful start on the way to a last-place finish. Davis was once again a productive hitter and proficient fielder.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 130 games

SS – 113, 3B – 18

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 538

At Bats – 491

Runs – 69

Hits – 148

Doubles – 26 [9, tied with Kitty Bransfield]

Triples – 7

Home Runs – 7 [7, tied with Topsy Hartsel]

RBI – 65

Bases on Balls – 40

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 38

Stolen Bases – 27 [13, tied with Jesse Burkett, Roy Thomas & Frank Chance]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .301

OBP - .356

Slugging Pct. - .426 [14]

Total Bases – 209 [19, tied with Joe Kelley]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, 3B – 3, HR - 4, RBI - 37, SB – 8, AVG - .319, SLG - .469, OBP – .372

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 5/8, (in 6 AB) at Cincinnati 6/9, (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 7/8

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 7/8

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Cincinnati 7/8, at Bos. Beaneaters 8/1

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 737

Put Outs – 296

Assists – 396

Errors – 45

DP – 42

Pct. – .939

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The Giants went 52-85 to finish seventh in the NL, 37 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (133) and fewest bases on balls drawn (303, tied with the Boston Beaneaters). For the Davis-managed Giants, the arrival of rookie RHP Christy Mathewson proved to be a key highlight. The club held onto first place on-and-off from May 14 until June 10, when they lost the first of three straight games to the Pirates. They suffered through a dreadful second half of the season on their way to a seventh-place finish.

Aftermath of 1901:

With his stint as a player/manager at an end, Davis jumped to the American League’s Chicago White Sox in 1902 in which he batted .299 with 27 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 93 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, a .386 OBP, and a .402 slugging percentage. In the offseason the Giants, now managed by John McGraw, got Davis’ signature on a two-year contract in a deal that threatened the nascent peace agreement between the NL and AL. In a case that ended up in federal court, White Sox owner Charles Comiskey managed to get an injunction that forced Davis to play for his team. He ended up appearing in only four games for the Giants in 1903 and didn’t play at all for the White Sox. Returning to the White Sox in 1904, his batting production declined to .252 with 27 doubles, 15 triples, one home run, 69 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, a .311 OBP, and a .359 slugging percentage. With the second-place club in 1905, Davis rebounded to .278 with 29 doubles, a home run, 55 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .353 OBP. He continued to be a top defensive shortstop. The White Sox won the AL pennant in 1906 despite being the league’s lightest-hitting club. Davis contributed to “the Hitless Wonders” by batting .277 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 80 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, a .338 OBP, and a .355 slugging percentage. On a club that prospered on pitching and defense, Davis was a key player. Illness caused him to miss the first three games of the World Series against the highly-favored cross-town Cubs, but in the three games he appeared in he hit .308 with 3 doubles, 4 runs scored, and 6 RBIs as the White Sox won in six games. Davis’ performance dropped off in 1907 and ’08 due to age and injuries, and after appearing in only 28 games in 1909 he was given his release, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, he batted .295 with 2665 hits that included 453 doubles, 163 triples, and 73 home runs. He scored 1545 runs and compiled 1440 RBIs, 619 stolen bases, a .362 OBP, and a .405 slugging percentage. With the White Sox he batted .259 with 785 hits, 393 runs scored, 140 doubles, 32 triples, 6 home runs, 377 RBIs, 162 stolen bases, a .333 OBP, and a .332 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, Davis operated a bowling alley (he was apparently an excellent bowler), managed a minor league team, scouted for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, and coached at Amherst College. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, 58 years after his death in 1940 at age 70.

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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: Clarence “Cito” Gaston, 1970

Outfielder, San Diego Padres

Age: 26

2^nd season with Padres

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1970:

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Clarence Gaston acquired the nickname “Cito” in his youth, due to his apparent resemblance to a Mexican wrestler of that name. A basketball, football, and baseball standout in high school, Gaston went on to play for an amateur baseball team and was signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1964. That year he played Class A ball for Binghamton of the New York-Pennsylvania League and Greenville of the Western Carolinas League and batted a combined .231 with a .270 on-base percentage. The young outfielder was next assigned to West Palm Beach of the Florida State League in 1965 and, hindered by a cracked shinbone, he hit .188 with a .305 OBP. In 1966 Gaston’s next stop was with the Batavia Trojans of the New York-Pennsylvania League where he batted an impressive .330 with 18 doubles, 5 triples, 28 home runs, 104 RBIs, a .412 OBP, and a .589 slugging percentage. He finished the season with a brief stint in the Class AA Texas League with Austin. A good 1967 stint in the Arizona Instructional League had Gaston back with Austin where he hit .305 with 24 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, 70 RBIs, a .365 OBP, and a .436 slugging percentage. In a late-season call-up to the Braves, now in Atlanta, he appeared in 9 games and batted .120. In the offseason he played in the Venezuelan Winter League with unimpressive results. A poor start in 1968 with Richmond of the Class AAA International League caused Gaston to be demoted to Shreveport of the Texas League where he batted .279 with 15 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a .332 OBP. Returning to the Venezuelan Winter League in the offseason, he led the circuit in batting (.383) and RBIs (64) while slugging 11 home runs. In the NL expansion draft he was taken by the Padres. As a backup outfielder with the fledgling club in 1969, Gaston, hindered by minor injuries, hit .230 with 20 extra-base hits, 28 RBIs, and a .275 OBP. He played in Venezuela again in the offseason, but despite his season being cut short by a knee injury, Gaston won another batting title as he hit .360. A good fielder, he emerged as a hitter in 1970.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 146 games

CF – 142, PH – 4, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 629

At Bats – 584 [17]

Runs – 92 [20, tied with Willie Davis & Bill Grabarkewitz]

Hits – 186 [8, tied with Bobby Tolan & Tony Perez]

Doubles – 26

Triples – 9 [5, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 29 [13]

RBI – 93 [17, tied with Deron Johnson & Willie Davis]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 142 [5]

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .318 [6]

OBP - .364

Slugging Pct. - .543 [9, tied with Orlando Cepeda]

Total Bases – 317 [5]

GDP – 16 [10, tied with Jim Wynn & Dick Dietz]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 2 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, 3B – 6, HR – 16, RBI – 62, AVG - .326, SLG –- .552, OBP – .373

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 1 on twenty-nine occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 on nine occasions

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 4 (.250) with 1 R

Fielding

Chances – 325

Put Outs – 310

Assists – 7

Errors – 8

DP – 0

Pct. - .975

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

24^th in NL MVP voting (5 points, 1% share)

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The Padres went 63-99 to finish sixth (last) in the NL Western Division, 39 games behind the division-winning Cincinnati Reds while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1164), and fewest doubles (208). With improved offense in their second season, the Padres were 11 wins better than their inaugural season. Still, they quickly dropped into the NL West cellar during a 7-14 April and stayed there, despite occasional forays into fifth. The pitching was a disappointment, offsetting the power production of Gaston, RF Ollie Brown, and 1B Nate Colbert. Surprisingly, they went 10-8 against the division-champion Reds.

Aftermath of 1970:

Following his outstanding 1970 season, Gaston again played winter ball in Venezuela with diminished production which carried over to the 1971 season with the Padres. He batted only .228 with 13 doubles, 9 triples, 17 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .264 OBP, and a .386 slugging percentage while striking out 121 times. The injury-plagued Gaston shifted to right field in 1972, but his production dropped further to .269 with 7 home runs, 44 RBIs, and a .313 OBP. He showed a little more punch in 1973 with 16 home runs as he batted .250 with 57 RBIs, a .281 OBP and a .405 slugging percentage. The arrival of Bobby Tolan in a deal with Cincinnati displaced Gaston in right field and made him the club’s fourth outfielder in 1974. Appearing in 106 games he hit a mere .213 with 6 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .259 OBP. In the offseason he was traded back to the Braves where, still a reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter in 1975, Gaston appeared in 64 games and batted .241 with 6 home runs, 15 RBIs, and a .321 OBP. In 1976 he managed a two-homer, 5 RBI game against the Padres on his way to playing in 62 games and hitting a solid .291 with 4 home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .354 OBP. Gaston lasted two more seasons with Atlanta until being sold to Pittsburgh during the last month of the 1978 season, which marked the end of his major league playing career. For his major league career, Gaston batted .256 with 799 hits that included 106 doubles, 30 triples, and 91 home runs. He scored 314 runs and compiled 387 RBIs, a .298 OBP, and a .397 slugging percentage. The 1970 season remained his career best and he never saw postseason action. Following the culmination of his major league playing career, Gaston played for Santo Domingo in the Inter-American League and also was in the Mexican League before retiring to become hitting coach for the Braves in 1981. With manager Bobby Cox moving to Toronto in 1982, Gaston went with him in the same role. He remained a coach with the Blue Jays until replacing Jimy Williams as manager during the 1989 season. He went on to guide the club to five division titles and back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. He remained as manager until 1997 and returned to the job from 2008-2010. His overall record as manager of the Blue Jays was 894-837 with the three championships. Gaston was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, three years after he was named to the Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre.   

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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 categohe managed a twory 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 Gibson, 1962

Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Age: 26

4^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 189 

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 43 games

P – 32, PR – 11

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 32

Games Started – 30 [19, tied with Cal Koonce & Ernie Broglio]

Complete Games – 15 [8]

Wins – 15 [13, tied with Bob Shaw, Johnny Podres & Al McBean]

Losses – 13 [17, tied with Jim O’Toole, Johnny Podres & Bob Hendley]

PCT - .536

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 5 [1, tied with Bob Friend]

Innings Pitched – 233.2 [14]

Hits – 174

Runs – 84

Earned Runs – 74

Home Runs – 15

Bases on Balls – 95 [5]

Strikeouts – 208 [3]

ERA – 2.85 [5]

Hit Batters – 10 [6]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 11 [6]

Midseason Snapshot: 10-6, ERA - 3.05, SO - 113 in 130 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) vs. Philadelphia 6/13, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 7/18

10+ strikeout games – 6

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Houston 4/26

Batting

PA – 90, AB – 76, R – 11, H – 20, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 5, BB – 4, SO – 28, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .263, GDP – 1, HBP – 3, SH – 6, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances - 56

Put Outs – 18

Assists – 35

Errors – 3

DP – 6

Pct. - .946

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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The Cardinals went 84-78 to finish sixth in the NL, 17.5 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (17). The Cardinals got off to a solid 11-4 start in April and contended into May when a 3-9 stretch dropped them into fourth. A brief hot streak gave way to another poor stretch and they were at .500 (24-24) by June 3. A strong June lifted the club to fourth, where they stayed until July 22 but the inconsistent team entered September in fifth place, and an eight-game losing streak mired them in sixth place to stay, although they finished the season with a four-game West Coast winning streak that affected the pennant race. Gibson’s fine season ended in September due to a broken ankle.

Aftermath of 1962:

Off to a slow start in 1963, Gibson still improved his record to 18-9 with a 3.39 ERA and 204 strikeouts. The Cardinals won the NL pennant in a close race in 1964 and Gibson contributed a 19-12 record with a 3.01 ERA and 245 strikeouts to the effort. In the World Series victory against the Yankees he won two more games, against one loss, struck out 31 batters and was named MVP of the Series. Manager Keane, his mentor, resigned following the Series and was replaced by Red Schoendienst. The Cards had a lesser season in 1965 although Gibson went 20-12 with a 3.07 ERA and 270 strikeouts. Tall, lean, intense, quiet and aloof, and a fierce competitor with an intimidating mound presence who did not fraternize with players from other teams, he improved his record to 21-12 in 1966 with a 2.44 ERA and 225 strikeouts. The Cardinals got off to a fast start in 1967 and Gibson had a 10-6 record in mid-July when he suffered a broken leg when struck by a line drive off the bat of Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente. St. Louis stayed on track to win the pennant and Gibson returned in September to win three more games, including the pennant-clincher. He finished with a 13-7 mark and 147 strikeouts over 175.1 innings and a 2.98 ERA. In the World Series against the Boston Red Sox he won all three of his starts, including the title-clinching seventh game, which were all complete games. He had a 1.00 ERA and recorded 26 strikeouts over the course of his 27 innings pitched and was once again the Series MVP. With both a rising and sinking fastball, slider, curve, and changeup, and always working at a fast pace, he came into the 1968 season recognized as one of baseball’s best pitchers. The Cardinals again won the NL pennant and, in a season dominated by pitching, Gibson produced a 22-9 record with a 1.12 ERA, 13 shutouts, and 268 strikeouts, earning him NL MVP, as well as Cy Young, recognition. In the World Series against Detroit, he set a World Series record in Game 1 with 17 strikeouts and added to his string of complete game wins before faltering in Game 7. Gibson, nicknamed “Hoot” for movie cowboy Hoot Gibson, or “Gibby”, who received a pay increase to $125,000, remained solid in 1969, posting a 20-13 record with a 2.18 ERA and 269 strikeouts while topping the NL with 28 complete games, although the Cardinals were no longer a first-place team. The club struggled in 1970 although Gibson had another Cy Young-winning year while producing a 23-7 mark and 3.12 ERA with 274 strikeouts. He slipped to 16-13 in 1971 although he pitched his only career no-hitter against Pittsburgh. Gibson had his last All-Star season in 1972, going 19-11 with a 2.46 ERA and 208 strikeouts. The Cardinals rebounded from a dreadful start in 1973 to move into contention in the NL East but Gibson suffered a knee injury in August and the Redbirds came up short. His record was 12-10 with a 2.77 ERA and 142 strikeouts over 195 innings. “Gibby” fell off to 11-13 in 1974, his first losing record since 1960, as his ERA rose to 3.83. Pitching poorly at age 39 in 1975, he was relegated to the bullpen and retired in frustration prior to the end of the season. For his major league career, played entirely with the Cardinals, he compiled a 251-174 record and a 2.91 ERA with 255 complete games, 56 shutouts, and 3117 strikeouts over 3884.1 innings pitched. Gibson had five 20-win seasons. Pitching in 9 World Series games, he compiled a 7-2 record with 92 strikeouts over the course of 81 innings that included 8 complete games. His seven wins were consecutive as well as all of the complete games, and his 17-strikeout performance in Game 1 of the 1968 Series remains the single game World Series record to date. A good hitting pitcher, he compiled 24 home runs with 144 RBIs over the course of his career and added two more home runs during World Series play. An excellent fielder despite an off-balance delivery, Gibson was awarded nine Gold Gloves. An eight-time All-Star, the Cardinals retired his #45 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. A statue was erected in his honor outside Busch Stadium. Gibson went into broadcasting for a time following his playing career and later served as a pitching coach for the Braves under manager Joe Torre, a former teammate. He also served as a coach and special instructor for the Cardinals. Gibson died at age 84 in 2020.

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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: Miller Huggins, 1911

Second Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  33

2^nd season with Cardinals

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’6”    Weight: 140 

Prior to 1911:

A Cincinnati native, Huggins played semipro baseball at a young age and joined Mansfield of the Interstate League in 1899 under an assumed name due to his father’s disapproval. Small, but tough, athletic, and intelligent, he began switch-hitting but was never an impressive batter from either side. After playing for a sandlot team in upstate New York in 1900, Huggins moved on to the St. Paul Saints of the Western League and American Association from 1901 to 1903. He hit over .300 in the latter two seasons and earned a law degree at the University of Cincinnati. Hindered in drawing major league attention by his diminutive size, he succeeded thanks to his determination and intelligence. Catching on with the Cincinnati Reds in 1904, he utilized a crouched stance and careful batting eye to start at second base and hit .263 with 12 doubles, 7 triples, 2 home runs, 30 RBIs, 96 runs scored, and a .377 on-base percentage while drawing 88 walks. Teased by teammates for his size, crooked smile, and odd stance at the plate, he proved to be a capable second baseman and received nicknames such as “Mighty Mite” and “Rabbit”. In 1905 he led the NL in walks drawn (103) while batting .273 with a .392 OBP. He also stole 27 bases. Lacking batting power, all of his career home runs were of the inside-the-park variety. In 1906 he hit .292 with a .376 OBP, 41 stolen bases, and led all NL second basemen in assists for the second straight year with 458. Capable of being devious, he was adept at pulling the “hidden ball” trick to deceive opposing baserunners. Quiet, lacking flamboyance, and not prone to socializing off the field, Huggins enjoyed reading, playing billiards, card playing, and fishing. In 1907 he again led the league in walks drawn (83) while batting .248 with 17 extra-base hits, 31 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and a .346 OBP. Huggins lasted two more seasons with the Reds, and after displaying a fair degree of endurance thus far in his major league career despite dealing with a variety of maladies, Huggins was limited to 57 games due to a sore arm in 1909. In the offseason he was traded to the Cardinals as part of a five-player deal. The trade was highly unpopular with Cincinnati fans but served to spur Huggins’ career to some of his best seasons and set the stage for his later managerial career. In 1910 he appeared in 151 games and topped the NL in walks drawn (116) and plate appearances (688) while batting .265 with a .399 OBP. In one game against the Boston Doves (later Braves), he set a record of six plate appearances without registering a single at bat thanks to two sacrifices and drawing four walks, although he did score a run. His defense remained outstanding.  

1911 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

2B – 136, PR – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 626 [18]

At Bats – 509

Runs – 106 [2, tied with Bob Bescher]

Hits – 133

Doubles – 19

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 24

Bases on Balls – 96 [4]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 52

Stolen Bases – 37 [9, tied with Dick Egan]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .261

OBP - .385 [11, tied with Bob Bescher]

Slugging Pct. - .312

Total Bases – 159

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 6 [15, tied with six others]

Sac Hits – 15

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: R – 54, 2B – 9, HR – 1, RBI – 10, SB – 17, AVG – .249, OBP - .370

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 6/23

HR at home – 0

HR on road – 1

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 vs. Cincinnati 5/31, vs. Phila. Phillies 6/12  

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 749

Put Outs – 281

Assists – 439

Errors – 29

DP – 62

Pct. - .961

Awards & Honors:

6^th in NL MVP voting (21 points – 33% share)

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The Cardinals went 75-74 to finish fifth in the NL, 22 games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants. The Cardinals were in contention following strong May and June records but a July train accident that resulted in no serious injuries to team members marked a derailment in the club’s fortunes and they ended the season with 7 losses in their last 9 games (excluding a tie) which still resulted in their first winning season since 1901.

Aftermath of 1911:

The Cardinals suffered a 90-loss season in 1912 but Huggins again received MVP votes as he batted .304 with 82 runs scored, 35 stolen bases, and a .422 OBP with the help of 87 walks drawn. Named player/manager of the Cardinals in 1913 he guided a clique-riven team to a 51-99 record during a stressful year. As a player he led the NL in OBP (.432) while hitting .285 and drawing 92 walks. The club finished a surprising third in 1914 and Huggins contributed a league-leading 105 walks while hitting .263 with a .396 OBP. Limiting himself to 107 games as a player in 1915, the 37-year-old manager batted .241 with a .377 OBP. The financially strapped Cardinals dropped to sixth, having lost several players to the outlaw Federal League. His playing appearances dropped to 18 in 1916 and marked the end of his playing career. For his playing career, Huggins batted .265 with 1474 hits that included 146 doubles, 50 triples, and 9 inside-the-park home runs. He scored 948 runs and compiled 318 RBIs, 324 stolen bases, and a .382 OBP while he drew 1003 walks. With the Cardinals he batted .270 with 740 hits, 507 runs scored, 83 doubles, 18 triples, 5 home runs, 164 RBIs, a .402 OBP, and he drew 572 walks. The end of his playing career did not mark the end of Huggins’ major league baseball activity. He managed the Cardinals, who were now under new ownership, for one more season in 1917, achieving a winning record and third-place finish. Let go by the Cardinals, he was hired by the New York Yankees in 1918. Respected for his baseball knowledge, he was still a controversial choice to take over the rising American League team that was acquiring veteran players who were often unappreciative of managerial direction and given to off-field carousing. After a rocky start Huggins guided the Yankees to six pennants and three World Series titles. A shrewd judge of talent backed by ownership with the ability and willingness to spend heavily, Huggins turned the Yankees into a winning club, although he often feuded with his greatest player, slugging right fielder Babe Ruth, among others. His overall managerial record was 1413-1134, which broke down to 346-415 with the Cardinals and 1067-719 with the Yankees. The stress of managing significantly damaged his health. Late in the 1929 season, Huggins was hospitalized due to a skin infection on his cheek. The infection spread through his body and he died on September 25 at age 51. Huggins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964. Trained as a lawyer, Huggins never practiced law and spent his adult life working in baseball, as a player and manager.   

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

Highlighted Year: Bob Harmon, 1911

Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  23

3^rd season with Cardinals

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 187 

Prior to 1911:

A Missouri native, Harmon began playing baseball in his home town of Liberal, where he pitched and played shortstop for the town team. With a strong fastball and slow curve, he drew the attention of the Shreveport Pirates of the Class C Texas League in 1909. Encountering difficulty with Shreveport, he was nearly sent to the Class D Arkansas State League, but a no-hitter against Galveston marked a turnaround in his fortunes. Sold to the Cardinals in June he posted a 6-11 record and 3.68 ERA with 10 complete games and 48 strikeouts over 159 innings. Prone to wildness, he also issued 65 walks and 7 wild pitches.  

1911 Season Summary

Appeared in 51 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 51 [2]

Games Started – 41 [1]

Complete Games – 28 [3]

Wins – 23 [4]

Losses – 16 [6, tied with Lefty Leifield]

PCT - .590 [12]

Saves – 4 [3, tied with four others]

Shutouts – 2 [12, tied with eight others]

Innings Pitched – 348 [2]

Hits – 290 [3]

Runs – 155 [2]

Earned Runs – 121 [1]

Home Runs – 10 [6, tied with Hub Perdue & Doc Crandall]

Bases on Balls – 181 [1]

Strikeouts – 144 [5]

ERA – 3.13 [18, tied with King Cole & Howie Camnitz]

Hit Batters – 7 [18, tied with Cy Barger]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3 

League-leading games started were +4 higher than runners-up Pete Alexander, Christy Mathewson, Lefty Leifield & Babe Adams

League-leading earned runs surrendered were +2 higher than runner-up Bill Steele

League-leading bases on balls issued were +17 higher than runner-up Earl Moore

Midseason Snapshot: 14-5, ERA - 2.55, SO - 65 in 165.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. Phillies 7/24

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Cincinnati 10/8

Batting

PA – 132, AB – 111, R – 7, H – 17, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 11, SO – 48, SB – 2, CS – N/A, AVG - .153, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 9, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 112

Put Outs – 11

Assists – 98

Errors – 3

DP – 4

Pct. - .973

Awards & Honors:

14^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Mickey Doolin, PhilaP (6 points – 9% share)

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The Cardinals went 75-74 to finish fifth in the NL, 22 games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants. The pitching staff led the league in walks issued (701). The Cardinals were in contention following strong May and June records but a July train accident that resulted in no serious injuries to team members marked a derailment in the club’s fortunes and they ended the season with 7 losses in their last 9 games (excluding a tie) which still resulted in their first winning season since 1901. Harmon’s performance was a highlight. Used heavily by manager Roger Bresnahan, he won seven straight decisions between May 9 and June 8.

Aftermath of 1911:

Harmon took criticism in 1912 for over-relying on his slow curve rather than his live fastball and his record dropped to 18-18 with a 3.93 ERA, 15 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 73 strikeouts with 116 walks over 268 innings. An excellent violinist (or fiddler, as some said), Harmon would bring his instrument along to play during road trips and he also performed in the St. Louis area during the offseason. Unhappy with the club’s contract offer for 1913, Harmon briefly held out and went on to post an 8-21 tally for the last-place team. Following a teammate’s recommendation, he invested in Louisiana oil fields and received an excellent return. In the offseason, the newly married pitcher was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of an eight-player deal. His 1914 record with the Pirates was 13-17 with a 2.53 ERA, 19 complete games, and 61 strikeouts with 55 walks over 245 innings. Harmon went 16-17 in 1915 with a 2.50 ERA, 25 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 86 strikeouts over 269.2 innings. Used more often as a reliever than a starter in 1916 (17 of his 31 appearences were starts) his record was 8-11 with 10 complete games and 62 strikeouts over 172.2 innings. Refusing a demotion to the minors in 1917, Harmon sat out the season while he tended to his Louisiana farm, but he returned to Pittsburgh in 1918 and despite a good start, he went only 2-7 with a 2.62 ERA in late June when he was granted his release, thus ending his major league career. For that career he produced a 107-133 record with a 3.33 ERA, 143 complete games, 15 shutouts, 12 saves, and 634 strikeouts over 2054 innings. With the Cardinals he went 68-81 with a 3.78 ERA, 84 complete games, 6 shutouts, 8 saves, and 418 strikeouts over 1284.1 innings. Typically playing for losing teams, he had no World Series appearances. Post baseball he remained a prosperous Louisiana farmer, who was friendly and likeable, which helped him to become a prominent figure who was involved in several community organizations. He also managed a town team in Homer, Louisiana and was briefly a minor league manager and umpire. Harmon died in 1961 at age 74.

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

Highlighted Year: Roberto Clemente, 1960

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 26 (Aug. 18)

6^th season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1960:

A native of Puerto Rico, Clemente excelled in throwing the javelin and high jumping in high school. He focused on baseball and played for an amateur club called the Juncos Mules. Impressive with his hitting and throwing arm in the outfield, in 1952 at age 18 he joined the Santurce Cangrejeros of the Puerto Rican League, where he got to play alongside some prominent Negro League hitters that played winter ball in Puerto Rico. Brought along slowly, Clemente saw limited action in the 1952-53 season but hit .288 in 1953-54 and was a league all-star. The Brooklyn Dodgers signed him to a contract in 1954 for $5000 with a $10,000 bonus. Assigned to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League he played infrequently (appearing in 87 games), struggled to hit consistently and ended up with a .257 average. He did catch the interest of scouts from other teams and was taken by the last-place Pirates in the annual Rule 5 draft. During the offseason Clemente injured his back in a car accident but played again for Santurce during the winter of 1954-55 and was a key player on the team that went on to win the Caribbean Series. Clemente made Pittsburgh’s roster in 1955 and his aggressive and exciting outfield play made him a fan favorite although his hitting tailed off and he batted just .255. A notorious “bad ball” hitter he drew only 18 walks. He accounted for 18 assists in right field, rapidly establishing himself as having an excellent throwing arm. In 1956 Clemente batted .311 and knocked in 60 runs. He accounted for 17 outfield assists as well. Due to his chronic back soreness and assorted other injuries, he appeared in only 111 games in 1957 and his batting average dropped to .253. His average rose back to .289 in 140 games in 1958 and Clemente had 22 outfield assists as well. Following an injury-plagued season in 1959 in which Clemente appeared in 105 games and the Pirates dropped from second place in ’58 to fourth, both player and team rebounded strongly in 1960.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 144 games

RF – 142, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 620 [13]

At Bats – 570 [9]

Runs – 89 [11]

Hits – 179 [5]

Doubles – 22 [18, tied with Tony Gonzalez]

Triples – 6 [17, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 16 [18, tied with Bill White, Don Hoak & Daryl Spencer]

RBI – 94 [7]

Bases on Balls – 39

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 72 [20, tied with Ed Bressoud & Julian Javier]

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 5 [20, tied with four others]

Average - .314 [4]

OBP - .357 [14]

Slugging Pct. - .458 [12]

Total Bases – 261 [10]

GDP – 21 [1, tied with Wally Moon]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 5 [15, tied with five others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, 3B – 4, HR - 6, RBI - 53, AVG - .325, SLG - .464, OBP – .368

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 5/19, (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/24

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 11

Most home runs, game – 1 on sixteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cincinnati 4/14

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 3 (.000) with 1 R & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 273

Put Outs – 246

Assists – 19

Errors – 8

DP – 2

Pct. - .971

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 29, AB – 29, R – 1, H – 9, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .310, OBP - .310, SLG - .310, TB – 9, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

8^th in NL MVP voting (62 points – 1 first place vote, 18% share)

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Aftermath of 1960:

The Pirates dropped off in 1961, but Clemente won his first NL batting title as he hit .351 with 23 home runs and 89 RBIs along with a .390 on-base percentage. This time he placed fourth in the league MVP balloting and fueled by 27 outfield assists, won his first Gold Glove. Clemente hit .312 in 1962 with 28 doubles, 9 triples, 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .352 OBP. In 1963 Clemente batted .320 with 23 doubles, 8 triples, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .356 OBP. He followed up by winning his second NL batting championship in 1964, hitting .339 along with a league-leading 211 hits to go with a .388 OBP. Despite dealing with the effects of an offseason illness, Clemente won another league batting title in 1965, hitting .329 with 21 doubles, 14 triples, 10 home runs, 65 RBIs, and a .378 OBP. The Pirates contended in 1966 and Clemente batted .317 with 31 doubles, 11 triples, 29 home runs, 119 RBIs, a .360 OBP, and a .536 slugging percentage, once again overcoming a series of physical maladies. He was voted league MVP for his efforts. A proud man who had chafed at not receiving the award in 1960, Clemente followed up with another batting championship in 1967 when he hit .357 and also topped the NL in hits (209) while compiling 26 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 110 RBIs, a .400 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. He placed third in league MVP balloting as Pittsburgh had a disappointing season. A shoulder injury limited Clemente to a .291 average in 1968, but he still received a Gold Glove for his play in right field, although his assists dropped to 9. He returned to form in 1969 as he hit .345 and led the NL with 12 triples. Pittsburgh topped the NL East in 1970 and Clemente contributed a .352 batting average. He hit .341 in 1971 as the Pirates repeated as NL East champs and won the league pennant. Clemente batted .414 with two home runs and 4 RBIs in the World Series win over the Baltimore Orioles and was named Series MVP. In a 1972 season plagued by injuries and illness, he batted .312 and capped the year with his 3000^th career hit. The Pirates once more ended up first in the NL East, although they lost to Cincinnati in the NLCS. In December, he became involved in relief efforts for earthquake-stricken Nicaragua. He died at age 38 in the New Year’s Eve crash of a plane bound from Puerto Rico for Nicaragua carrying supplies. Altogether, over the course of his 18-season major league career that was spent entirely with the Pirates, Clemente batted .317 with 3000 hits that included 440 doubles, 166 triples, and 240 home runs. He drove in 1305 runs and scored 1416 along with a .359 OBP and .475 slugging percentage. He won four batting titles and was a 15-time All-Star. He also received 12 Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess. In the wake of his sudden and tragic passing, the five-year Hall of Fame waiting period was waived and in a special election of the BBWAA members, he was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973. The Pirates retired his #21 and his statue was placed outside Three Rivers Stadium and later transferred to PNC Park. Much admired for his philanthropy off the field, major league baseball renamed its Commissioner’s Award for Clemente which annually recognizes players who combine good play with a strong commitment to the greater community. Beyond the baseball community Clemente was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Nixon in 1973 and, long after his passing, the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2003. 

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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.