Highlighted Year: Enos Slaughter, 1955

Outfielder, New York Yankees/Kansas City Athletics

Age: 39 (April 27)

2^nd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1955:

A native of Roxboro, North Carolina, Slaughter was raised on a farm where he developed into a stocky young man with much of his strength and fitness due to working chores. He and his brothers played for the local county baseball team, and he also played football in addition to baseball in high school. Slaughter passed on a college scholarship to work at a textile mill in Durham and play semipro ball. A tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals resulted in his signing with them. Assigned to Martinsville of the Class D Bi-State League in 1935, he found himself moved to the outfield after originally having been a second baseman. He batted .273 with 25 doubles, 11 triples, and 18 home runs. Advancing to Columbus of the Class B South Atlantic (or Sally) League in 1936 he received sarcastic advice from manager Eddie Dyer that proved meaningful to his entire baseball career. While loping toward the dugout from the outfield during a change of innings, he slowed to a walk as he passed first base and Dyer said “Are you too tired to run all the way? If you are, I’ll get some help for you.” From then on Slaughter always ran when entering and exiting the ballfield and became noted for his hustling, and aggressive, style of play. For the season he hit .325 with 31 doubles, 20 triples, 9 home runs, 118 RBIs, a .394 on-base percentage, and a .497 slugging percentage. Moving from Columbus, Georgia to Columbus, Ohio (both teams were called the Red Birds but the Ohio team was in the Class AA American Association) in 1937 he obtained the nickname “Country”, which proved to be long-lasting, from manager Burt Shotton, based on his appearance and manner of dress. He again hit the ball with authority and batted .382 with 245 hits, 42 doubles, 13 triples, 26 home runs, 122 RBIs, a .444 OBP, and a .609 slugging percentage. Having earned a promotion to the Cardinals in 1938, Slaughter hit .276 as a rookie with 20 doubles, 10 triples, 8 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .330 OBP, and a .438 slugging percentage. In 1939 Slaughter led the NL with 52 doubles while batting .320 with 12 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .371 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage. He tied for nineteenth in league MVP voting. His development continued in 1940 as he hit .306 with 25 doubles, 13 triples, 17 home runs, 73 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .504 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals developing into contenders in 1941 and despite being somewhat hindered while playing with a broken collarbone, Slaughter hit .311 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 13 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .390 OBP, and a .496 slugging percentage. Gaining recognition for his defensive play in addition to his productive batting, he was an All-Star for the first time. The Cardinals won the NL pennant in 1942 and Slaughter contributed by leading the league in hits (188), triples (17), and total bases (292) while batting .318 with 31 doubles, 13 home runs, 98 RBIs, a .412 OBP, and a .494 slugging percentage. He became the club’s inspirational leader and part of an esteemed outfield along with center fielder Terry Moore and rookie left fielder Stan Musial. Slaughter finished second in league MVP balloting and in the five-game World Series defeat of the New York Yankees, he homered and contributed a couple of significant defensive plays. Slaughter missed the next three seasons due to World War II military service. Upon his return to the Cardinals in 1946, he continued where he had left off as the Cardinals reached the World Series again. “Country” led the NL in RBIs (130) while batting .300 with 30 doubles, 8 triples, 18 home runs, a .374 OBP, and a .465 slugging percentage. Defensively he led all NL right fielders with 21 assists. He finished third in league MVP voting. In the World Series against the Boston Red Sox, he famously scored the winning run of the decisive seventh game with his “Mad Dash” from first base on a double, ignoring the third base coach’s signal to hold up, and beating the slow relay throw from Boston shortstop Johnny Pesky. It was a legendary play that exemplified Slaughter’s style of play and for the Series, he hit .320 with a home run and 5 runs scored while playing through the pain of a sore elbow after being hit by a pitch in Game 5. He remained a key contributor in 1947 and 1948, batting .294 and .321, respectively, along with 13 and 11 triples, 10 and 11 home runs, 86 and 90 RBIs, and a .366 and .409 OBP. He tied for seventh in league MVP voting in 1948. Now playing in left field, he was among the leaders in putouts and assists both seasons. Slaughter placed third in MVP balloting in 1949 and tied for the NL lead in triples, along with teammate Musial. He further hit .336 with 34 doubles, 13 home runs, 96 RBIs, a .418 OBP, and a .511 slugging percentage. The Sporting News named him NL Player of the Year. The perennially contending Cardinals dropped to fifth place in 1950 but Slaughter batted .290 with 26 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, 101 RBIs, and a .367 OBP. He spent three more productive seasons with the Cardinals before being traded to the New York Yankees prior to the 1954 season to make room for rookie outfielder Wally Moon (Slaughter openly cried in the clubhouse when informed of the trade). Hampered by a wrist injury, the 38-year-old Slaughter was limited to 69 games and hit a mere .248 with a .386 OBP, seeing most of his action as a pinch-hitter. He started the 1955 season with the Yankees but was dealt to the Athletics in May.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in 118 games (NY – 10/KC – 108)

RF – 77, PH – 59

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 325 (NY – 10/KC – 315)

At Bats – 276 (NY – 9/KC – 267)

Runs – 50 (NY – 1/KC – 49)

Hits – 87 (NY – 1/KC – 86)

Doubles – 12 (KC)

Triples – 4 (KC)

Home Runs – 5 (KC)

RBI – 35 (NYY – 1/KC – 34)

Bases on Balls – 41 (NY – 1/KC – 40)

Int. BB – 4 (KC)

Strikeouts – 18 (NY – 1/KC – 17)

Stolen Bases – 2 (KC)

Caught Stealing – 3 (KC)

Average - .315 [Non-qualifying] (NY – .111/KC – .322)

OBP - .401 [Non-qualifying] (NY – .200/KC – .408)

Slugging Pct. - .442 [Non-qualifying] (NY – .111/KC – .453)

Total Bases – 122 (NY – 1/KC – 121)

GDP – 8 (KC)

Hit by Pitches – 2 (KC)

Sac Hits – 1 (KC)

Sac Flies – 5 [18, tied with nine others] (KC) 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 2, HR - 1, RBI - 12, AVG - .271, OBP – .352

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 5/21, (in 4 AB) at Chi. White Sox 5/22, (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 8/19 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 at NY Yankees 5/15, vs. Baltimore 6/12, at Washington 7/26, at Cleveland 9/5

Pinch-hitting – 16 for 41 (.390) with 8 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 12 BB & 1 HBP 

Fielding (appeared in OF with KC only)

Chances – 133

Put Outs – 126

Assists – 5

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. – .985

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The relocated Athletics went 63-91 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (22) and fewest walks drawn (462). The pitching-poor A’s lost seven of their first nine games which set the tone for a season in which they still finished higher than their final Philadelphia year and drew a healthy 1,393,054 fans to Municipal Stadium, which was over a million more than they drew in ’54.

Aftermath of 1955:

Slaughter was back with the A’s in 1956 and batting .278 with a .362 OBP when he was waived in August and claimed by the Yankees. He proved his value in a utility role when he hit a three-run home run in Game 3 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers that provided the winning margin for the Yankees. In 1957 he appeared in 96 games, mostly in left field and as a pinch-hitter. He hit .254 with 5 home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .369 OBP. He batted .304 in 1958 at age 42 and would typically sit next to manager Casey Stengel in the dugout and complain about some of the younger players. He remained with the Yankees in his part-time role in which he was especially effective as a pinch-hitter until he was released late in the 1959 season. Picked up by the Milwaukee Braves, his major league career reached a conclusion at season’s end. For his major league career, Slaughter batted .300 with 2383 hits that included 413 doubles, 148 triples, and 169 home runs. He scored 1247 runs and compiled 1304 RBIs, 71 stolen bases, a .382 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. With the Athletics he batted .302 with 148 hits, 86 runs scored, 26 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs, 57 RBIs, a .387 OBP, and a .427 slugging percentage. Slaughter appeared in 27 World Series games and hit .291 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs. A 10-time All-Star, he placed in the top 10 in NL MVP voting five times and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985. The Cardinals retired his #9. Following his playing career Slaughter was a minor league manager for two years and later became the baseball coach at Duke University. He also worked on his large North Carolina farm and was married and divorced five times. He summed up his playing career by saying in his characteristic gravel voice that “regardless of what uniform I wore. I gave 100 % for whatever team I played.” Slaughter, died in 2002 at age 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 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 Fultz, 1902

Outfielder, Philadelphia Athletics

 Age:  27 (May 29)

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1902:

A native of Staunton, Virginia, Fultz was a member of a prominent family and received his high school education at Staunton Military Academy where he participated in football and baseball as well as track. He moved on to Brown University in 1894 and was an All-American in football and baseball in 1896 and ’97. As a halfback on the football team, Fultz set long-standing school records by scoring 31 touchdowns and 186 points. A second baseman on the baseball team, he captained the squad that won the 1896 national championship. Fultz played professional baseball and football after graduating from Brown while pursuing a law degree at Columbia University. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1898 and batted .182 over 19 games before leaving to become the football coach at the University of Missouri. Returning to the Phillies in 1899, he appeared in only two games and was released in July. Unwilling to play on Sundays became a sticking point in joining another team but he signed with the NL’s Baltimore Orioles and primarily playing at third base and in the outfield over the course of 57 games, Fultz hit .295 with 18 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .342 on-base percentage. In 1900 he joined Milwaukee of the American League, which was not yet a major league. Primarily appearing at second base and shortstop, Fultz batted .298 with 16 doubles, 13 triples, and 4 home runs. In 1901 he followed Connie Mack, who had been general manager in Milwaukee, to the Philadelphia Athletics, a new AL club in what was now a major league. Moved to center field due to the acquisition of star second baseman Nap Lajoie, Fultz hit .292 with 17 doubles, 9 triples, 52 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .334 OBP. With great speed, Fultz was an excellent base stealer and bunter. A patient hitter he also drew many walks. Defensively he covered center field very well. In addition to not playing on Sundays, he didn’t smoke, drink, or swear, and was esteemed by Mack for his good character.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 129 games

CF – 114, 2B – 16

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 605 [7]

At Bats – 506 [19]

Runs – 109 [1, tied with Topsy Hartsel]

Hits – 153 [19]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 49

Bases on Balls – 62 [6, tied with Ed Delahanty]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 33 [18, tied with Elmer Flick & Charlie Hemphill]

Stolen Bases – 44 [3]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .302

OBP - .381 [14]

Slugging Pct. - .368

Total Bases – 186

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 35 [1]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading sac hits were +11 ahead of runner-up Danny Green

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, HR – 1, RBI – 20, AVG - .300, OBP - .366

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/7, (in 6 AB) vs. Cleveland 5/24 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 6/2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. St. Louis Browns 6/2, vs. St. Louis Browns 8/22, vs. Washington 9/17

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 259

Put Outs – 231

Assists – 18

Errors – 10

DP – 1

Pct. – .961

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The Athletics went 83-53 to win the AL pennant by 5 games over the St. Louis Browns while leading the league in runs scored (775), hits (1392),, and fewest batting strikeouts (288). The A’s, initially hindered by the ongoing litigation with the NL’s Phillies over players who jumped to the AL club, entered July with only a 27-26 record, but within striking range of first place. The arrival of star LHP Rube Waddell and second baseman Danny Murphy in July fueled a surge that had them in first place to stay on August 15. A 20-5 stretch in September nailed down the first pennant in the young franchise’s history.

Aftermath of 1902:

Fultz sought to jump back to the National League in 1903, but following negotiations with Brooklyn and the New York Giants, he ended up being assigned to the AL’s New York Highlanders (now Yankees). In 1903, persistent leg soreness from his years of playing football limited him to 79 games and a .224 average with 13 extra-base hits and a .295 OBP. His defense suffered, too, but he returned to the Highlanders in 1904 and batted .274 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 32 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .324 OBP. Following his receiving a law degree and passing the New York bar, Fultz stated that 1905 would be his last season as a player. In his final season, dealing with persistent knee pain, he hit .232 with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 42 RBIs, 44 stolen bases, and a .308 OBP. Defensively, he finished fourth among AL center fielders with 253 putouts. For his major league career Fultz batted .271 with 648 hits that included 84 doubles, 26 triples, and 3 home runs. He scored 369 runs and compiled 223 RBIs, 189 stolen bases, and a .332 OBP. With the Athletics he batted .297 with 204 runs scored, 317 hits, 37 doubles, 14 triples, one home run, 101 RBIs, 80 stolen bases, and a .357 OBP. Efforts to lure him back to the playing field failed. Following his playing career, he remained active with his law practice in New York and was a collegiate baseball coach. He became active in the movement to create a players’ union (which ultimately failed to take hold at that time). Fultz also served as president of the rival Federal League in 1914-15, cementing his reputation among major league owners as a radical outcast. Following service in the Aviation Corps near the end of World War I, Fultz became president of the International League, one of the top minor league circuits. Ousted late in 1920, he continued with his legal practice until retiring in 1947.He died in 1959 at age 84.

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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: Yogi Berra, 1961

Outfielder/Catcher, New York Yankees

 Age:  36 (May 12)

15^th season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1961:

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri Lawrence Berra, who dropped out of high school, starred on his American Legion baseball team along with his neighbor Joe Garagiola. Christened with the nickname “Yogi” as a youth, Berra was short and stocky and had an awkward batting style. The Cardinals signed Garagiola to a contract with a bonus and when they made an offer to Berra that didn’t include a bonus, he turned them down. He also turned down the other St. Louis team, the Browns of the AL. The Yankees offered a $500 bonus along with a salary of $90 per month, so Berra signed with them in 1942. He played for the Norfolk Tars of the Class B Piedmont League in 1943, hitting .253 in 111 games, after which he enlisted in the Navy. Following the completion of his World War II military service, Berra reported to the Newark Bears of the Class AAA International League in 1946 where he hit .314 with 15 home runs and 59 RBIs in 77 games. A raw talent who was defensively limited as a catcher at this point, he received a late September call-up to the Yankees following the completion of Newark’s season. Appearing in seven games, Berra hit .364 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. He was used primarily as an outfielder during spring training in 1947, where he was a defensive liability. Splitting time between the outfield and catcher, he played in 83 games and hit .280 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs.  In the World Series against the Dodgers, Berra was benched after getting off to a 0-for-7 start at the plate in the first two games but came on to hit the first pinch home run in World Series history as he batted .158 overall. He followed up with a .305 average with 14 home runs and 98 RBIs in 1948 and was chosen to his first All-Star Game along the way, while appearing in 125 games (71 at catcher) for the third place Yanks. With the arrival of Casey Stengel as manager in 1949, ex-Yankee great Bill Dickey was given the task of tutoring Berra on his technique behind the plate. Berra hit .277 that season with 20 home runs and 91 RBIs and was again selected as an All-Star. Much improved as a catcher, Berra had a strong year in 1950, producing 28 home runs and 124 RBIs with a .322 batting average and .383 on-base percentage. He placed third in AL MVP voting in addition to garnering All-Star honors once again. Berra received league MVP recognition in 1951 after batting .294 with 27 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a .350 OBP as the Yankees made it three straight titles. Berra had another strong season in 1952, hitting 30 home runs with 98 RBIs, a .273 average, and a .358 OBP. The Yankees won their fourth straight pennant and World Series and Berra finished fourth in the league MVP balloting. The Yanks made it five straight in 1953 with Berra contributing 27 home runs, 108 RBIs, a .296 average, and .363 OBP, placing second in the league MVP vote. The ungainly-looking Berra was a notorious “bad-ball” hitter who rarely struck out and performed well in clutch situations. While the Yankees lost the AL pennant to the Indians in 1954, Berra won his second MVP award after batting .307 with 22 home runs and 125 RBIs, also performing well behind the plate. The highest-paid player on the Yankees in 1955 at $48,000, Berra was an amiable and colorful character noted for his malapropisms that came to be known as “Yogi-isms”, and he was also referred to as the “assistant manager” by manager Casey Stengel in recognition of his level of baseball knowledge. Berra made it three MVP awards in 1955, as the Yankees returned to the top of the American League and the star catcher hit .272 with 27 home runs, 108 RBIs, and a .349 OBP. Berra tied his career high with 30 home runs in 1956 and hit .298 with 105 RBIs and a .378 OBP while finishing second to teammate Mickey Mantle in AL MVP voting. In the World Series he caught Don Larsen’s Game 5 perfect game. He continued to be a perennial All-Star with a team that typically topped the American League until his retirement following the 1963 season. Starting in 1960 he was utilized more in the outfield as Elston Howard became the team’s primary catcher. That season he hit .276 with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .347 OBP while appearing in 61 games behind the plate and 36 in the outfield.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 119 games

LF – 81, PH – 20, C – 15, RF – 8

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 437

At Bats – 395

Runs – 62

Hits – 107

Doubles – 11

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 22 [16, tied with Jim Landis]

RBI – 61

Bases on Balls – 35

Int. BB – 4 [17, tied with eight others]

Strikeouts – 28

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .271

OBP - .330

Slugging Pct. - .466 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 184

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 5 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 6, HR - 11, RBI - 34, AVG - .279, OBP - .320, SLG –  .460

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Most hits, game – 3 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 10

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) at Chi. White Sox 6/2, (in 4 AB) vs. LA Angels 6/11

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 3 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – 5 for 19 (.263) with 2 R, 1 HR & 5 RBI

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 170

Put Outs – 161

Assists – 7

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .988

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. Cincinnati)

PA – 16, AB – 11, R – 2, H – 3, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 5, IBB – 2, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .273, OBP - .500, SLG - .545, TB – 6, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

23rd in AL MVP voting (2 points - 1% share)

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The Yankees, under new manager Ralph Houk, went 109-53 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in home runs (240), RBIs (781), slugging (.442), and total bases (2455). The Yankees surged to the pennant in a season dominated by the home run race between slugging outfielders Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Won World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1. The Series was highlighted by New Yotk LHP Whitey Ford’s record string of 33 consecutive shutout innings pitched.

Aftermath of 1961:

Berra played two more seasons in 1962 and 1963, with dwindling production. For his career with the Yankees overall, Berra hit .285 with 2148 hits that included 321 doubles, 49 triples, and 358 home runs. He drove in 1430 runs and scored 1174, while only striking out 411 times. Thanks to the team’s success, Berra appeared in a record 75 World Series games and produced 71 hits in 259 at bats (also records) for a .274 average with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. He excelled as a fielder after his rough start behind the plate and in one stretch of 148 games handled 950 chances without an error. Berra was an 18-time All-Star and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. After his initial retirement in 1963 he became manager of the Yankees in 1964 and was fired following their World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He was hired by the Mets as a player/coach in 1965 and played in just four games, hitting .222 in what proved to be his final year as a player. He remained a coach with the Mets until being elevated to manager in 1972 after the death of Gil Hodges during spring training. The Mets won the NL pennant in 1973 and Berra stayed on as manager until being relieved during the ’75 season, the club having produced an overall record of 292-296 under his guidance. He returned to the Yankees as a coach for several years until being elevated once again to manager in 1984. His tenure came to a bitter end 16 games into the 1985 season. Overall, in two stints with the Yankees Berra’s managerial record was 192-148. He returned to coaching with the Houston Astros through 1989 until finally retiring from baseball for good. An iconic and popular figure, Berra lived until 2015 when he died at age 90 after which he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. The Yankees retired his #8 and further honored him with a plaque in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. His son Dale was a shortstop and third baseman in the major leagues from 1977 to ‘87, primarily with Pittsburgh.

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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: Birdie Cree, 1911

Outfielder, New York Highlanders

Age: 28

3^rd season with Highlanders

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’6”    Weight: 150 

Prior to 1911:

A Pennsylvania native from a small town some 50 miles south of Pittsburgh, William F. Cree played football and baseball while pursuing a teaching degree at Southwestern State Normal School (now part of Pennsylvania Western University) in California, Pennsylvania. Graduating in 1903 he became a teacher prior to receiving a scholarship to Penn State in 1904. While playing baseball for a team in Washington, Pennsylvania during the summer prior to entering Penn State, Cree suffered an injury to his collarbone which was aggravated when he started football practice in the fall, which sidelined him for the season. Playing baseball for Penn State in 1905, he earned the nickname "Birdie”, likely due to his small size. Cree played semipro ball in the summer, using the name “Burde” as an alias. Continuing to earn money on the side during summers, he played for Burlington in the Northern independent League in 1906 and the Williamsport Millionaires of the Tri-State League in 1907 where he batted .297 with 35 stolen bases. Purchased by the Philadelphia Athletics following the season, he stayed with Williamsport in 1908, this time hitting .332 with 23 doubles, 14 triples, 3 home runs, and 26 stolen bases. Due to the club having an overabundance of shortstops, which had always been Cree’s position, he was shifted to the outfield. During the season he was sold by the Athletics to the Detroit Tigers, who traded him to the Highlanders. He appeared in 21 games with New York in 1908 and batted .269 with 2 triples, 4 RBIs, and a .345 on-base percentage. Appearing at all three outfield positions in 1909, Cree hit .262 with 11 extra-base hits, 27 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. In 1910 his production improved to .287 with 19 doubles, 16 triples, 4 home runs, 73 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, a .353 OBP, and a .422 slugging percentage. Along the way, he was beaned and knocked out by a fastball from Washington’s star RHP Walter Johnson but returned to the lineup the following day with no lingering effects.

1911 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

LF – 121, CF – 8, RF – 4, SS – 4, 2B – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 589

At Bats – 520 [20]

Runs – 90 [13]

Hits – 181 [8]

Doubles – 30 [10, tied with Jim Delahanty]

Triples – 22 [2]

Home Runs – 4 [8, tied with six others]

RBI – 88 [7]

Bases on Balls – 56 [16, tied with Jim Delahanty & Joe Jackson]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 61 [13]

Stolen Bases – 48 [3]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .348 [5]

OBP - .415 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .513 [4]

Total Bases – 267 [5]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 9

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, 3B – 14, HR – 2, RBI – 45, SB – 26, AVG - .339, OBP - .403, SLG – .503

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Phila. A’s 5/27

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on four occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Washington 6/24

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 2B & 2 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 274

Put Outs – 245

Assists – 19

Errors – 10

DP – 2

Pct. - .964

Awards & Honors:

6^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Tris Speaker, BosRS (16 points – 25% share)

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The Highlanders went 76-76 to finish sixth in the AL, 44 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in triples (96, tied with Detroit). The Highlanders entered June at 18-21, having lost four straight games to the Athletics and Washington. A seven-game June winning streak pulled them up to third place, where they remained until July 8. The streaky club languished in fourth and stayed around .500 until they closed out the season with five straight losses. Cree was tried again at shortstop, with disappointing results, before settling into left field.

Aftermath of 1911:

Battling a bad cold that caused him to briefly be hospitalized at the start of the 1912 season, Cree performed well once he returned to action until a broken wrist finished him for the year. Limited to 50 games, he batted .332 with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 22 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, a .409 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. The Highlanders were rechristened the Yankees in 1913 and Cree, still affected by wrist soreness, hit .272 with 25 doubles, 6 triples, one home run (which was a grand slam), 63 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. He had an exceptional year defensively and led all AL outfielders with a .988 fielding percentage. In 1914 he reported to spring training overweight and out of shape and the Yankees, unable to work out a trade, released him to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. An offer of a three-year contract by Pittsburgh of the Federal League fell through but Cree batted .356 with a .406 OBP in 72 games for Baltimore although he was sold back to the Yankees in July. For the year with the Yankees he hit .309 in 77 games with 18 doubles,5 triples, 40 RBIs, and a .389 OBP. In 1915, he suffered a broken nose when hit by a ball during warmups and went on to a disappointing season in which he was limited to 74 games and batted .214 with 10 extra-base hits and a .353 OBP. Still overweight and with his performance deteriorating, Cree was released in 1916, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, played entirely with the Highlanders/Yankees, Cree batted .292 with 761 hits that included 117 doubles, 62 triples, and 11 home runs. He scored 345 runs and compiled 332 RBIs, 132 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. His performance in 1911 remained his best single season. Cree worked for a bank in Sunbury, Pennsylvania following his playing career and remained physically active while playing tennis and golf. He was also a fine billiards player and died in 1942 at age 60.

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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: Russ Ford, 1910

Pitcher, New York Highlanders

Age:  27 (April 25)

1^st season with Highlanders

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1910:

A native of the Canadian province of Manitoba, Ford moved with his family to Minnesota. After high school he played for several minor league teams. Following a season in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in which he was with Springfield and Cedar Rapids, he broke out with an outstanding season for Cedar Rapids in 1906 in which he produced a 22-9 record. Moving on to the Atlanta Crackers of the Class A Southern Association in 1907 he compiled a 15-10 tally. Reliant on his spitball (a legal pitch at the time), in 1908 he began experimenting with a scuff ball, roughening the ball’s surface to cause it to dip oddly. Still with Atlanta he went 16-14 and was drafted by the Highlanders in 1909. Ford appeared in one game with New York in 1909 and pitched poorly, causing him to be sent to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Eastern League where he worked on his scuff pitch, concealing an emery board in his glove. His record for Jersey City was 13-13 with a 2.41 ERA and 189 strikeouts over 276 innings. He returned to the Highlanders in 1910 with far better results. 

1910 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36 [10, tied with Eddie Cicotte & Cy Morgan]

Games Started – 33 [5]

Complete Games – 29 [4]

Wins – 26 [2]

Losses – 6

PCT - .813 [2]

Saves – 1 [9, tied with twenty-one others]

Shutouts – 8 [2, tied with Walter Johnson]

Innings Pitched – 299.2 [4]

Hits – 194 [17]

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 55

Home Runs – 4 [9, tied with six others]

Bases on Balls – 70 [14, tied with Barney Pelty]

Strikeouts – 209 [4]

ERA – 1.65 [7]

Hit Batters – 8 [17, tied with six others]

Balks – 1 [2, tied with ten others]

Wild Pitches – 5 [18, tied with six others]

Midseason Snapshot: 11-4, ERA – N/A, SO - 89 in 147.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/19, (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 8/30

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/19

Batting

PA – 112, AB – 96, R – 8, H – 20, 2B – 1, 3B – 5, HR – 0, RBI – 7, BB – 9, SO – 33, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .208, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 6, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 89

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 75

Errors – 7

DP – 4

Pct. - .921

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The Highlanders went 88-63 to finish second in the AL, 14.5 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in saves (8) and fewest walks issued (364). Paced by Ford’s pitching, the Highlanders bounced between third and fourth place until mid-May, when they jumped into second. In first place from June 5 to 12 and then briefly on June 15, they were at 36-21 entering July. The club battled to stay in contention through August, and taking advantage of Detroit’s collapse, took over second place to stay on Sept. 27, although they remained well behind the Athletics.

Aftermath of 1910:

The Highlanders dropped in the standings in 1911, but Ford had another solid season as he posted a 22-11 record and 2.27 ERA with 26 complete games and 158 strikeouts over 281.1 innings. In addition to his spitter and scuff ball, he threw a fastball and knuckleball. Ford slumped in 1912 and went 13-21 with a 3.55 ERA, 30 complete games, and 112 strikeouts over 291.2 innings. He topped the American League in the negative categories of earned runs surrendered (115) and home runs surrendered (11). His ERA dropped to 2.66 in 1913 but his won-lost record was a mediocre 13-18 as he dealt with a sore arm. Jumping to the Federal League in 1914, Ford produced a 21-6 tally and 1.82 ERA for Buffalo. With the emery pitch banned by the Federal League in 1915, his record dropped to 5-9 and a 4.52 ERA prior to being released in late August. He pitched for two more years in the minors before his playing career came to an end. For his major league career, Ford produced a 100-71 record with a 2.59 ERA, 126 complete games, 15 shutouts, 8 saves, and 710 strikeouts over 1487.1 innings. With the Highlanders/Yankees his totals were 74-56 with a 2.54 ERA, 100 complete games, 10 shutouts, 2 saves, and 553 strikeouts over 1112.2 innings. He died in 1960 at age 76. Ford was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. His brother Gene briefly pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1905. Thanks to his mastery of the scuff ball, Ford was an outstanding pitcher with the Highlanders for a short time.

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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: Ron Hunt, 1964

Second Baseman, New York Mets

Age: 23

2^nd season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 186 

Prior to 1964:

A Missouri native, Hunt played football and baseball in high school and was signed by the Milwaukee Braves following his graduation in 1959. Initially assigned to McCook of the Class D Nebraska State League, in 62 games he batted .284 with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 2 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .431 on-base percentage. He was hit by 13 pitches, setting the stage for a significant element of his major league career. Advancing to Cedar Rapids of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1960 he hit .191 with 9 doubles, 3 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .335 OBP thanks to drawing 88 walks. Returning to Cedar Rapids in 1961, Hunt’s batting production improved to .295 with 25 doubles, 7 triples, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, a .389 OBP, and a .484 slugging percentage. He spent 1962 with Austin of the Class AA Texas League and hit .310 with 25 doubles, 5 triples, 2 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .381 OBP. In the offseason Hunt was sold to the Mets and became the starting second baseman as a rookie in 1963, after initially being utilized as a bullpen catcher and telling manager Casey Stengel he would accept being sent back to the minors if he could play regularly at second. The impressed Stengel put him in the line-up and, while his fielding was a bit raw, he went on to lead the club in batting with his .272 average and further compiled 28 doubles, 4 triples, 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, a .334 OBP, and a .396 slugging percentage despite battling allergy problems. He placed a distant second in league Rookie of the Year voting and became a fan favorite with his scrappy style of play. Tough, aggressive, aware of his limitations, and willing to do what was necessary to help the team, he was hit by 13 pitches, which ranked second in the NL.

1964 Season Summary

Appeared in 127 games

2B – 109, 3B – 12, PH – 6

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 521

At Bats – 475

Runs – 59

Hits – 144

Doubles – 19

Triples – 6 [16, tied with eight others]

Home Runs – 6

RBI – 42

Bases on Balls – 29

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 30

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .303 [13, tied with Bill White]

OBP - .357 [15]

Slugging Pct. - .406

Total Bases – 193

GDP – 16 [7, tied with four others]

Hit by Pitches – 11 [2]

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 1

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, 3B – 4, HR - 3, RBI - 22, AVG - .311, OBP - .361

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 5/26, (in 5 AB) at Mil. Braves 6/28

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 3

Most home runs, game – 1 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Mil. Braves 5/14, vs. Cincinnati 7/12, at Chi. Cubs 8/28

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 6 (.333) with 1 2B & 2 RBI

 Fielding (2B)

Chances – 573

Put Outs – 244

Assists – 317

Errors – 12

DP – 73

Pct. - .979 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (Started for NL at 2B)

25^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Barney Schultz, StL. (1 point – 0% share)

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The Mets went 53-109 to finish tenth (last) in the NL, 40 games behind the pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in fewest triples (31), and fewest walks drawn (353). Moving from the decrepit Polo Grounds to the new Shea Stadium, the Mets remained a cellar-dwelling club despite the addition of some helpful veterans and the improvement of players such as Hunt, who became the first Met to start an All-Star Game. A 2-10 April planted the Mets in the cellar to stay. They still managed to almost play a spoiler role on the season’s final weekend, winning the first two of three games at St. Louis to nearly deprive the Cardinals, locked in a tight pennant race, of the prize outright. The team was 33-48 for the year at Shea Stadium, where they drew 1,732,597 fans.

Aftermath of 1964:

Having developed into an adept fielder, Hunt was limited to 57 games in 1965 due to a shoulder separation and batted .240 with a .309 OBP. He rebounded in 1966 to hit .288 with 19 doubles, 3 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .356 OBP. He was an All-Star for the second time but was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason along with outfielder Jim Hickman in the deal that brought outfielder Tommy Davis to New York. The primary second baseman for the Dodgers during the first half of the season, he was hitting .286 with a .381 OBP at the All-Star break. Injuries wore him down during the season’s second half and he was shuttled between second and third base late in the year. He finished by batting .263 with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .344 OBP. In the offseason, Hunt found himself on the move again, this time up the California coast to the San Francisco Giants as part of a four-player trade. He hit .250 with 19 doubles, 2 home runs, 28 RBIs, and a .371 OBP bolstered by drawing 78 walks and being hit by 25 pitches, which marked his first time leading the league in that category. Prone to crowding the plate, choking up on the bat and leaning toward the pitcher, not avoiding inside pitches, although he would use a spin move that made it appear that he was trying to avoid any direct hits. Umpires rarely called him on it and it allowed a fair hitter who lacked power to reach base more regularly. His defense was less stellar and, for the second time in his career, he led NL second basemen in errors. In the first season of divisional play in major league baseball in 1969, the perenially second-place-finishing Giants were runners-up once again in the new NL West. Hunt’s strong play in the season’s second half helped to achieve that result and, in addition to again topping the circuit in being hit by 25 pitches Hunt batted .262 with 23 doubles, 3 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .361 OBP. He tied for fifteenth in league MVP balloting. In 1970, the oft-injured Hunt was limited to 117 games and hit .281 with 17 doubles, 6 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .394 OBP. He still led the league by being hit by 26 pitches despite the reduced playing time. Dealt to the Montreal Expos in the offseason, in 1971 Hunt took his penchant for being hit by pitches to the ultimate, setting a 20^th century record by being struck 50 times. In addition he batted .279 with 20 doubles, 5 home runs, and a .402 OBP while drawing 58 walks in addition to his being struck by pitches. He was named club MVP by the Montreal baseball writers. Considered by many writers to be a throwback to an earlier baseball era in his style of play, he lacked grace as a fielder but made up for it with his aggressiveness. Never fast to begin with, Hunt appeared to lose a step in 1972 but still topped the NL by being hit by 26 pitches while batting .253 with 20 doubles, 56 runs scored, 18 RBIs, and a .363 OBP. Hitting well to start the 1973 season, Hunt was batting .299 at the All-Star break, but then injuries limited him to only 21 games during the season’s second half and he finished at .309 with a .418 OBP while topping the league in being hit by 24 pitches. With the Expos bent on a youth movement in 1974, Hunt was waived in September and picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals for the remainder of the season. He ended up hitting a combined .263 with a .372 OBP and a league-leading 16 times hit by pitches. Failing to make the Cardinals during 1975 spring training, his playing career came to an end. For his major league career, Hunt batted .273 with 1429 hits that included 223 doubles, 23 triples, and 39 home runs. He scored 745 runs and compiled 370 RBIs, 65 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. He was hit by 243 pitchers which was the modern career record until first broken by Don Baylor and later Craig Biggio. Nicknamed “Scrap Iron”, as testament to his usefulness with limited skills, and “Pigpen”, for his typically dirty uniform, he retired to his Missouri farm and ran liquor and sporting goods stores in addition to the non-profit Ron Hunt Eagles Baseball Association, a baseball training program for boys aged 14 to 18. Suffering health problems due to his rugged style of play, he summed up by saying “a lot of people give their body to science. I gave mine to baseball.”

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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: Joe Christopher, 1964

Outfielder, New York Mets

Age: 28

3^rd season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1964:

A native of the US Virgin Islands, Christopher played baseball in high school in Frederiksted and also played shortstop for a local amateur team. While playing in the National Baseball Congress tournament in Kansas in 1954, the 18-year-old shortstop drew the attention of a Pittsburgh Pirates scout, who signed him. He played in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Assigned to the Phoenix Stars of the Class C Arizona-Mexico League in 1955, he was shifted to the outfield and batted .366 in 84 games with 15 doubles, 14 triples, 2 home runs, 60 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, a .481 on-base percentage, and a .507 slugging percentage. Moving up to two Class A teams during the year, his final combined totals for the season were .283 with 22 doubles, 15 triples, 4 home runs, 76 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, a .392 OBP, and a .383 slugging percentage. In 1956, Christopher was with Williamsport of the Class A Eastern League and hit .283 with 13 doubles, 4 home runs, 34 RBIs, 67 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. Advancing to the Mexico City Tigers of the Class AA Mexican League in 1957, he topped the circuit with 24 stolen bases in 64 games while batting .291 with 16 extra-base hits, 61 runs scored, 23 RBIs, and a .358 OBP. In 1958 he was next assigned to the Salt Lake City Bees of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he hit .327 with 15 doubles, 10 triples, 8 home runs, 71 runs scored, 58 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, a .413 OBP, and a .469 slugging percentage. Called up to the Pirates as an outfield reserve in 1959, Christopher encountered injury problems and was quickly sent down to the Columbus Jets of the Class AAA International League where he batted .301 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, one home run, 69 runs scored, 32 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, and a .373 OBP. Back with the Pirates in 1960 as an outfield reserve and pinch-runner, thanks to his speed, and pinch-hitter, he was sent to Salt Lake City at one point for the opportunity to see more action and returned to Pittsburgh in June. He went on to appear in 50 games for the pennant-winning Pirates and hit .232 with one homer, 3 RBIs, and a .295 OBP. In the World Series against the New York Yankees, Christopher appeared in three of the seven games as a pinch-runner and contributed two runs. Still little used by the Pirates in 1961, he appeared in 76 games and batted .263 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 14 RBIs, 6 stolen bases, and a .327 OBP. In the offseason he was chosen by the Mets in the NL expansion draft. Christopher started the 1962 season back in Class AAA with Syracuse of the International League prior to being called up by the struggling first-year Mets. He played in 119 games and hit .244 with 10 doubles, 6 home runs, 32 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. Farmed out again in 1962, he returned to the Mets in July to appear in 64 games and batted .221 with 7 extra-base hits, 8 RBIs, and a .295 OBP. He finally was given the opportunity to play regularly in 1964, although he was not an especially good defensive outfielder.

1964 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 129, CF – 10, PH – 9, LF – 7, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 604

At Bats – 543

Runs – 78 [20]

Hits – 163 [19, tied with Tommy Davis]

Doubles – 26 [19, tied with Bob Bailey & Felipe Alou]

Triples – 8 [8, tied with Donn Clendenon & Bill Mazeroski]

Home Runs – 16

RBI – 76

Bases on Balls – 48 [19]

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 92 [15, tied with Willie Stargell]

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .300 [15]

OBP - .360 [13]

Slugging Pct. - .466 [17]

Total Bases – 253 [19, tied with Willie Davis]

GDP – 18 [5, tied with Roy McMillan]

Hit by Pitches – 6 [10, tied with Tony Gonzalez & Johnny Callison]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 6 [7, tied with ten others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 7, 3B – 2, HR - 9, RBI - 36, AVG - .277, OBP - .335

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 10 AB) vs. San Francisco 5/31 – 23 innings, (in 6 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs – 12 innings, (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 8/18, (in 6 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/28

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 7

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Philadelphia 6/20

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Mil. Braves 6/26

Pinch-hitting – 3 for 9 (.333) with 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI & 1 ROE

Fielding

Chances – 268

Put Outs – 251

Assists – 10

Errors – 7

DP – 2

Pct. - .974 

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The Mets went 53-109 to finish tenth (last) in the NL, 40 games behind the pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in fewest triples (31), and fewest walks drawn (353). Moving from the decrepit Polo Grounds to the new Shea Stadium, the Mets remained a cellar-dwelling club despite the addition of some helpful veterans and the improvement of players such as Christopher, who became the first hitter in club history who batted .300 and had the plate appearances to qualify for ranking. A 2-10 April planted the Mets in the cellar to stay. They still managed to almost play a spoiler role on the season’s final weekend, winning the first two of three games at St. Louis to nearly deprive the Cardinals, locked in a tight pennant race, of the prize outright. The club was 33-48 for the year at Shea Stadium, where they drew 1,732,597 fans.

Aftermath of 1964:

Christopher was unable to build on his 1964 success in 1965. Hindered by a hand injury from the start of the season along with the competition from rookie slugger Ron Swoboda, he batted only .249 with 18 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .311 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Little used by Boston in 1966, Christopher was dealt to the Detroit Tigers at midseason and was sent down to Class AAA with Syracuse of the International League. With his major league career effectively finished, he continued to play winter ball in Puerto Rico and with minor league teams through 1968. An abortive comeback in the Mexican League in 1972 marked the end of his playing career. For his major league playing career, Christopher batted .260 with 434 hits that included 68 doubles, 17 triples, and 29 home runs. He scored 224 runs and compiled 173 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, a .329 OBP, and a .374 slugging percentage. With the Mets he batted .265 with 171 runs scored, 371 hits, 59 doubles, 14 triples, 28 home runs, 156 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .334 OBP, and a .387 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, Christopher worked for an ad agency in New York. Christopher died at age 87 in 2023. As his caregiver during his final years summed up “I can say with all honesty that Mr. Joe was one of the kindest, most pleasant men that I have ever met.” And for one season with the Mets, he was a noteworthy ballplayer.

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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.