Highlighted Year: Ernie Banks, 1962

First Baseman, Chicago Cubs

Age: 31

9^th season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1962:

Banks, a native of Dallas, Texas, was the son of a Negro League catcher. He starred in football and basketball at Booker T. Washington High School, which did not have a baseball team, so he played softball instead to develop a similar skill set. Shy and introverted, Banks signed to play baseball with a traveling team during the summers after his sophomore and junior years. Catching the attention of the Negro League Kansas City Monarchs, he signed following his high school graduation in 1950 and performed well at shortstop. After a stint in the Army, Banks signed with the Cubs, who bought his contract from the Monarchs. Moving directly to the major league club, he played in the last ten games for the Cubs in 1953 and took over at shortstop in ’54. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time in 1955, a season in which he totaled 44 home runs (a record 5 of them grand slams) and 117 RBIs. After playing in 424 straight games, an infection in his right hand sidelined him for part of the 1956 season and his numbers dropped accordingly. But he was back over forty home runs in 1957 (43) and a hundred RBIs (102) while playing in every contest. In 1958 Banks led the NL in home runs (47), RBIs (129), slugging percentage (.614), and total bases (379), while batting .313 with 193 hits and 119 runs scored. He was named league MVP for the first time despite playing for a fifth-place Cubs team. Banks repeated as NL MVP in 1959 as he led the league with 143 RBIs while batting .304 with 45 home runs, a .374 OBP, and a .596 slugging percentage. Banks had his fourth straight 40-home run season in 1960 (a league-leading 41) and placed fourth in league MVP voting. Sure-handed at shortstop but without much range, Banks was moved to first base full-time in 1962, following a trial in left field in 1961, a season in which he batted .278 with 29 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .346 OBP, and a .507 slugging percentage.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

1B – 149, PH – 4, 3B – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 657

At Bats – 610 [14]

Runs – 87 [20, tied with Tony Taylor & Bob Skinner]

Hits – 164

Doubles – 20

Triples – 6

Home Runs – 37 [4]

RBI – 104 [8]

Bases on Balls – 30

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 71

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .269

OBP - .306

Slugging Pct. - .503 [12]

Total Bases – 307 [6]

GDP – 19 [2, tied with Willie Mays]

Hit by Pitches – 7 [8, tied with four others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 10 [2]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, HR – 22, RBI - 57, AVG. – 274, SLG - 525, OBP - .314

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Houston 4/18 – 10 innings, (in 5 AB) vs. Mil. Braves 5/29, (in 5 AB) vs. Mil. Braves 7/6 - 10 innings, (in 6 AB) at LA Dodgers 8/5 – 14 innings

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 19

HR on road – 18

Most home runs, game – 3 (in 5 AB) vs. Mil. Braves 5/29

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 4 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 4 (.500) with 1 R, 1 HR & 3 RBI

Fielding 

Chances – 1575

Put Outs – 1458

Assists – 106

Errors – 11

DP – 134

Pct. - .993

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

18^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Ken Boyer, StL, Johnny Callison, Phila. & Harvey Kuenn, SF (5 points – 2% share)

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Aftermath of 1962:

Weakened by illness in 1963, Banks was limited to 130 games and his production dropped to .227 with 18 home runs, 64 RBIs, a .292 OBP, and a .403 slugging percentage. He rebounded in 1964 to bat .264 with 29 doubles, 6 triples, 23 home runs, 95 RBIs, a .307 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. Banks was back in All-Star form in 1965 while hitting .265 with 25 doubles, 28 home runs, 106 RBIs, a .328 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. Despite issues with injuries and illness, he played until age 40 in 1971, ending up with a total of 512 home runs, 2583 hits, and a .274 lifetime batting average. He had 30 or more home runs in seven seasons and reached 100 RBIs eight times. With a pleasant and friendly personality, Banks was highly popular with Cubs fans, a team he played with for all his 19 major league seasons (without ever seeing postseason action), and his #14 was retired by the club. The player known as “Mr. Cub” was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. Banks died in 2015 at the age of 83.

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

Highlighted Year: Frank Chance, 1903

First Baseman, Chicago Cubs

Age: 27 (Sept. 9)

6^th season with Orphans/Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1903:

A native of Fresno, California, Chance first played organized baseball at the Univ. of California where he was studying to become a dentist. After transferring to Washington College in Irvine, he played in an independent league in 1897 where he came to the attention of a player for the Cubs, then called the Orphans, who signed him as a backup outfielder and catcher in 1898. Appearing in 53 games during his rookie season, Chance batted .279 with 8 extra-base hits, 14 RBIs, and a .338 on-base percentage. Nicknamed “Husk” for his husky frame and aggressive play, Chance appeared in 64 games in 1899 and hit .286 with 9 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and a .351 OBP. He continued in the same role in 1900 and 1901, limited in his playing time because of frequent injuries, in particular hand injuries that included broken fingers due to handling foul tips. Appearing in 76 games in 1902 he batted .289 with 14 extra-base hits, 31 RBIs, and a .401 OBP. The loss of first baseman Bill Hanlon and the emergence of catcher Johnny Kling had Chance playing substantially at first base, initially as a temporary fill-in. In 1903 he went from fill-in to regular first baseman.

1903 Season Summary

Appeared in 125 games

1B – 121, C – 2, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 540

At Bats – 441

Runs – 83 [17, tied with John Farrell]

Hits – 144 [20]

Doubles – 24 [19, tied with Shad Barry & Ed Gremminger]

Triples – 10 [12, tied with Jake Beckley, Claude Ritchey & Duff Cooley]

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 81 [6, tied with Jake Beckley]

Bases on Balls – 78 [4]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 41

Stolen Bases – 67 [1, tied with Jimmy Sheckard]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .327 [8, tied with Patsy Donovan, Jake Beckley & Roy Thomas]

OBP - .439 [3]

Slugging Pct. - .440 [11]

Total Bases – 194 [17, tied with Jimmy Sebring & Jimmy Slagle]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 10 [7, tied with Sammy Strang]

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 12, 3B – 7, HR - 0, RBI - 27, SB – 30, AVG - .285, OBP - .438, SLG – .403

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Phila. Phillies 5/23, (in 5 AB) vs. Bos. Beaneaters 9/27

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 4 AB) at Brooklyn 8/19, (in 5 AB) at NY Giants 8/22

HR at home – 0

HR on road – 2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Brooklyn 6/25, at Bos. Beaneaters 8/12

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 1308

Put Outs – 1204

Assists – 68

Errors – 36

DP – 49

Pct. – .972 

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The Cubs went 82-56 to finish third in the NL, 8 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The up-and-coming Cubs started well and were in first place from May 15 until June 6. They remained in contention through June and were in second or third the rest of the way as the Pirates pulled away.

Aftermath of 1903:

In 1904, Chance, now established as a starting player, again performed well and batted .310 with 16 doubles, 10 triples, 6 home runs, 49 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .382 OBP, and a .430 slugging percentage. During the 1905 season he replaced ailing manager Frank Selee and proved to be an effective motivator in guiding the Cubs to a third-place finish. As a player he contributed by hitting .316 with 16 doubles, 12 triples, 2 home runs, 70 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, a league-leading .450 OBP, and a .434 slugging percentage. Fearless, aggressive, and willing to risk injury to make a play, he became partially deaf in his left ear due to frequent beanings due to his tendency to crowd the plate when batting. Chance was also tough but diplomatic in his handling of players and they responded well, leading to another nickname, “The Peerless Leader”. He became part of a legendary infield in combination with shortstop Joe Tinker and second baseman Johnny Evers. In 1906 he guided the Cubs to a record 116-win season while leading the NL in runs scored (103) and stolen bases (57) while batting .319 with 24 doubles, 10 triples, 3 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .419 OBP, and a .430 slugging percentage. The Cubs were upset in the World Series by the crosstown White Sox, who got by on pitching, timely hitting, and defense. The Cubs won another pennant in 1907 and Chance, playing in only 111 games due to injury, hit .293 with 19 doubles, a home run, 49 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, and a .395 OBP while performing well defensively, leading NL first basemen with a .992 fielding percentage. This time the club won the World Series, defeating Detroit in five games. The Cubs won a third straight pennant in 1908 and, playing in 129 games, Chance batted .272 with 27 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 55 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP.  The club again defeated Detroit in the World Series and “The Peerless Leader” batted .421 with a .500 OBP in five games. The Cubs dropped to second place in 1909 and injuries limited Chance to 93 games in which he hit .272 with a .341 OBP. His playing time dropped to 88 games in 1910, but his managerial leadership saw no slippage as the Cubs returned to the top of the National League, only to lose the World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics. His playing time dropped further in 1911 and he was let go as both a player and manager following the 1912 season. Afflicted by blood clots in the brain due to his beanings, he had brain surgery and returned as player/manager of the American League’s New York Yankees in 1913. He saw little action on the field during his stint in New York which lasted only two seasons. The club performed poorly and he retired to return home to California. For his major league career, Chance batted .296 with 1274 hits that included 200 doubles, 79 triples, and 20 home runs. He scored 798 runs and compiled 596 RBIs, 403 stolen bases, a .394 OBP, and a .394 slugging percentage. Virtually all of his statistics were compiled with the Cubs where his managerial record was 768-389 for a gaudy .664 winning percentage. His teams won four pennants and two World Series titles. Following his playing career, Chance grew oranges in California and for a short time owned and managed the Los Angeles club in the Pacific Coast League. He returned to major league managing in 1923 with the Boston Red Sox, who finished last. Slated to manage the Chicago White Sox in 1924, poor health forced him to stand down and he died later that year at age 48. His playing style and propensity for head injuries finally caught up to him. Chance was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 for his contributions as a player, despite missing so much time due to injuries, and as a manager.  As contemporary Hall of Fame manager John McGraw summed up: “He was a great player – I think one of the best first basemen ever in the game – but in addition he was a great leader because he asked no man to take any chance that he would not take himself and because he had the power to instill enthusiasm even in a losing cause.”

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

Highlighted Year: Jack Taylor, 1902

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age: 28

4^th season with Orphans/Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1902:

A native of southeastern Ohio, Taylor began pitching for semipro teams in Marietta, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia. In 1897, he joined Milwaukee of the Western League where he produced an 8-7 record and 2.54 ERA during a season cut short by a broken arm. Still with Milwaukee in 1898, Taylor posted a 28-13 tally with 40 complete games. Joining the NL’s Chicago Orphans in September, he went 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA. Taylor’s performance with the 75-73 Orphans in 1899 produced a less impressive 18-21 record with a 3.76 ERA, 39 complete games, and 67 strikeouts over 354.2 innings. Throwing a variety of pitches from a sidearm motion, most notably a fastball, he pitched well for a woeful Chicago club that tied for fifth in 1900 and finished with a 10-17 mark, a 2.55 ERA, 25 complete games, and 57 strikeouts over 222.1 innings. The club placed sixth in 1901 but Taylor improved his record to 13-19 with a 3.36 ERA, 30 complete games, and 68 strikeouts over 275.2 innings pitched. With the rebuilding Orphans becoming known (then and ever after) as the Cubs in 1902, Taylor had an outstanding season.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 56 games

P – 37, 3B – 12, RF – 3, 1B – 2, 2B – 1, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37 [4]

Games Started – 34 – [6]

Complete Games – 34 [4, tied with Doc White]

Wins – 23 [4, tied with Noodles Hahn]

Losses – 11

PCT - .676 [7]

Saves – 1 [5, tied with eleven others]

Shutouts – 8 [1, tied with Jack Chesbro & Christy Mathewson]

Innings Pitched – 333.2 [3]

Hits – 273 [10]

Runs – 86

Earned Runs – 48

Home Runs – 2 [13, tied with eleven others]

Bases on Balls – 45

Strikeouts – 88 [16, tied with Ed Doheny]

ERA – 1.29 [1]

Hit Batters – 12 [9, tied with Mal Eason, Mike O’Neill & Bill Duggleby]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 10 [4]

League-leading ERA was -0.48 lower than runner-up Noodles Hahn

Midseason Snapshot: 13-6, ERA – 1.06, SO – 56 in 194.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Beaneaters 5/20

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. NY Giants 5/7

Batting

PA – 207, AB – 189, R – 18, H – 44, 2B – 6, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 18, BB – 8, SO – 23, SB – 6, CS – N/A, AVG - .233, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 9, SF – N/A

Fielding (P)

Chances – 127

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 106

Errors – 6

DP – 3

Pct. - .953

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The Cubs went 68-69 to finish fifth in the NL, 34 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.19) and complete games (134). The Cubs started well and were in second place with a 23-12 record by the end of May following a split of a doubleheader with the Pirates in Pittsburgh. The club dropped off the pace in the summer. A six-game August win streak was followed by an eight-game losing streak which knocked them down to fourth, and they were unable to finish in the first division while Pittsburgh ran away from the pack. 

Aftermath of 1902:

Taylor went on to another fine season in 1903, producing a 21-14 record and a 2.45 ERA, again completing all his starts (33), and recording 83 strikeouts over 312.1 innings. In the postseason City Series against the American League’s White Sox he started and easily won the first game but lost three other starts, which led to charges of his having been paid off by gamblers to throw the games. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals along with catcher/first baseman Larry McLean for RHP Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown and catcher Jack O’Neill. Taylor co-led the NL with 39 complete games to go with a 20-19 record and a 2.22 ERA with 103 strikeouts over 352 innings. Following the 1904 season, Taylor was called before baseball’s ruling National Commission which was investigating the game-throwing charge coming out of the 1903 Chicago City Series due to his allegedly having been overheard saying that he was paid $500 to lose. Following his testimony that he had been out drinking and gambling the night before the game in question, he was acquitted on the charge of throwing games but was fined $300 for bad conduct. Together with allegations of having thrown a game against Pittsburgh during the 1904 season, his reputation was further sullied. He did pitch again for the Cardinals in 1905 and went 15-21 with a 3.44 ERA and 102 strikeouts over 309 innings pitched. He started 34 games and completed them all once again. Off to an 8-9 start in 1906, Taylor was dealt back to the Cubs. He performed excellently for the pennant-winning club and finished with a combined tally of 20-12 with a 1.99 ERA. His complete games streak ended at 187 in August when he was finally relieved during a loss to the New York Giants. He ended up with 32 complete games for the year and struck out 61 batters over 302.1 innings. He played one more season with the Cubs in 1907 in which he posted a 7-5 record and 3.29 ERA. For his major league career, Taylor produced a 152-139 record and 2.65 ERA with 279 complete games, 20 shutouts, and 662 strikeouts over 2626 innings. With the Cubs he was 109-90 with a 2.65 ERA, 189 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 430 strikeouts over 1810 innings. Taylor did not appear in World Series play. Following his major league career, he went on to pitch in the minors with six different teams, winding up his playing career in 1913. The one time “iron man” pitcher became a coal miner and died at age 64 in 1938.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason. 

Highlighted Year: Chuck Schilling, 1961

Second Baseman, Boston Red Sox

Age: 23

1^st season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 160 

Prior to 1961:

Born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Schilling grew up with his family in New Hyde Park, New York and was the MVP of his baseball team at Manhasset’s St. Mary’s High School as a senior in 1955. He had also played sandlot and Catholic Youth Organization ball. Entering Manhattan College following high school, he signed a bonus contract with the Red Sox in 1958. Initially assigned to Raleigh of the Class B Carolina League in 1959, Schilling was soon sent down to the Alpine Cowboys of the Class D Sophomore League where he appeared in 95 games and batted .340 with 34 doubles, 7 triples, 13 home runs, 90 RBIs, a .443 on-base percentage, and a .572 slugging percentage. The 21-year-old second baseman finished the season by briefly playing for the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AAA American Association. Schilling spent all of 1960 with Minneapolis and hit .314 with 30 doubles, 8 triples, 2 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .378 OBP, while performing impressively at second base. He spent the offseason fulfilling a six-month term in the Army. Much heralded heading into spring training, and despite his frail physique, he became the club’s starting second baseman and leadoff hitter.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

2B – 158, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 738 [1]

At Bats – 646 [4]

Runs – 87 [18, tied with Tito Francona & Jim Landis]

Hits – 167 [12, tied with Jerry Lumpe]

Doubles – 25 [20, tied with Jim Gentile & Zoilo Versalles]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 5

RBI – 62

Bases on Balls – 78 [13]

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 77 [20, tied with Willie Kirkland & Joe Koppe]

Stolen Bases – 7

Caught Stealing – 6 [11, tied with Bill Bruton & George Thomas]

Average - .259

OBP - .340

Slugging Pct. - .327

Total Bases – 211

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 11 [5, tied with Don Schwall]

Sac Flies – 1

League-leading plate appearances were +2 ahead of runner-up Brooks Robinson

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, HR – 2, RBI – 37, AVG – .253, OBP - .341

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) vs. NY Yankees 7/22

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on five occasions

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 1

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Minnesota 5/7

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 854

Put Outs – 397

Assists – 449

Errors – 8

DP – 121

Pct. - .991 

Awards & Honors:

19^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Brooks Robinson, Balt. (4 points – 1% share)

3^rd in AL Rookie of the Year voting, tied with Floyd Robinson, ChiWS & Lee Thomas, NYY & LAA (2 votes – 10% share)

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The Red Sox went 76-86 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. Dominant at Fenway Park (50-31) but a losing team on the road (26-55), the Red Sox were buoyed by a good rookie crop that included RHP Don Schwall, outfielder Carl Yastrzemski, and Schilling, who set an American League record for fewest errors at second base in a season.

Aftermath of 1961:

Schilling got off to a slow start at the plate in 1962 and was further hindered by a broken left hand. Limited to 119 games he batted a disappointing .230 with 17 doubles, 7 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .286 OBP. A quiet and businesslike player, Schilling had another disappointing offensive season in 1963, as his batting average tailed off in September and he finished at .234 with 25 doubles, 8 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .291 OBP, although he remained proficient defensively. Schilling found himself displaced as the regular second baseman by rookie Dalton Jones in 1964, as the club chose to improve its offensive production at the position. Appearing in 47 games, Schilling batted .196 with a .263 OBP. Playing in a utility role in 1965, he hit .240 with a .292 OBP over the course of 71 appearances. Traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1966, he retired rather than accept demotion to the minors. For his major league career, played entirely with the Red Sox, Schilling batted .239 with 470 hits that included 76 doubles, 5 triples, and 23 home runs. He scored 230 runs and compiled 146 RBIs and a .304 OBP. A solid fielder, his initially promising major league career was derailed by his weak hitting. He later went into teaching, where he taught math until retiring in 1998. Schilling died in 2021 at age 83.

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

Highlighted Year: Buck Freeman, 1903

Outfielder, Boston Americans

Age: 31

3^rd season with Americans

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 169 

Prior to 1903:

Born in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania to Irish immigrant parents, John Freeman moved with his family at a young age to the coal mining area around Wilkes-Barre. Working as a mule driver, he also pitched with distinction for semipro baseball teams in the area. An 1891 trial with the Washington Statesmen of the American Association went poorly and he was quickly released. Advised to concentrate on his hitting, he played in the outfield with the Haverhill, Massachusetts club in the minor New England League in 1894 where he batted a league-leading .386 with 34 home runs and 167 RBIs. Briefly playing for Detroit of the Class A Western League in 1895, he quickly moved on to the Toronto Canucks of the Eastern League where he hit .315 in 99 games with 28 doubles, 19 triples, and 6 home runs. He played for Toronto until 1898, slugging 20 home runs in 1897 and 23 in ’98. A free-swinging batter who swung for the fences, he followed manager Arthur Irwin to the National League’s Washington Senators later in 1898 and hit .364 in 29 games with 3 home runs and 21 RBIs. With Washington in 1899, he led the NL with 25 home runs (an amazing total for the time) and also batted .318 with 19 doubles and 25 triples. With the contraction of the National League from twelve to eight teams in 1900, the Senators went out of business and Freeman was sold to the Boston Beaneaters where he ran afoul of manager Frank Selee with his free-swinging style. Freeman batted .301 with 19 doubles, 13 triples, 6 home runs, and 65 RBIs with a .355 on-base percentage. He jumped to Boston’s new American League club, the Americans, in 1901 and hit .339 with 23 doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, and 114 RBIs with a ,400 OBP and .520 slugging percentage. His good throwing arm in right field was occasionally erratic and he was regularly used at first base in ‘01. Freeman entered the 1902 season well established as a premier slugger who was back regularly in right field. He went on to lead the league with 121 RBIs while batting .309 with 38 doubles, 19 triples, 11 home runs, a .352 OBP, and a .502 slugging percentage.

1903 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

RF – 141

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 611 [4]

At Bats – 567 [3]

Runs – 74 [16, tied with Wid Conroy]

Hits – 163 [7, tied with Jimmy Barrett & Lave Cross]

Doubles – 39 [3]

Triples – 20 [3]

Home Runs – 13 [1]

RBI – 104 [1]

Bases on Balls – 30

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 73 [2]

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .287 [20, tied with Fielder Jones]

OBP - .328

Slugging Pct. - .496 [2, tied with Bill Bradley]

Total Bases – 281 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 10

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading home runs were +1 ahead of runner-up Charlie Hickman

League-leading RBIs were +7 ahead of runner-up Charlie Hickman

League-leading total bases were +12 ahead of runner-up Sam Crawford

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 21, 3B – 12, HR – 6, RBI – 47, AVG – .290, SLG – .516, OBP – .333

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at Cleveland 6/21

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 6

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

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Cleveland 6/21

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 223

Put Outs – 195

Assists – 13

Errors – 15

DP – 2

Pct. – .933

Postseason Batting: 8 G (World Series vs. Pittsburgh)

PA – 34, AB – 32, R – 6, H – 9, 2B – 0, 3B – 3, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .281, OBP - .324, SLG - .469, TB – 15, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

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The Americans (aka Pilgrims) went 91-47 to win the AL pennant by 14.5 games over the Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in runs scored (708), hits (1336), triples (113), home runs (48), RBIs (609), batting (.272), slugging (.392), and total bases (1928). Following a slow start in April, a strong May performance put the Americans into contention, and they moved into first place to stay in June, propelled by outstanding hitting and pitching. They won the World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5 games to 3. With Boston down 3-games-to-1 in the best of 9 format, ace RHP Cy Young won Games 5 and 7 and RHP Bill Dinneen picked up wins in Game 6 and the decisive Game 8.

Aftermath of 1903:

Ahead of his time in his scientific approach to hitting and dedication to physical conditioning, the player nicknamed “Buck” followed up by batting .280 with a league-leading 19 triples in addition to 7 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .329 OBP as Boston again won the AL pennant. He and the Americans were denied the opportunity for another World Series appearance by the refusal of owner John T. Brush of the NL champion New York Giants to participate. The 33-year-old Freeman experienced a decline in 1905 as he hit .240 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, 3 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a .316 OBP. His consecutive game playing streak ended at 541 as well. His performance slipped further in 1906 as he batted .250 with 18 doubles, 9 triples, 1 home run, 30 RBIs, and a .302 OBP while appearing in 121 games. A poor start in 1907 led to his being waived and claimed by the Washington Senators (no relation to the former NL club), who promptly sold him to the Minneapolis Millers of the Class A American Association. He hit 18 home runs for Minneapolis in 1907 and 10 more in 1908 before a shoulder injury ended his season after 92 games. Freeman saw action in the New York State League in 1909 and served as a minor league player/manager until wrapping up his career in 1912. For his major league career, Freeman batted .293 with 1235 hits that included 199 doubles, 131 triples, and 82 home runs. He scored 588 runs and compiled 713 RBIs, 92 stolen bases, a .346 OBP, and a .462 slugging percentage. With the Americans he batted .286 with 879 hits, 158 doubles, 90 triples, 48 home runs, 504 RBIs, 403 runs scored, 59 stolen bases, a .339 OBP, and a .442 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, he was an umpire for many years. Freeman died in 1949 at age 77.

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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: Patsy Dougherty, 1903

Outfielder, Boston Americans

Age:  26

2^nd season with Americans

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1903:

A native of New York state, Patrick “Patsy” Dougherty was the son of an Irish immigrant who made a fortune thanks to the oil boom in the southwest of New York in the 1880s. The family moved to the town of Bolivar where Dougherty played high school baseball with Frank Gannett, who became the founder of the Gannett newspaper chain. From 1896 to 1901, the brawny and red-haired Dougherty played for several minor league teams in the Northeast. Originally a pitcher who played in the outfield when not on the mound, his hitting and speed caused him to become a full-time outfielder. Following the 1901 season he went to play winter ball in California (a common practice at the time). Joining a Los Angeles-based team managed by Jimmy Collins, the player/manager of the new American League’s Boston Americans. The impressed Collins brought Dougherty back east to play left field for Boston in 1902. Despite missing some 30 games due to assorted injuries, Dougherty’s rookie major league season was a success as he batted .342 with a .407 on-base percentage, 20 stolen bases, and 77 runs scored, although his defense was far less impressive. A good hitter and excellent bunter, he followed up with an outstanding season in 1903.

1903 Season Summary

Appeared in 139 games

LF – 139

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 647 [1]

At Bats – 590 [1]

Runs – 107 [1]

Hits – 195 [1]

Doubles – 19

Triples – 12 [10, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 4 [13, tied with Sam Crawford & Freddy Parent]

RBI – 59 [18, tied with Frank Isbell]

Bases on Balls – 33 [16, tied with Kid Elberfeld, Charles Moran & Rabbit Robinson]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 62 [7]

Stolen Bases – 35 [3, tied with Ducky Holmes]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .331 [3]

OBP - .372 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .424 [12]

Total Bases – 250 [5]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 6 [10, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 18 [14, tied with Jimmy Barrett, Lefty Davis & Lee Tannehill]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading plate appearances were +10 ahead of runner-up Harry Bay

League-leading at bats were +11 ahead of runner-up Harry Bay

League-leading runs scored were +6 ahead of runner-up Bill Bradley

League-leading hits were +11 ahead of runner-up Sam Crawford

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 6, 3B – 3, HR - 3, RBI - 30, SB – 18, AVG - .320, OBP – .359, SLG – .391

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) vs. NY Highlanders 7/29, (in 5 AB) vs. Phila. A’s 9/5

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 1

Most home runs, game – 1 on four occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 at Washington 4/28

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 289

Put Outs – 259

Assists – 16

Errors – 14

DP – 3

Pct. – .952 

Postseason: 8 G (World Series vs. Pittsburgh)

PA – 37, AB – 34, R – 3, H – 8, 2B – 0, 3B – 2, HR – 2, RBI – 5, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 6, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .235, OBP - .297, SLG - .529, TB – 18, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

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The Americans (aka Pilgrims) went 91-47 to win the AL pennant by 14.5 games over the Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in runs scored (708), hits (1336), triples (113), home runs (48), RBIs (609), batting (.272), slugging (.392), and total bases (1928). Following a slow start in April, a strong May performance put the Americans into contention and they moved into first place to stay in June, propelled by outstanding hitting and pitching. They won the World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5 games to 3. With Boston down 3-games-to-1 in the best of 9 format, ace RHP Cy Young won Games 5 and 7 and RHP Bill Dinneen picked up wins in Game 6 and the decisive Game 8. Dougherty had the distinction of hitting two home runs and accounting for 5 RBIs.

Aftermath of 1903:

The Americans had new ownership in 1904 which led to a clash over salary with Dougherty, who was traded to the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) in June for utility infielder Bob Unglaub in a deal which might well have been facilitated by AL president Ban Johnson to improve the league’s New York franchise, although Boston’s president declared that Dougherty was traded due to his poor defense and a quarrelsome attitude. The Highlanders narrowly lost the pennant but Dougherty proved helpful as he again led the circuit in runs scored (113) while batting .280 with 18 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .329 OBP. In a 1905 season in which AL batting averages in general dropped, Dougherty’s fell to .263 with a .319 OBP and 56 runs scored as the Highlanders dropped to sixth place. With his offense and defensive performance continuing to slide in 1906, Dougherty clashed with manager Clark Griffith (including a fistfight on one occasion). Hitting only .192 after 12 games, he quit the team and was suspended by the American League. The Chicago White Sox, managed by Fielder Jones, who had known Dougherty since their days playing for town teams in New York state, purchased his contract in July and got him reinstated. In 75 games for the White Sox Dougherty hit .233 and improved his play in the outfield. Chicago’s “Hitless Wonders”, getting by on pitching, speed and defense, won the AL pennant. In the World Series upset of the Cubs, Dougherty had only two hits in 20 at bats (.100) and his three walks pulled his OBP up to .217. In 1907 his batting improved to .270 with a .322 OBP and 33 stolen bases as the White Sox remained in contention until the last week of the season. The White Sox became involved in a hot pennant race in 1908 with Detroit and Cleveland and Dougherty hit .278 with a .367 OBP and led the league with 47 stolen bases. For the second time in his career, he broke up a no-hitter when his seventh-inning single ended a no-hit bid by Joe Lake of the Highlanders. In 1909 he was the top hitter for the fourth-place White Sox, batting .285 with 23 doubles, 13 triples, 55 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .359 OBP helped by drawing 51 walks. With the White Sox embarking on a youth movement in 1910, the 33-year-old Dougherty was the oldest regular starting player and hit .248 with 43 RBIs and a .318 OBP. He was afflicted by health problems that lingered into 1911, although he batted .289 in 76 games in what proved to be his final season. He retired as one of the wealthiest major league players at the time due to his investment in oil wells and various businesses in Bolivar, New York. For his major league career, he batted .284 with 1294 hits that included 138 doubles, 78 triples, and 17 home runs. He scored 678 runs and compiled 413 RBIs, 261 stolen bases, and a .346 OBP. With Boston he batted .325 with 398 hits, 217 runs scored, 97 RBIs, 65 stolen bases, and a .382 OBP. He went into banking following his playing career, also serving as president of the Class D Inter-State League in 1916. Dougherty died of a heart attack in 1940 at age 63. 

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

Highlighted Year: Bob Nieman, 1956

Outfielder, Chicago White Sox/Baltimore Orioles

Age: 29

2^nd season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height:5’11”  Weight: 195

Prior to 1956:

A native of Cincinnati, Nieman excelled in football, where he was an all-city fullback at Withrow High School, in addition to baseball. Following his high school graduation in 1945, he was drafted into the Army, but a bout with nephritis caused him to be hospitalized for most of his military stint. Enrolling at the University of Cincinnati, he tried out with the hometown Cincinnati Reds and was signed in 1948 for $250 per month. Asigned to Muncie of the Class D Ohio-Indiana League, he was shifted from catcher, his high school position, to the outfield as the result of an operation on his throwing hand. His hitting was not hindered as the burly slugger batted .367 with 45 doubles, 9 triples, 23 home runs, 131 RBIs, a .471 on-base percentage, and a .627 slugging percentage. During the fall he and his fellow student and new wife transferred to Kent State University where Nieman studied Journalism. Nieman played for teams at the Class B, A, and AA levels in 1949 and played the most for the Charleston Senators of the Central League where he hit .307 with 16 doubles, 10 triples, 9 home runs, 56 RBIs, a .404 OBP, and a .510 slugging percentage over the course of 92 games. He finished the year with the Tulsa Oilers of the Texas League, where he started the 1950 season. Despite a 17-game hitting streak, he was sent down to Columbia of the Class A South Atlantic (or Sally) League where he appeared in 87 games and batted .292 with 10 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 49 RBIs, a .405 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. Back with Tulsa in 1951 and being drilled to overcome a tendency to overstride during his swing, Nieman hit .307 in 35 games before being sold to the Oklahoma City Indians, an unaffiliated Texas League Club that was part-owned by St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck. He went on to bat .328 with 33 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, and a .511 slugging percentage with Oklahoma City. Nieman was awarded to the Browns following the Texas League season and he joined them in mid-September. In 12 games with the Browns he hit .372 with 6 extra-base hits (including home runs in his first two major league at bats at Boston’s Fenway Park), and 8 RBIs. Having received his Journalism degree in the spring of 1952, Nieman commenced his rookie season with the Browns and he went on to hit .289 with 22 doubles, 18 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .352 OBP, and a .456 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was traded to the Detroit Tigers as part of a six-player deal that brought outfielder Johnny Groth and RHP Virgil Trucks to the Browns. In 1953 he hit .281 with 32 doubles, 5 triples, 15 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .354 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. Hampered by leg injuries in 1954, and competing for outfield playing time with rookies Al Kaline and Bill Tuttle, Nieman batted .263 in 91 games with 14 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .422 slugging percentage. Traded again in the offseason, this time to the White Sox in another six-player transaction, he was again plagued by leg injuries in 1955 and, appearing in 99 games he hit .283 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .366 OBP, and a .460 slugging percentage. A highlight was a 7-RBI game in a 29-6 win against the Kansas City Athletics. The addition of veteran star outfielder Larry Doby in the offseason further limited opportunities for Nieman and he was traded to the Orioles as part of another large deal in May of 1956.  

1956 Season Summary

Appeared in 128 games (Baltimore – 114/Chicago – 14)

LF – 114, RF – 10, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 522 (CHI – 44/BALT - 478

At Bats – 428 (CHI – 40/BALT – 388)

Runs – 63 (CHI – 3/BALT – 60)

Hits – 137 (CHI – 12/BALT – 125)

Doubles – 21 (CHI – 1/BALT – 20)

Triples – 6 [14, tied with five others] (BALT)

Home Runs – 14 (CHI – 2/BALT – 12)

RBI – 68 (CHI – 4/BALT – 64)

Bases on Balls – 90 [6, tied with Billy Klaus] (CHI – 4/BALT – 86)

Int. BB – 5 [17, tied with Jackie Jensen & Pete Daley] (CHI – 2/BALT – 3)

Strikeouts – 63 (CHI – 4/BALT – 59)

Stolen Bases – 1 (BALT)

Caught Stealing – 6 [4, tied with four others] (CHI – 1/BALT – 5)

Average - .320 [5] (CHI - .300/BALT - .322)

OBP - .436 [3] (CHI - .364/BALT - .442)

Slugging Pct. - .495 [13] (CHI - .475/BALT - .497)

Total Bases – 212 (CHI – 19/BALT – 193)

GDP – 14 [17, tied with Don Buddin] (CHI – 4/BALT – 10)

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 1 (BALT)

Sac Flies – 3 (BALT) 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, 3B – 4, HR - 7, RBI - 38, AVG - .322, OBP - .407, SLG – .508

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. NY Yankees 5/26

Longest hitting streak – 20 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 7

Most home runs, game – 1 on fourteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. NY Yankees 5/26

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 3 BB

Fielding (combined)

Chances – 276

Put Outs – 267

Assists – 4

Errors – 5

DP – 1

Pct. - .982 

Awards & Honors:

7^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Gil McDougald, NYY (55 points, 16% share)

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The Orioles went 69-85 to finish sixth in the AL, 28 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees while leading the league in fewest runs scored (571), fewest hits (1242), fewest home runs (91), lowest batting average (.244, tied with Cleveland), lowest slugging percentage (.350), and fewest total bases (1781). Under the guidance of second-year manager Paul Richards, the Orioles showed pitching improvement but still dropped quickly into the second division where they remained. 

Aftermath of 1956:

Bothered by vision problems that required new glasses in 1957, Nieman got off to a slow start and finished at .276 with 17 doubles, 6 triples, 13 home runs, 70 RBIs, a .363 OBP, and a .429 slugging percentage. He started well in 1958 and was leading the league with a .367 average by June 2 when a line drive broke his wrist while baserunning which knocked him out of action for nearly six weeks. He finished the season in which he was limited to 105 games by batting .325 with 20 doubles, 16 home runs, 60 RBIs, a .395 OBP, and a .522 slugging percentage. Nieman spent one more season with the Orioles in 1959 in which he hit .292 with 18 doubles, 21 home runs, 60 RBIs, a .367 OBP, and a .528 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, returning him to the city where he started his major league career, this time in the National League. Initially platooned in left field in 1960, he took the position over full-time in June and went on a tear until sidelined by a pulled leg muscle. Appearing in 81 games he batted .287 with 13 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 31 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .473 slugging percentage. Nieman started the 1961 season with the Cardinals but was dealt back to the American League in May, this time to the Cleveland Indians. Still having injury problems involving his leg muscles, he appeared in only 39 games for Cleveland. His combined batting production for the year was .378 with 9 extra-base hits, 12 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .537 slugging percentage. Nieman made only two plate appearances for Cleveland in 1962 before being sold to the San Francisco Giants at the end of April. He only appeared in thirty games off the bench for the Giants, who went on to win the NL pennant. In his only World Series plate appearance, he was intentionally walked as a pinch-hitter in Game 4 and was pulled for a pinch-runner, which marked the end of his major league career. Moving on to the Chunichi Dragons of the Japan Central League in 1963, he batted .301 in 110 games with 27 doubles, 13 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .357 OBP, and a .487 slugging percentage. This marked the conclusion of his playing career. For his major league career, Nieman batted .295 with 1018 hits that included 180 doubles, 32 triples, and 125 home runs. He scored 455 runs and compiled 544 RBIs, a .373 OBP, and a .474 slugging percentage. With the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles, he batted .301 with 626 hits, 298 runs scored, 100 doubles, 19 triples, 82 home runs, 336 RBIs, a .384 OBP, and a .486 slugging percentage. Nieman was never an All-Star and his MVP votes in 1956 were the only ones he received during his career. Despite having a productive bat, he ended up being a much-traveled player. Following his playing career he was a minor league manager for one season, worked in Cleveland’s front office in 1965, and was a well-regarded scout for several years. He died of a heart attack in 1985 at age 58.   

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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.