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.