Highlighted Year: Clay Dalrymple, 1962

Catcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age: 25

3^rd season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1962:

A native of Chico, California, Dalrymple played baseball in high school and with the semipro Chico Colts. In college at Chico State College (now Cal State – Chico) he was a physical education major and with his good size, played football as well as baseball and was also a champion boxer. In 1956 Dalrymple joined the unaffiliated Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League and appeared in 15 games in which he had two hits. Sent to the Amarillo Gold Sox of the Class A Western League in 1957 he hit .298 with 18 doubles, 17 home runs, 81 RBIs, a .372 on-base percentage, and a .463 slugging percentage. Returning to Sacramento in 1958, he batted only .191 with 5 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .257 OBP. His defense kept him in the lineup and made him valuable to the team. In the offseason Dalrymple played winter ball in Venezuela and briefly Cuba. Invited to spring training by the Milwaukee Braves in 1959, Dalrymple was returned to Sacramento where he hit .230 with 16 doubles, 12 home runs, 48 RBIs, and a .319 OBP. In the offseason he was selected by the Phillies in the minor league draft. Dalrymple caught on with the Phillies as a backup catcher in 1960. Platooned with Jim Coker, Dalrymple was at his best as a pinch-hitter, batting .286 in 47 pinch appearances on his way to an overall average of .272 with 4 home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .343 OBP. He also worked on his defense. One of the many young players on the rebuilding Phillies, he encountered throwing problems at the start of 1961 and had a rough first half with the bat until coming on to end up at .220 with 11 doubles, 5 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .281 OBP. Dalrymple entered 1962 as Philadelphia’s starting catcher.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 123 games

C – 119, PH – 12

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 451

At Bats – 370

Runs – 40

Hits – 102

Doubles – 13

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 11

RBI – 54

Bases on Balls – 70 [10, tied with Billy Williams, Norm Larker & Al Spangler]

Int. BB – 7 [14, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 32

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .276

OBP - .393 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .416

Total Bases – 154

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 10, HR – 5, RBI – 30, AVG – .289, OBP - .417

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Most hits, game – 3 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eleven occasions

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Pittsburgh 7/8, vs. Mil. Braves 7/22, at NY Mets 8/15 – 13 innings

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 9 (.111) with 1 R & 3 BB

Fielding

Chances – 705

Put Outs – 635

Assists – 61

Errors – 9

Passed Balls – 16

DP – 11

Pct. - .987

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The Phillies went 81-80 to finish seventh in the NL, 20 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants. Following four straight last-place finishes, the retooling Phillies started slowly but finished strong in August and September to nose just above .500.

Aftermath of 1962:

Having shown great overall improvement in 1962, the prematurely balding Dalrymple continued to be a solid starting catcher again in 1963, batting .252 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .327 OBP. Defensively he led NL catchers by throwing out 50 runners attempting to steal (47.2 %), as well as double plays (90), and assists (16). He also drew plaudits for his skillful handling of pitchers. In 1964, veteran backstop Gus Triandos joined the Phillies and was platooned with Dalrymple, who still carried the heaviest load behind the plate. The Phillies were leading the NL in September until suffering an epic collapse that cost them the pennant and a knee injury hindered Dalrymple at that time. For the season he hit .238 with 16 doubles, 6 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .303 OBP. He threw out 49.2 % of runners attempting to steal as his defense remained solid. Triandos was traded away during the 1965 season and Pat Corrales became Dalrymple’s platoon partner. Dalrymple ended up batting a disappointing .213 with 14 extra-base hits, 23 RBIs, and a .292 OBP. His defense remained impressive with a 51.4 % caught stealing percentage and a league-leading 70 assists from behind the plate. A popular after-dinner speaker, he also taped a pregame show that appeared prior to Phillies telecasts. But he still drew the ire of the fans for his lack of batting prowess despite his excellent defense. The fans were on his side during one incident in 1964 after he befriended a blind girl who regularly attended Phillies games and following a game he took her onto the field and guided her around the bases so she could have the experience of touching them, which drew appreciative applause from the fans still in attendance. In 1966 he batted .245 with 13 doubles, 4 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .365 OBP. Bob Uecker was his platoon partner and defensively, he commenced on a then-record errorless streak  of 99-consecutive games that stretched into 1967 and consisted of a total of 628 chances without a miscue. He hit only .172 in 1967 with 11 extra-base hits, 21 RBIs, and a .271 OBP in tandem with veteran catcher Gene Oliver. Defensively he threw out a league-leading 57.7 % of opposing baserunners attempting to steal. Dalrymple played one more season with the Phillies in 1968 and batted .207 with a .272 OBP. Frustrated by the negative treatment he received from the Philadelphia fans, he requested a trade and was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in the offseason. Dalrymple spent the last three seasons of his career with Baltimore backing up the catching tandem of Andy Etchebarren and Elrod Hendricks. He had the opportunity to appear in two World Series games in 1969 as a pinch-hitter, going two-for-two in his only postseason at bats. A broken ankle suffered in 1970 significantly hindered him and he last appeared with the Orioles in 1971. His wife died of cancer in 1972 and Dalrymple turned down the opportunity to accept another job in baseball to take care of his three daughters. For his major league career, Dalrymple batted .233 with 710 hits that included 98 doubles, 23 triples, and 55 home runs. He scored 243 runs and compiled 327 RBIs, and a .322 OBP. With the Phillies he batted .234 with 674 hits, 225 runs scored, 95 doubles, 22 triples, 50 home runs, 312 RBIs, and a .319 OBP. Defense was always the strongest aspect of his game and he threw out 48.8 % of opposing baserunners attempting to steal against him. A defensive standout who was a spotty hitter, Dalrymple put together a decent major league career.  

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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: Doc White, 1902

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  23 (April 9)

2^nd season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 150 

Prior to 1902:

A native of Washington, DC, G. Harris White was the son of a prominent businessman and began studying at Georgetown University in 1897 where he joined the baseball team as a pitcher and outfielder. In an 1899 game against Holy Cross, he struck out the first nine batters he faced. While working toward a degree in dentistry, White played semi-pro ball in 1900. With his performance catching the interest of the Phillies, he signed in 1901 and as a rookie that year posted a 14-13 record and 3.19 ERA with 22 complete games and 132 strikeouts over 236.2 innings. In the offseason he completed his studies and received a degree in dentistry in 1902.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 61 games

P – 36, LF – 17, PH – 6, RF – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36 [5, tied with Roy Evans, Noodles Hahn & Mike O’Neill]

Games Started – 35 [5]

Complete Games – 34 [4, tied with Jack Taylor]

Wins – 16 [10, tied with Bill Phillips, Mike O’Neill & Ed Doheny]

Losses – 20 [2, tied with Vic Willis]

PCT - .444

Saves – 1 [5, tied with eleven others]

Shutouts – 3 [11, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 306 [5]

Hits – 277 [8, tied with Roy Evans]

Runs – 126 [8]

Earned Runs – 86 [9]

Home Runs – 3 [7, tied with five others]

Bases on Balls – 72 [10]

Strikeouts – 185 [2]

ERA – 2.53 [18, tied with Ed Doheny]

Hit Batters – 13 [8]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [7, tied with Luther Taylor & Bill Donovan]

Midseason Snapshot: 8-10, ERA – 2.71, SO - 86 in 153 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/1

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Brooklyn 10/2

Batting

PA – 200, AB – 179, R – 17, H – 47, 2B – 3, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 15, BB – 11, SO – 23, SB – 5, CS – N/A, AVG - .263, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 9, SF – N/A

Fielding (P)

Chances – 101

Put Outs – 11

Assists – 83

Errors – 7

DP – 0

Pct. - .931

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The Phillies went 56-81 to finish seventh in the NL, 46 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. Having suffered further defections to the American League, the Phillies, following a 5-1 start, struggled during May and after climbing to 28-31 by the end of June, suffered through a difficult July and August to settle into seventh place to stay.

Aftermath of 1902:

After opening his dental office in Washington in the offseason, White became the subject of a bidding war between American League teams. He was awarded to the Chicago White Sox in 1903, following the peace agreement between the NL and AL. His 1903 record was 17-16 with a 2.13 ERA, 29 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 114 strikeouts over 300 innings pitched. His willingness to throw inside to hitters led to 14 hit batters Respected for his education he soon earned the nickname “Doc” as a result of his off-field profession. His best pitch proved to be a “drop ball” (sinker) that broke sharply downward as it crossed the plate which supplemented his good fastball and overall effective control. The White Sox contended in 1904 and White contributed what was then a record with five consecutive shutouts on his way to a 16-12 tally and 1.78 ERA with 23 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 115 strikeouts over 228 innings. Intelligent and articulate, he became a favorite subject for interviewers. He was outstanding again in 1905 as he produced a 17-13 record, 1.76 ERA, 25 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 120 strikeouts over 260.1 innings. The White Sox won the AL pennant in 1906, primarily due to their pitching and fielding, and White contributed a league-leading 1.52 ERA to go with a 16-6 tally, 20 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 95 strikeouts over 219.1 innings, although he was hindered by illness and a tired arm late in the season. In the World Series upset of the cross-town Cubs, he lasted only three innings in a Game 2 loss but relieved effectively to save Game 5 and started and went the distance in winning the decisive Game 6. In 1907 White tied for the league lead in wins with his 27-13 record and had a 2.26 ERA with 24 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 141 strikeouts over 291 innings while walking only 38 batters to average 1.2 walks per nine innings. With the White Sox involved in a tight pennant race in 1908, White produced an 18-13 tally and 2.55 ERA with 24 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 126 strikeouts over 296 innings. He appeared in only 24 games in 1909 as he began to show signs of wear from his heavy work load. He remained effective as he posted an 11-9 record and 1.72 ERA. His effectiveness began to diminish thereafter and, although he stayed with the White Sox until 1913, he produced only one more winning tally. He left the major leagues after pitching in only 19 games in 1913, although he played in the Pacific Coast League in 1914 and ’15. For his major league career, White produced a 189-156 record with a 2.39 ERA, 262 complete games, 45 shutouts, and 1384 strikeouts over 3041 innings. With the Phillies he went 30-33 with a 2.82 ERA, 56 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 317 strikeouts over 542.2 innings. His only postseason appearances came in the 1906 World Series with the White Sox, and in three games he went 1-1 with a save, a 1.80 ERA, and 4 strikeouts over 15 innings. His record for consecutive shutouts lasted until 1968. Active in his church, he played the piano and directed the choir. He later toured while performing spirituals and popular songs of the time. White also collaborated with writer Ring Lardner, composing music for song lyrics Lardner wrote. White also became a minor league manager and coached baseball and taught physical education at his former high school in Washington. He was a college pitching coach until retiring at 70 in 1949. A devoted gardener, he won prizes for his roses in local competions. White died in 1969 at age 89, several months after sending a congratulatory telegram to Dodgers RHP Don Drysdale, who broke his record for consecutive shutouts.     

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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: Al Orth, 1901

Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  29 (Sept. 5)

7^th season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1901:

Born in Missouri and raised in Danville, Indiana, Orth pitched for DePauw University and then went on to play professionally for the Lynchburg Hill Climbers of the Virginia League in 1895 where he posted a 24-7 record with a 2.51 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 269 innings pitched. The Hill Climbers sold his contract to the Phillies for $1000. He pitched in 11 games (10 of them starts) in the remainder of the 1895 NL season with the Phillies and had an 8-1 tally and 3.89 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 88 innings. With the eighth place Phillies in 1896, his record was 15-10 with a 4.41 ERA, 19 complete games, and 23 strikeouts over 196 innings. With a deceptively easy delivery and excellent control, Orth’s pitches appeared to be slow and hittable, but his ability to change speeds managed to get hitters out with regularity. He was called “the Curveless Wonder” due to his lack of a breaking pitch and was a very good hitting pitcher who was occasionally used in the outfield between starts to keep his bat in the lineup. The Phillies remained a losing team again in 1897 and Orth’s record slipped to 14-19 and a 4.62 ERA with 64 strikeouts over 282.1 innings. The club improved to register a winning record in 1898 and Orth went 15-13 with a 3.02 ERA and 52 strikeouts with 53 walks over 250 innings. Along the way he pitched and won both games in a doubleheader against Brooklyn. In 1899 the Phillies finished in third place and Orth produced a 14-3 tally and 2.49 ERA with a mere 35 strikeouts and 19 walks across 144.2 innings. In 1900 he went 14-14 with a 3.78 ERA and 68 strikeouts over 262 innings.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 42 games

P – 35, CF – 4, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35 [16, tied with Bill Duggleby]

Games Started – 33 [12, tied with Red Donahue & Togie Pittinger]

Complete Games – 30 [11, tied with Deacon Phillippe & Jack Taylor]

Wins – 20 [6, tied with four others]

Losses – 12 [20, tied with four others]

PCT - .625 [7, tied with Bill Donovan & Bill Duggleby]

Saves – 1 [6, tied with four others]

Shutouts – 6 [1, tied with Jack Chesbro & Vic Willis]

Innings Pitched – 281.2 [15]

Hits – 250

Runs – 101

Earned Runs – 71

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 32

Strikeouts – 92

ERA – 2.27 [3]

Hit Batters – 8

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [17, tied with four others]

Midseason Snapshot: 10-7, ERA - 2.13, SO - 45 in 143.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Orphans 5/21, (in 9 IP) at Cincinnati 9/30

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at NY Giants 8/3

 Batting

PA – 134, AB – 128, R – 14, H – 36, 2B – 6, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 15, BB – 3, SO – 11, SB – 3, CS – N/A, AVG - .281, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 110

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 83

Errors – 6

DP – 2

Pct. - .945

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The Phillies went 83-57 to finish second in the NL, 7.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (15, tied with Pittsburgh). Despite key player defections to the American League, the Phillies remained competitive through a 38-31 first half. Despite a 16-win September, they could gain no ground on the surging Pirates, who accounted for five of their 9 September losses.

Aftermath of 1901:

In the offseason Orth jumped to the new American League and signed with the Washington Senators. He had a disappointing season with Washington in 1902, producing a 19-18 record with a 3.97 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 324 innings pitched. He also led the league by surrendering 18 home runs, a huge number by “Dead Ball Era” standards. He still kept his walks to a minimum by averaging 1.1 bases on balls per nine innings with his total of 40. In 1903 Orth compiled a 10-22 tally and 4.34 ERA with 30 complete games and 88 strikeouts over 279.2 innings while walking 88 batters. Off to a 3-4 start in 1904, he was traded to the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) in July and went a solid 11-6 the rest of the way for a combined record of 14-10 with a 3.41 ERA, 18 complete games, 70 strikeouts and 34 walks over 211.1 innings. He also learned to throw a spitball (a legal pitch at the time) and proved to be adept at using it, since it tended to break sideways rather than down. A contending team in 1904, the Highlanders dropped to sixth in 1905 but Orth, relying on his new pitch more, had a solid 18-16 tally with a 2.86 ERA, 26 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 121 strikeouts over 305.1 innings. The Highlanders finished a close second in the 1906 AL pennant race, and Orth led the league in wins with his 27-17 record, as well as complete games (36), and innings pitched (338.2) while producing a 2.34 ERA and 133 strikeouts. The club dropped to 70-78 in 1907 and Orth posted a 14-21 tally to lead the league in losses a year after topping the circuit in wins. His ERA was a respectable 2.61 and he pitched 21 complete games with 78 strikeouts over 248.2 innings. Orth was 2-13 with a 3.42 ERA in 1908 when the Highlanders released him in August. Returning to his home in Lynchburg, Virginia he became a part-owner and player/manager for the Lynchburg Shoemakers of the Virginia League. He returned to the Highlanders in 1909 as a second baseman and pinch-hitter who made only one ineffectual pitching appearance. Making 40 plate appearances he batted .265 with a .359 OBP in his final major league season. For his major league career Orth compiled a 204-189 record and 3.37 ERA with 324 complete games, 31 shutouts, 6 saves, and 948 strikeouts over 3354.2 innings. He issued only 661 walks to average 1.8 per nine innings. With the Phillies he went 100-72 with a 3.49 ERA, 149 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 359 strikeouts over 1504.2 innings. He walked 230 batters for an average of 1.8 per nine innings. The good-hitting pitcher batted .273 with 61 doubles, 30 triples, 12 home runs, 184 RBIs, and a .289 on-base percentage. Following his playing career, he was a National League umpire for several seasons and was a coach at Washington & Lee University and VMI. He also served as a YMCA athletic director for troops stationed in France during World War I. Orth died in 1948 at the age of 76.

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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: Reggie Jackson, 1968

Outfielder, Oakland Athletics

Age:  22 (May 18)

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1968:

A native of Pennsylvania from the Philadelphia suburb of Wyncote, Jackson excelled in football, basketball, and track, as well as baseball, at Cheltenham High School. After high school he went to Arizona State University on a football scholarship. Fast, tough, and talented, he was starting in the defensive backfield as a sophomore. Jackson tried out for the baseball team and impressed with his batting power. After playing summer ball in Baltimore to sharpen his skills, he became the starting center fielder as a sophomore. Self-confident and charismatic with a flair for the dramatic, as well as an impressive raw talent, he was chosen by the Athletics, at the time located in Kansas City, second overall in the 1966 amateur draft. While tempted to remain in school, he signed with the A’s for a $85,000 bonus. Starting out professionally with the Lewiston Broncs of the short-season Class A Northwest League, he was quickly moved to Modesto of the Class A California League where, in 56 games, he batted .299 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. Promoted to Birmingham of the Class AA Southern League in 1967, Jackson hit .293 with 26 doubles, 17 triples, 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .372 on-base percentage, and a .562 slugging percentage, receiving a late-season trial with Kansas City that amounted to only a .178 average with one home run. Jackson was starting in right field with the A’s, now in Oakland, in 1968.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 148, CF – 10, PH – 4, PR – 2, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 614 [20, tied with Joe Foy]

At Bats – 553 [17]

Runs – 82 [7]

Hits – 138

Doubles – 13

Triples – 6 [14, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 29 [4]

RBI – 74 [8, tied with Carl Yastrzemski]

Bases on Balls – 50

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 171 [1]

Stolen Bases – 14 [15, tied with Rick Monday]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .250

OBP - .316

Slugging Pct. - .452 [8]

Total Bases – 250 [7]

GDP – 3

Hit By Pitches – 5 [13, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 2 

League-leading batting strikeouts were +28 ahead of runner-up Rick Monday

Midseason snapshot: HR - 13, RBI - 34, AVG - .262, SLG – .430, OBP – .343

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 3 AB) at NY Yankees 4/16, (in 5 AB) at Boston 5/3, (in 3 AB) at Baltimore 6/7, (in 5 AB) at California 9/1

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Detroit 9/14

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 20

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Minnesota 7/27

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 2 (.500) with 2 R, 1 RBI & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 295

Put Outs – 269

Assists – 14

Errors – 12

DP – 5

Pct. - .959

Awards & Honors:

17^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Brooks Robinson, Balt. (8 points, 3% share)

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The relocated Athletics went 82-80 to finish sixth in the AL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in hits (1300), stolen bases (147), and batting (.240). The resurgent A’s.climbed as high as third place in June prior to a seven-game losing streak that moved them back into the middle of the pack. Still, they finished with their best record since 1952, when they were still in Philadelphia, which was not enough to save manager Bob Kennedy’s job. Attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a disappointing 837,466, presaging many years of mediocre returns at the gate.

Aftermath of 1968:

Jackson broke out in a big way in 1969 as he hit 37 home runs by the All-Star break, putting him on a record pace. He tailed off thereafter and ended up with 47 homers for the year while batting .275 with 118 RBIs and a league-leading 123 runs scored and .608 slugging percentage in addition to again topping the circuit in striking out with 142 whiffs. Jackson held out in the spring of 1970 and got off to a slow start at the plate that had him publicly feuding with owner Charlie Finley throughout the season, who threatened to send him down to the minors. The result was 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .237 average, and a .359 OBP. He played winter ball in Puerto Rico under the guidance of long-time hitting star Frank Robinson to get back on track. The A’s topped the AL West in 1971 and Jackson contributed significantly by hitting .277 with 32 home runs and 80 RBIs. In the All-Star Game he hit a long home run at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium that hit a light stand some 520 feet from home plate. The A’s lost to Baltimore in the ALCS but Jackson hit two home runs in his first taste of postseason action. He had lesser numbers in 1972 while batting .265 with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs. Oakland again topped the division but lost Jackson to a torn hamstring during the ALCS against Detroit, and he was in a cast for the seven-game World Series triumph over Cincinnati. By 1973 he was a three-time All-Star who had received MVP votes in each of the prior two seasons while playing for a championship club. After seeing significant action in center field in 1972, Jackson was almost exclusively a right fielder in 1973 and had an outstanding year as Oakland again won the division. He led the AL in home runs (32), RBIs (117), runs scored (99), and slugging (.531) while batting .293 with a .383 OBP. He was selected as league MVP for his efforts and was also MVP of the seven-game World Series win against the New York Mets by hitting .310 and his two-RBI performance in Game 6 kept the A’s alive in a Series in which owner Finley instigated a near player mutiny by his attempted “firing” of second baseman Mike Andrews after his two twelfth inning errors led to a loss in Game 2. The A’s topped the AL West for the fourth straight season in 1974 amidst turmoil that included Jackson getting in fights with catcher Ray Fosse and outfielder Bill North that resulted in his suffering a shoulder injury that limited his production in the season’s second half. He still batted .289 with 29 home runs and 93 RBIs. The talented but fractious club won the AL pennant and a third consecutive World Series, beating the Dodgers in five games while Jackson hit .286 with a home run. Oakland topped the AL West again in 1975 while Jackson hit 36 home runs and tied for the league lead with Milwaukee’s George Scott. He also batted .253 with a .329 OBP and 104 RBIs. Facing the final year of his contract in 1976, the A’s traded Jackson to the Baltimore Orioles along with LHP Ken Holtzman for three players that included outfielder Don Baylor and RHP Mike Torrez just prior to the season’s start. Jackson held out and missed the first few weeks. He got off to a slow start once he ironed out his contract difficulties and reported to the Orioles. His bat eventually came around and he ended up hitting .277 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs while posting a league-leading .502 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the New York Yankees for five years and $2.96 million. Jackson was involved in turmoil during the 1977 season, most notably a dugout confrontation with manager Billy Martin after he was removed from a game in Boston in June. Once again finding himself on a winning team with a fractious atmosphere, he batted .286 with 32 home runs and 110 RBIs and tied for eighth in league MVP balloting. The Yankees reached the World Series against the Dodgers. Following a quiet ALCS performance, Jackson earned Series MVP honors by hitting three straight first-pitch home runs in the decisive Game 6 (of a total of 5 homers in the series), thus earning himself the nickname “Mr. October”. The Yankees came from behind in 1978 to end up in a playoff with Boston for the AL East title, which they won. Jackson contributed 27 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .274 average, and a .356 OBP. He hit two more home runs in the ALCS triumph over the Royals to get the club to another World Series against the Dodgers. LA moved out to a two-games-to-none advantage with the most dramatic moment occurring when Jackson was struck out by rookie RHP Bob Welch to cap Game 2. The Yankees battled back and “Mr. October” hit two home runs, one off Welch, in the climactic Game 6 win. The Yanks dropped to fourth in a tragedy-and injury-marred 1979 season. Jackson hit .297 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. The club returned to first place in 1980, while Jackson batted .300 with 41 home runs, 111 RBIs, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .597 slugging percentage. The club was swept by Kansas City in the ALCS. Jackson spent one more year with the Yankees in the strike-shortened 1981 season and ended up hitting .237 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs. The Yanks lost to the Dodgers in the World Series. A free agent in the off-season, Jackson signed with the California Angels where he joined a veteran-filled lineup in 1982 and topped the AL with 39 home runs while also batting .275 with 101 RBIs. He finished sixth in league MVP voting and homered in the ALCS loss to Milwaukee. His production sagged in 1983 as he turned 37 and he ended up hitting a paltry .194 with just 14 home runs. Jackson rebounded somewhat in 1984, batting .223 with a .300 OBP along with 25 home runs and 81 RBIs while primarily appearing as Designated Hitter in tandem with Brian Downing. He added another 27 home runs in 1985 while hitting .252 with a .360 OBP. One more division-winning season in 1986 was followed by a return to Oakland to close out his career in 1987. Overall, for his major league career, Jackson batted .262 with 2584 hits that included 463 doubles, 49 triples, and 563 home runs. He scored 1551 runs, compiled 1702 RBIs with a .356 OBP and .490 slugging percentage. He also struck out 2597 times. With Oakland he totaled .262 with 1228 hits, 234 doubles, 27 triples, 269 home runs, 776 RBIs, 756 runs scored, a .355 OBP, .496 slugging percentage, and 1226 batter strikeouts.  Appearing in 77 postseason games (32 with Oakland) he hit .278 with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs and was a two-time World Series MVP. A 14-time All-Star (six with the A’s), he finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting seven times, including one win. Better known for his batting prowess than his fielding, he placed second in outfield assists four times and led AL outfielders in errors in five seasons. The A’s retired his #9 and the Yankees retired the #44 that he wore with them, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. A shrewd investor, Jackson enhanced his wealth in retirement, but he also dabbled in broadcasting and acting and served as a hitting coach for the Athletics.

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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: 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.