Highlighted Year: Norm Cash, 1961

First Baseman, Detroit Tigers

Age: 27

2^nd season with Tigers

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1961:

A native Texan, Cash grew up on a farm in a small town where he had no opportunity to play organized baseball. At Sul Ross State University he starred on the football team where he rushed for a school record with 1255 yards as a senior in 1955. Drafted as a halfback by the NFL’s Chicago Bears, Cash instead chose baseball after playing for a town team and demonstrating a natural talent for the game. He signed with the Chicago White Sox. The young outfielder was first assigned to the Waterloo White Hawks of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League where in 92 games he batted .290 with 13 doubles, 5 triples, 17 home runs, 64 RBIs, a .371 on-base percentage, and a .504 slugging percentage. With Waterloo again in 1956 he hit .334 with 23 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a .436 OBP. During a two-year stint in the Army, Cash performed well in military ball with Fort Bliss. The White Sox converted him into a first baseman in 1958 and he was sent to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association where he batted .247 in 29 games with a .319 OBP before being called up to the White Sox to back up first baseman Earl Torgeson. He fielded well when he got the opportunity but hit .250 with no extra-base hits. With the pennant-winning White Sox in 1959, Cash appeared in 58 games and batted .240 with 4 home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .372 OBP. With the White Sox choosing to deal prospects for established veterans in the offseason, Cash was part of a seven-player trade with the Cleveland Indians. Just prior to the 1960 season, he was dealt again, this time to the Tigers. With a fun-loving personality, Cash quickly became popular with his teammates. He also saw considerable action at first base, batting .286 with 16 doubles, 18 home runs, 63 RBIs, a .402 OBP, and a .501 slugging percentage.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

1B – 157, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 673 [11]

At Bats – 535

Runs – 119 [4]

Hits – 193 [1]

Doubles – 22

Triples – 8 [4, tied with Tito Francona & Jim Landis]

Home Runs – 41 [6]

RBI – 132 [4]

Bases on Balls – 124 [2]

Int. BB – 19 [1]

Strikeouts – 85 [15]

Stolen Bases – 11 [14, tied with Albie Pearson]

Caught Stealing – 5 [14, tied with eight others]

Average - .361 [1]

OBP - .487 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .662 [2]

Total Bases – 354 [2]

GDP – 16 [14, tied with Roger Maris, Al Kaline & Jackie Jensen]

Hit by Pitches – 9 [3, tied with Nellie Fox]

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 2 

League-leading hits were +1 ahead of runner-up Brooks Robinson

League-leading int. bases on balls were +8 ahead of runner-up Woody Held

League-leading batting average was +.037 ahead of runner-up Al Kaline

League-leading OBP was +.039 ahead of runner-up Mickey Mantle

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, 3B – 4, HR - 24, RBI – 70, AVG - .355, SLG - .666, OBP – .483

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Washington 6/11 – 11 innings, (in 5 AB) at KC A’s 7/23, (in 5 AB) at Minnesota 9/29 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 21

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Washington 6/11, (in 3 AB) vs. Boston 6/13, (in 4 AB) at Cleveland 6/25

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 5 at KC A’s 7/23

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

Fielding

Chances – 1369

Put Outs – 1231

Assists – 127

Errors – 11

DP – 121

Pct. - .992

Awards & Honors:

All-Star (Started for AL at 1B, both games)

4^th in AL MVP voting (151 points – 1 first place vote, 54% share)

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The Tigers went 101-61 to finish second in the AL, 8 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees while leading the league in runs scored (841), triples (53), batting (.266), and OBP (.347). The Tigers started off fast and were in first place from April 29 until June 6 and then again from June 17 through July 6. They were in first or second for the remainder of July but in second to stay through August and September. After losing three straight to the Yankees in New York to start September, they continued to lose until the string reached eight to end any pennant hopes.

Aftermath of 1961:

1962 was a disappointing season for the Tigers, who dropped to fourth place, and somewhat disappointing for Cash, hindered by a broken finger and lengthy slump that resulted in his batting .243 although with a robust 39 home runs, 89 RBIs, and a .382 OBP thanks to drawing 104 walks, and a .513 slugging percentage. Cash got off to a slow start in 1963 but came on to hit .270 with 19 doubles, 26 home runs, 79 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .471 slugging percentage. Nicknamed “Stormin’ Norman” by long-time Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell for his occasional displays of temper despite his genial nature, Cash drank heavily during time off. In 1964 he was occasionally platooned with Don Demeter (typically an outfielder) but led AL first basemen with a .997 fielding percentage. At the plate he hit .257 with 23 home runs, 83 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. In 1965 a strong second-half power spurt propelled Cash to 23 doubles, 30 home runs, 83 RBIs, a .266 batting average, a .371 OBP, and a ..512 slugging percentage. He maintained his power production in 1966, batting .279 with 18 doubles, 32 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a .478 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star for the second time and placed twelfth in league MVP voting. Detroit was part of a wild pennant race in 1967 which resulted in a tie for second place, just behind the first-place Red Sox, and while Cash’s power production remained solid with 22 home runs and 72 RBIs, his average dropped to .242 with a .352 OBP and .430 slugging percentage. Thus, down the stretch, he found himself slpitting time at first base with veteran slugger Eddie Mathews, who had been obtained from Houston. The Tigers rolled to the AL pennant in the pitching-dominated 1968 season, and Cash, who was mired in a slump during much of the season, came on strong in the second half to finish at .263 with 25 home runs, a .329 OBP, and a .487 slugging percentage. In the come-from-behind World Series win against the St. Louis Cardinals, he contributed a home run and 5 RBIs while hitting .385. The Tigers returned to being a second-place club in the first season of divisional play in 1969 and Cash batted .280 with 22 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .368 OBP, and a .464 slugging percentage. Splitting time with aging veteran outfielder Al Kaline at first base in 1970, Cash’s production dropped to .259 with 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .383 OBP, and a .441 slugging percentage. He returned to form in 1971 and batted .283 with 32 home runs, 91 RBIs, a .372 OBP, and a .531 slugging percentage. He was voted to be the starting first baseman for the American League in the All-Star Game and finished twelfth in league MVP balloting. With an aging roster, the Tigers were AL East champions in 1972 and Cash, who as usual saw the most action at first base, hit .259 with 22 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .338 OBP, and a .445 slugging percentage. In 1973, the 39-yer-old slugger known for his pranks, came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning in a game in which fireballing RHP Nolan Ryan of the California Angels was tossing a no-hitter brandishing a table leg from the clubhouse instead of a bat. When the plate umpire objected, Cash responded “I’ve got as much chance with this as I do with a bat.” Returning to the batter’s box with a bat, he immediately struck out to seal the no-hitter. It was a part of a season in which “Stormin’ Norman” batted .262 with 19 doubles, 19 home runs, 40 RBIs, a .357 OBP, and a .471 slugging percentage. Cash returned for one more season at age 40 in 1974 and his season, and career, concluded with his release in August while hitting .228 with 7 home runs and 12 RBIs. For his major league career Cash batted .271 with 1820 hits that included 241 doubles, 41 triples, and 377 home runs. In 15 seasons with the Tigers he batted .272 with all 241 doubles, 40 triples, 373 home runs, 1027 runs scored, 1088 RBIs, a .374 OBP, and a .490 slugging percentage. Appearing in 16 postseason games, Cash hit ..311 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. Having hosted a local variety show in the early 1970s, following his playing career he did some broadcasting where his attempts at humor were not always appreciated. He made a cameo appearance in the biopic about Ron LeFlore, who following a prison stint, went on to play for the Tigers. His health deteriorated, including a stroke in 1979. Cash died tragically at age 52 in 1986 due to drowning after falling off a dock during a boating trip on Lake Michigan. He was posthumously inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Little League baseball field in Post, Texas was named for Cash. A personable man with many hobbies, he provided a reliable power bat to the Tigers and was a fine fielder as well.

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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: Honus Wagner, 1900

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 26

1^st season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 200 

Prior to 1900:

Johannes Wagner quickly picked up the nickname “Honus”, which was a diminutive of Johannes. He is also shown as John Peter Wagner, the Americanized version of his German name and was a native of a small town near Pittsburgh. Recommended by his elder brother Albert (who would play one season of major league baseball in 1898), he joined a team in Steubenville, Ohio in 1895. He ended up playing 80 games with five teams in three leagues that first year, hit very well, and displayed tremendous versatility. Moving on to Paterson of the Atlantic League in 1896, he continued to appear at multiple positions and showed great speed while batting .313 with power. Once again with Paterson in 1897, Wagner again hit robustly and his contract was sold to the NL’s Louisville Colonels where he played primarily in center field and batted .335 in 62 games with 18 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 39 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a .376 on-base percentage, and a .467 slugging percentage. Severely bowlegged, barrel-chested, and heavy-looking, with long arms and legs, Wagner had deceptive speed and hit the ball with authority with his split-handed grip. Playing at third, first, and second base in 1898, he hit .299 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, 105 RBIs, 27 steals, a .341 OBP, and a .410 slugging percentage. In 1899 Wagner appeared most often at third base and right field and he batted .341 with 45 doubles, 13 triples, 7 home runs, 114 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, a .395 OBP, and a .501 slugging percentage. With the elimination of the Louisville franchise in 1900, Wagner was obtained by the Pirates.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 135 games

RF – 118, 3B – 9, 2B – 7, 1B – 3, P – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 580 [17]

At Bats – 527 [15]

Runs – 107 [5]

Hits – 201 [3]

Doubles – 45 [1]

Triples – 22 [1]

Home Runs – 4 [20, tied with nine others]

RBI – 100 [3]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 17

Stolen Bases – 38 [5, tied with Sam Mertes]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .381 [1]

OBP - .434 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .573 [1]

Total Bases – 302 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 8 [15, tied with Kip Selbach, Nap Lajoie & Mike Grady

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading doubles were +12 ahead of runner-up Nap Lajoie

League-leading triples were +5 ahead of runners-up Joe Kelley & Charlie Hickman

League-leading batting average was +.014 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

League-leading slugging percentage was +.028 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

League-leading total bases were +5 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

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Pitching:

G – 1 GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 0-0, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 3, H – 3, R – 3, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 4, SO – 1, ERA – 0.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 199

Put Outs – 181

Assists – 11

Errors – 7

DP – 4

Pct. - .965

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The Pirates went 79-60 to finish second in the NL, 4.5 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas while leading the league in triples (100), fewest stolen bases (174), and fewest walks drawn (327). With the addition of key players, including Wagner, from the defunct Louisville franchise, the Pirates started slowly in April but caught fire in May and entered June at 20-16, in second place. June was a rougher month, featuring a season-high 7-game losing streak. They bounced between second and third through July and August, settling into second place to stay on August 7.

Aftermath of 1900:

Wagner primarily played at shortstop for the first time in 1901, although he saw significant action in the outfield and third base as well. He led the NL in RBIs (126) and stolen bases (49) while batting .353 with 37 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, a .417 OBP, and .494 slugging percentage. In addition, the Pirates won the pennant. Continuing to split his time between multiple positions in 1902, his bat and speed on the basepaths remained outstanding and he topped the league in runs scored (105), doubles (30), RBIs (91), stolen bases (42), and slugging (.463) while batting .330 with a .394 OBP. Friendly, honest, humble, and appreciated for his sportsmanship, Wagner became popular with fans and other players alike. In 1903 he settled in as Pittsburgh’s starting shortstop. Despite his stocky and ungainly appearance, he had excellent coordination and was at his best in the field at shortstop, where, with his large hands and strong arm, he would scoop up balls and dirt and gravel would go flying along with his throws. Also in 1903, the Pirates won a third consecutive NL pennant and Wagner topped the circuit in batting (.355) and triples (19) while also compiling 30 doubles, 5 home runs, 101 RBIs, 46 stolen bases, a .414 OBP, and a .518 slugging percentage. The Pirates lost the first modern World Series to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) in a best of nine-game format. Wagner had a disappointing performance, hitting only .222 with a double and 3 RBIs. Known as “the Flying Dutchman” despite his German heritage, or “Hans”, a more common nickname for Johannes, Wagner and his brothers barnstormed playing basketball in the offseason, somewhat to the consternation of the Pittburgh management. He remained highly productive in 1904 as he led the NL in doubles (44), batting (.349), OBP (.423), slugging (.520), total bases (255), and stolen bases (53) while also accounting for 14 triples, 4 home runs, and 75 RBIs. In 1905 he hit .363 with 32 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, 101 RBIs, 57 stolen bases, a .427 OBP, and a .505 slugging percentage. In the field he ranked third among NL shortstops with 517 assists and 64 double plays turned, categories where he was regularly among the league leaders. Wagner regained the NL batting title in 1906 (.339) while also leading the league in runs scored (103), doubles (38), and total bases (237). With the second-place Pirates in 1907, “the Flying Dutchman” again led the NL in batting (.350) and in OBP (.408), slugging (.513), doubles (38), stolen bases (61), total bases (264) while also producing 14 triples, 6 home runs, and 82 RBIs. The Pirates closely contended for the pennant in 1908 and Wagner led in hits (201), doubles (39), triples (19), RBIs (109), stolen bases (53), batting (.354), OBP (.415), slugging (.542), and total bases (308). Pittsburgh returned to the top of the National League in 1909 and Wagner contributed by leading the circuit in doubles (39), RBIs (100), batting (.339), OBP (.420), slugging (.489), and total bases (242) while also performing with his usual adroitness in the field. This time the Pirates won the World Series in seven games against the Detroit Tigers and Wagner hit .333 with 6 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Three of his hits came in an 8-6 Game 3 win. In the vaunted matchup against Detroit’s star hitter Ty Cobb, Cobb only hit .231 with 6 hits and 5 RBIs. In 1910 Wagner topped the NL in hits (178) while batting .320 with 34 doubles, 8 triples, 4 home runs, 81 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, a .390 OBP, and a .432 slugging percentage. He led the league’s shortstops with 337 putouts and placed third in assists with 413. Any speculation that Wagner was slowing down at age 36 was put to rest in 1911 when “the Flying Dutchman” won his eighth (and final) NL batting title (.334) while producing 23 doubles, 16 triples, 9 home runs, 89 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a .423 OBP, and a .507 slugging percentage, although he missed 25 games due to an August ankle injury which caused the Pirates to fall out of contention. He tied for third in league MVP voting. In 1912 he hit .324 with 35 doubles, 20 triples, 7 home runs, 101 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .395 OBP, and a .496 slugging percentage. This time he placed second in league MVP balloting. In 1913 the 39-year-old Wagner played in 114 games and batted .300 with a .349 OBP and finished eighth in NL MVP voting. With his career winding down he became the second player to reach 3000 hits in 1914, a year in which his batting average dropped to a mere .252. He played until 1917 and occasionally displayed aspects of his once formidable hitting skills in his last few seasons. In 1915 at age 41 he became the oldest player in NL/AL history to hit a grand slam, a record which lasted for 70 years, and in 1916, at 42 he became the oldest to hit an inside-the-park home run. In 1917 he briefly retired and returned to the Pirates in June. Spiked in July, he appeared only occasionally for the rest of his last season and even served briefly as Pittsburgh’s interim player/manager, a role which he chose not to continue with. For his major league career, Wagner batted .328 with 3420 hits that included 643 doubles, 252 triples, and 101 home runs. He scored 1739 runs and produced 1732 RBIs, 723 stolen bases, a .391 OBP, and a .467 slugging percentage. With the Pirates he batted .328 with 1521 runs scored, 2967 hits, 551 doubles, 232 triples, 82 home runs, 1374 RBIs, 639 stolen bases, a .394 OBP, and a .468 slugging percentage. He retired as the National League’s all-time leader in hits, a total which was first eclipsed by Stan Musial of the Cardinals. Wagner appeared in 15 World Series games and hit .275 with 9 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. A hero of the “Dead Ball” era, he was also one of the highest paid players, receiving a raise from $5000 to $10,000 in 1908 after threatening retirement, an amount which he received annually until 1916. Following his major league career, Wagner managed and played for a semipro team. He returned to the Pirates as a coach until 1951 where he was a respected batting instructor as well as revered story-telling presence. The Pirates retired the #33 that he wore as a coach (since he played before players wore numbers) and he was one of the first players voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Wagner died in 1955 at age 81. In addition to retiring his number the Pirates erected a statue of Wagner that has moved from Forbes Field to Three Rivers Stadium, and currently PNC Park.

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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: Nap Lajoie, 1901

Second Baseman, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  27 (Sept. 5)

1^st season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1901:

A Rhode Island native, Napoleon Lajoie (pronounced LAJ-way) was the son of a French-Canadian immigrant (and he thus was said to prefer the French pronunciation of his name as Lah-ZHWA). Due to his father’s early death, Lajoie had to drop out of school to go to work in a textile mill in 1885. Becoming interested in baseball, by 1894 he was playing semi-pro ball in the Woonsocket area while working part-time for an auctioneer. He later became a teamster while playing baseball on the side and became known locally as “the Slugging Cabby”. In 1896 he joined the Fall River Indians of the New England League where he played center field and batted .429 with 15 home runs before his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies for $1500. Converted to first base by the Phillies he appeared in 39 games and batted .326 with 12 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs, 42 RBIs, 7 stolen bases, a .330 on-base percentage, and a .543 slugging percentage. In his first full major league season in 1897 Lajoie led the NL in slugging percentage (.569) and total bases (310) while hitting .361 with 197 hits, 107 runs scored, 40 doubles, 23 triples, 9 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a .392 OBP. In 1898 he was shifted to second base where the graceful fielder excelled defensively and led the league’s second sackers with 442 putouts. He also led the NL in doubles (43) and RBIs (127) while batting .324 with 197 hits, 113 runs scored, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 25 stolen bases, a .354 OBP, and a .461 slugging percentage. With a smooth swing that allowed him to hit to all fields with decent power while rarely striking out, Lajoie continued his development in 1899, although an injury limited him to 77 games in which he hit .378 with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 70 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, a .419 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. In 1900 he was sidelined for five weeks as the result of a broken thumb suffered during a fight with teammate Elmer Flick. In 102 games he batted .337 with 33 doubles, 12 triples, 7 home runs, 92 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .362 OBP, and a .510 slugging percentage. Incensed upon learning that he was being paid $400 less than teammate Ed Delahanty (despite the preseason assurances by Phillies owner John Rogers that they would be paid the same), Lajoie jumped to the American League in 1901, signing with the Athletics. While the Phillies went to court to stop the deal, Lajoie played for the A’s in 1901 while the case made its way through the court system.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 131 games

2B – 119, SS – 12, SS – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 582

At Bats – 544 [16]

Runs – 145 [1]

Hits – 232 [1]

Doubles – 48 [1]

Triples – 14 [8, tied with Socks Seybold]

Home Runs – 14 [1]

RBI – 125 [1]

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 9

Stolen Bases – 27 [16, tied with Billy Hoy]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .426 [1]

OBP - .463 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .643 [1]

Total Bases – 350 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 13 [3]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +25 ahead of runner-up Fielder Jones

League-leading hits were +42 ahead of runner-up John Anderson

League-leading doubles were +2 ahead of runner-up John Anderson

League-leading home runs were +2 ahead of runner-up Buck Freeman

League-leading RBIs were +11 ahead of runner-up Buck Freeman

League-leading batting average was +.086 ahead of runner-up Mike Donlin

League-leading OBP was +.051 ahead of runner-up Fielder Jones

League-leading slugging percentage was +.123 ahead of runner-up Buck Freeman

League-leading total bases were +71 ahead of runner-up Jimmy Collins

Midseason snapshot: 2B –24, 3B – 8,  HR - 5, RBI – 59, AVG – .421, OBP - .459, SLG - .624

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Washington 8/9

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 9

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Washington 8/9, (in 3 AB) at Washington 8/10

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Washington 7/1, at Cleveland 7/30

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (2B)

Chances – 808

Put Outs – 395

Assists – 381

Errors – 32

DP – 60

Pct. – .960

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In their first year of existence in a new league, the Athletics went 74-62 to finish fourth in the AL, 9 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago White Sox while leading the league in hits (1409), doubles (239), RBIs (665), and total bases (1927). The A’s languished in fifth and sixth place throughout July and August until rising to fourth during an 18-10 September capped by an 11-2 finish. RHP Eddie Plank quickly became a key component in the pitching staff, while Lajoie’s outstanding hitting boosted the offense. Hampered by bad weather, they drew 206,329 fans to Columbia Park,28,608 less than the NL Phillies, who finished second in their league.

Aftermath of 1901:

Prior to the 1902 season the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that Lajoie could not play in the state for any other team than the Phillies. While he played in one game for the A’s at the start of the 1902 season, A’s president and manager Connie Mack arranged for his transfer to Cleveland in order to keep him in the American League, although he was forced to sit out any games played in Philadelphia. He again won the AL batting championship (.378) while also hitting 35 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and producing 65 RBIs, a .419 OBP, and a .565 slugging percentage. The peace agreement between the NL and AL in the offseason ended any claim the Phillies had on Lajoie. To great popular demand the club began to be called the Naps in honor of its star player. He won the 1903 league batting title by batting .344. He also topped the league in slugging (.518). In addition, he produced 41 doubles, 11 triples, 7 home runs, 93 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .379 OBP. In 1904 he topped the circuit in batting (.376), OBP (.413), slugging (.546), hits (208), doubles (49), RBIs (102), and total bases (302). Lajoie, also commonly referred to as Larry, missed some games in 1904 due to being suspended after an altercation with an umpire. He would miss more games in 1905 after a spike wound in one leg led to blood poisoning from the blue dye in his sock which nearly led to amputation. His leg recovered, and limited to 65 games, he hit .329 with a .377 OBP and .418 slugging percentage. By this point Lajoie was the player/manager of the Naps, a position that would have a negative effect on his batting production over time, although in 1906 he led the AL in hits (214) and doubles (48) while batting .355 with a .392 OBP and .465 slugging percentage. His manner of hand signaling pitches to his outfielders from behind his back was easily discernible to opponents and he lacked the ability to instruct his players in aspects of the game that came easily to him (a commonality with great players who became managers). With a talented club he was unable to win the AL pennant as manager, although Cleveland was typically competitive. In 1907 he hit .301 with a .347 OBP and .395 slugging percentage and in 1908, a season in which the Naps closely contended for the pennant, he hit only .289 with a .352 OBP and .375 slugging percentage. During the 1909 season Lajoie resigned as manager as the club dropped to sixth place. Lajoie the player hit .324 with 33 doubles, 7 triples, a home run, 47 RBIs, a .378 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. He returned to top batting form in 1910, a season in which he became embroiled in controversy. Battling Detroit’s Ty Cobb for the AL batting championship late in the season, and with a new Chalmers auto to be awarded to the winner, Lajoie and the Naps played a double-header against the St. Louis Browns on the season’s last day and Lajoie trailing Cobb. St. Louis manager Jack O’Connor, not wanting Cobb to win, ordered his third baseman to play deep which allowed Lajoie to beat out seven straight bunts down the third base line for hits. He also hit a triple and one more bunt was ruled a sacrifice. Despite the effort to assist Lajoie, Cobb was awarded the batting title by the closest of margins although later research showed that Cobb was erroneously credited with two additional base hits. In 1981, following the discovery of the error, Commissioner Kuhn refused to retroactively award Lajoie the 1910 AL batting title even though the adjusted figures put him in front of Cobb, .383 to .382. Chalmers chose to award cars to both players, and although Lajoie initially resisted accepting the vehicle, his wife insisted and he received the car. In 1911 a tendon injury limited Lajoie to 90 games and he hit .365 with a .420 OBP. He stayed with Cleveland through 1914 when his average dropped to .258 due to declining eyesight. Sold to the Athletics, he played two last seasons in 1915 and ’16 as his production continued to drop. For his major league career, Lajoie batted .338 with 3243 hits that included 657 doubles, 163 triples, and 82 home runs. He scored 1504 runs and compiled 1599 RBIs, 380 stolen bases, a .380 OBP, and a .466 slugging percentage. Lajoie never appeared in the postseason. He was a minor league player/manager for a time and commissioner of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League. His record as a major league manager was 377-309. Lajoie was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. He died in 1959 at age 84.

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

Highlighted Year: Nap Lajoie, 1902

Second Baseman, Philadelphia Athletics/Cleveland Blues

Age:  28 (Sept. 5)

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1902:

A Rhode Island native, Napoleon Lajoie (pronounced LAJ-way) was the son of a French-Canadian immigrant (and he thus was said to prefer the French pronunciation of his name as Lah-ZHWA). Due to his father’s early death, Lajoie had to drop out of school to go to work in a textile mill in 1885. Becoming interested in baseball, by 1894 he was playing semi-pro ball in the Woonsocket area while working part-time for an auctioneer. He later became a teamster while playing baseball on the side and became known locally as “the Slugging Cabby”. In 1896 he joined the Fall River Indians of the New England League where he played center field and batted .429 with 15 home runs before his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies for $1500. Converted to first base by the Phillies he appeared in 39 games and batted .326 with 12 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs, 42 RBIs, 7 stolen bases, a .330 on-base percentage, and a .543 slugging percentage. In his first full major league season in 1897 Lajoie led the NL in slugging percentage (.569) and total bases (310) while hitting .361 with 197 hits, 107 runs scored, 40 doubles, 23 triples, 9 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a .392 OBP. In 1898 he was shifted to second base where the graceful fielder excelled defensively and led the league’s second sackers with 442 putouts. He also led the NL in doubles (43) and RBIs (127) while batting .324 with 197 hits, 113 runs scored, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 25 stolen bases, a .354 OBP, and a .461 slugging percentage. With a smooth swing that allowed him to hit to all fields with decent power while rarely striking out, Lajoie continued his development in 1899, although an injury limited him to 77 games in which he hit .378 with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 70 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, a .419 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. In 1900 he was sidelined for five weeks as the result of a broken thumb suffered during a fight with teammate Elmer Flick. In 102 games he batted .337 with 33 doubles, 12 triples, 7 home runs, 92 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .362 OBP, and a .510 slugging percentage. Incensed upon learning that he was being paid $400 less than teammate Ed Delahanty (despite the preseason assurances by Phillies owner John Rogers that they would be paid the same), Lajoie jumped to the American League in 1901, signing with the Philadelphia Athletics. While the Phillies went to court to stop the deal, Lajoie played for the A’s in 1901 while the case made its way through the court system. He had an outstanding season as he won the batting Triple Crown by hitting .426 with 14 home runs and 125 RBIs. He also topped the new circuit in hits (232), runs scored (145), doubles (48), OBP (.463), slugging percentage (.643), and total bases (350). Prior to the 1902 season the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that Lajoie could not play in the state for any other team than the Phillies. While he played in one game for the A’s at the start of the 1902 season, A’s president and manager Connie Mack arranged for his transfer to Cleveland in order to keep him in the American League, although he was forced to sit out any games played in Philadelphia.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 87 games (Cleveland – 86 / Philadelphia – 1)

2B – 87

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 385 (PHILA – 4/ CLEV – 381)

At Bats – 352 (PHILA – 4/ CLEV – 348)

Runs – 81 [20, tied with Charlie Hemphill] (CLEV)

Hits – 133 (PHILA – 1/ CLEV – 132)

Doubles – 35 [7, tied with George Carey] (CLEV)

Triples – 5 (CLEV)

Home Runs – 7 [9] (CLEV)

RBI – 65 [15] (PHILA – 1/ CLEV – 64)

Bases on Balls – 19 (CLEV)

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 7 (CLEV)

Stolen Bases – 20 (PHILA – 1/ CLEV – 19)

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .378 [1] (PHILA - .250/ CLEV – .379)

OBP - .419 [2] (PHILA - .250/ CLEV – .421)

Slugging Pct. - .565 [2] (PHILA - .250/ CLEV – .569)

Total Bases – 199 [18, tied with George Carey] (PHILA – 1/ CLEV – 198)

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 6 [13, tied with eight others] (CLEV)

Sac Hits – 8 (CLEV)

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading batting average was +.002 ahead of runner-up Ed Delahanty

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, HR - 4, RBI – 32, AVG – .406, OBP - .463, SLG - .647

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Most hits, game – 4 on six occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. St. Louis Browns 6/24, at Bos. Americans 8/20

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

 Fielding (Combined)

Chances – 573

Put Outs – 272

Assists – 286

Errors – 15

DP – 49

Pct. – .974

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The Blues went 69-67 to finish fifth in the AL, 14 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics, while leading the league in hits (1401), batting (.289), and total bases (1884). The Blues got off to a slow start and were in the AL cellar by the end of May at 11-23. Boosted by the in-season arrivals of Lajoie and first baseman Charlie Hickman, the well-balanced club turned things around and went 58-44 the rest of the way to move up to fifth. Lajoie originally placed second in the AL batting race to Washington’s Ed Delahanty, although later research showed that Lajoie finished with a higher average of .378.

Aftermath of 1902:

The peace agreement between the NL and AL in the offseason ended any claim the Phillies had on Lajoie. To great popular demand the club began to be called the Naps in honor of its star player. He won the 1903 league batting title by batting .344. He also topped the league in slugging (.518). In addition, he produced 41 doubles, 11 triples, 7 home runs, 93 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .379 OBP. In 1904 he topped the circuit in batting (.376), OBP (.413), slugging (.546), hits (208), doubles (49), RBIs (102), and total bases (302). Lajoie, also commonly referred to as Larry, missed some games in 1904 due to being suspended after an altercation with an umpire. He would miss more games in 1905 after a spike wound in one leg led to blood poisoning from the blue dye in his sock which nearly led to amputation. His leg recovered,  and limited to 65 games, he hit .329 with a .377 OBP and .418 slugging percentage. By this point Lajoie was the player/manager of the Naps, a position that would have a negative effect on his batting production over time, although in 1906 he led the AL in hits (214) and doubles (48) while batting .355 with a .392 OBP and .465 slugging percentage. His manner of hand signaling pitches to his outfielders from behind his back was easily discernible to opponents and he lacked the ability to instruct his players in aspects of the game that came easily to him (a commonality with great players who became managers). With a talented club he was unable to win the AL pennant as manager, although Cleveland was typically competitive. In 1907 he hit .301 with a .347 OBP and .395 slugging percentage and in 1908, a season in which the Naps closely contended for the pennant, he hit only .289 with a .352 OBP and .375 slugging percentage. During the 1909 season Lajoie resigned as manager as the club dropped to sixth place. Lajoie the player hit .324 with 33 doubles, 7 triples, a home run, 47 RBIs, a .378 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. He returned to top batting form in 1910, a season in which he became embroiled in controversy. Battling Detroit’s Ty Cobb for the AL batting championship late in the season, and with a new Chalmers auto to be awarded to the winner, Lajoie and the Naps played a double-header against the St. Louis Browns on the season’s last day and Lajoie trailing Cobb. St. Louis manager Jack O’Connor, not wanting Cobb to win, ordered his third baseman to play deep which allowed Lajoie to beat out seven straight bunts down the third base line for hits. He also hit a triple and one more bunt was ruled a sacrifice. Despite the effort to assist Lajoie, Cobb was awarded the batting title by the closest of margins although later research showed that Cobb was erroneously credited with two additional base hits. In 1981, following the discovery of the error, Commissioner Kuhn refused to retroactively award Lajoie the 1910 AL batting title even though the adjusted figures put him in front of Cobb, .383 to .382. Chalmers chose to award cars to both players, and although Lajoie initially resisted accepting the vehicle, his wife insisted and he received the car. In 1911 a tendon injury limited Lajoie to 90 games and he hit .365 with a .420 OBP. He stayed with Cleveland through 1914 when his average dropped to .258 due to declining eyesight. Sold to the Philadelphia Athletics, he played two last seasons in 1915 and ’16 as his production continued to drop. For his major league career, Lajoie batted .338 with 3243 hits that included 657 doubles, 163 triples, and 82 home runs. He scored 1504 runs and compiled 1599 RBIs, 380 stolen bases, a .380 OBP, and a .466 slugging percentage. With Cleveland the totals were a .339 batting average with 865 runs scored, 2047 hits, 424 doubles, 78 triples, 33 home runs, 919 RBIs, 240 stolen bases, a .389 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. Lajoie never appeared in the postseason. He was a minor league player/manager for a time and commissioner of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League. His record as a major league manager was 377-309. Lajoie was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. He died in 1959 at age 84.

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

Highlighted Year: Jesse Burkett, 1901

Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  32

3^rd season with Cardinals

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 155 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, Burkett first excelled as a pitcher with local town teams. Signed by Scranton of the Central League for $85 per month in 1888, the young southpaw moved on to Worcester of the Atlantic Association in 1889, where he won 30 games and recorded 240 strikeouts while also hitting .267. Acquired by the National League’s Indianapolis Hoosiers, the franchise folded prior to the 1890 season and he joined the New York Giants. Burkett pitched poorly in 1890, compiling a 3-10 record with a 5.57 ERA. He hit well enough to start in right field, batting .309 with 23 doubles, 13 triples, 4 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a .366 on-base percentage. A poor fielder who was unable to stick with the Giants in 1891, Burkett joined the Cleveland Spiders in 1891 where he got off to a slow start and was assigned to the Lincoln Rustlers of the Western Association in order to improve his fielding. After batting .316 in 93 games, he returned to Cleveland as a part-time outfielder and hit .269 with a .358 OBP while appearing in 40 games. Never a good defensive outfielder due to limited range and a weak arm, Burkett was shifted to left field in 1892. His batting improved to .275 with 15 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, and 66 RBIs along with 36 stolen bases and a .348 OBP. His hitting, which made up for his defensive lapses, continued to improve in 1893 to .348 with 25 doubles, 15 triples, 6 home runs, and 82 RBIs along with 39 stolen bases and a .459 OBP. In 1894 he batted .358 with 27 doubles, 14 triples, 8 home runs, and 94 RBIs along with 28 stolen bases, 84 walks drawn, a .447 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. An excellent bunter who was adept at fouling off pitches to extend at bats during a period when foul balls didn’t count as strikes, he regularly ranked high in walks drawn. Burkett was also hot-tempered and had a sharp tongue, which made him highly unpopular with opposing players and fans and gained him a reputation for being mean. The Spiders had a reputation for rowdy behavior, but Burkett’s behavior stood out and caused him to be nicknamed “The Crab”. In 1895 Burkett led the NL in hits (225) and batting (.405) while also producing a .482 OBP. In 1896 he led the league in hits (240), runs scored (160), batting (.410), and total bases (317). In the first game of a double-header in 1897, “The Crab” refused to leave the field after being ejected, causing the Spiders to forfeit. Ejected again in the second game, the umpire had two policemen forcibly remove Burkett from the field. He continued to be a top hitter in his last two years with Cleveland before the team was expelled from the contracting NL. Assigned to the Cardinals in 1899 he batted .396 with a .463 OBP and .500 slugging percentage. He hit .363 with a .429 OBP in 1900, still wielding one of the most potent bats in the National League.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 142 games

LF – 142

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 676 [1]

At Bats – 601 [1]

Runs – 142 [1]

Hits – 226 [1]

Doubles – 20 [19, tied with Sam Crawford, Claude Ritchey & Charlie Hickman]

Triples – 15 [7, tied with Bobby Wallace & Fred Clarke]

Home Runs – 10 [3]

RBI – 75 [12]

Bases on Balls – 59 [6, tied with Sammy Strang]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 70 [3]

Stolen Bases – 27 [13, tied with Roy Thomas, George Davis & Frank Chance]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .376 [1]

OBP - .440 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .509 [4]

Total Bases – 306 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 10 [5, tied with Fred Clarke, Art Nichols & Fred Crolius]

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading plate appearances were +31 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading at bats were +6 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading runs scored were +19 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading hits were +24 ahead of runner-up Willie Keeler

League-leading batting average was +.022 ahead of runners-up Jimmy Sheckard & Ed Delahanty

League-leading OBP was +.003 ahead of runner-up Roy Thomas

League-leading total bases were +10 ahead of runner-up Jimmy Sheckard

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 11, 3B – 10, HR - 3, RBI - 36, SB – 15, AVG. - .379, SLG - .505

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Cincinnati 7/21

Longest hitting streak – 14 games

HR at home – 23

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 1 on ten occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Cincinnati 10/6

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 351

Put Outs – 307

Assists – 17

Errors – 27

DP – 4

Pct. - .923 

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The Cardinals went 76-64 to finish fourth in the NL, 14.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in runs scored (792), hits (1430), triples (94), home runs (39), RBIs (657), and total bases (1922). The Cardinals finished April in first place at 5-3 but quickly dropped in the standings during an 8-14 May that included a six-game losing streak. During a 35-20 June and July run, the club moved back into contention but faded in August and was too far back to make headway during a 9-2 September run that included a six-game winning streak.

Aftermath of 1901:

Burkett jumped to the American League’s St. Louis Browns in 1902. His average dropped to .306 while he compiled 29 doubles, 9 triples, 5 home runs, and 52 RBIs, along with a .390 OBP, boosted by his 71 walks. In 1903 he hit .293 with 30 extra-base hits and a .361 OBP. His average dropped further in 1904 to .271, although his OBP was .363 thanks to 78 walks. In the offseason the 36-year old Burkett was traded to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) for outfielder George Stone, who would prove to be a productive hitter for the Browns. “The Crab” batted a disappointing .257 in 1905 with 29 extra-base hits, 47 RBIs, and a .339 OBP. It marked the end of his major league career. He managed his money well and bought a franchise in the New England League which he moved to Worcester and acted as player/manager. His .344 average in 1906 led the league and Worcester won the first of four consecutive pennants. He operated the Worcester club until selling and becoming head coach at Holy Cross in 1917. Returning to the NL and the New York Giants as a coach in 1920, he alienated players on the team until leaving after the 1922 season. He returned to minor league managing thereafter. For his major league career Burkett batted .338 with 2850 hits that included 320 doubles, 182 triples, and 75 home runs. He scored 1720 runs (leading the NL twice), and compiled 952 RBIs, 389 stolen bases, 1029 walks drawn, a .415 OBP, and a .446 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals he batted .378 with 650 hits, 346 runs scored, 52 doubles, 38 triples, 24 home runs, 214 RBIs, 84 stolen bases, 188 walks drawn, a .444 OBP, and a .495 slugging percentage. A three-time batting champion, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. Following his minor league managerial career, he became a scout and instructor during spring training. “The Crab” died in 1953 at age 84.  

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

Highlighted Year: Andres Galarraga, 1993

First Baseman, Colorado Rockies

Age:  32 (June 18)

1^st season with Rockies

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 235 

Prior to 1993:

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Galarraga played sandlot baseball before joining the Venezuelan Winter League at age 16. Initially the stocky youth played as a third baseman and catcher. Signed as a first baseman by the Montreal Expos in 1979, he was tagged with his enduring nickname “the Big Cat” (“El Gran Gato” in Spanish) while playing for Calgary of the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 1979 and ’80 due to his agility and quickness while playing first base. Not speaking any English when he first arrived in the minors, Galarraga taught himself the language by using a dictionary and watching television, also receiving help from teammates. Struggling with the language and adjusting to a new culture, his baseball performance suffered. Initially playing with West Palm Beach of the Class A Florida State League in 1979, he was soon demoted to Calgary where he hit .214 with 4 home runs in 42 games. Improving to .263 in 1980, he was promoted to Jamestown of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League in 1981 and returned to West Palm Beach in 1982 and ’83. Advancing to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AA Southern League in 1984, Galarraga batted .289 with 27 home runs, 87 RBIs, a .508 slugging percentage, and a .367 on-base percentage. He was named league MVP. His next minor league stop was Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1985. He hit .269 with 25 home runs, 87 RBIs, a .344 OBP, and a .510 slugging percentage. Called up to the Expos in late August, he appeared in 24 games and slugged his first two major league home runs. The Expos installed “the Big Cat” at first base in 1986 and he started well but was hindered by knee and rib injuries during his rookie season. Appearing in 105 games he batted .271 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .338 OBP. He followed up with a solid year in 1987, hitting .305 with 40 doubles, 13 home runs, 90 RBIs, and a .361 OBP while also performing well defensively at first base. Galarraga was an All-Star for the first time in 1988 as he batted .302 while leading the NL in hits (184), doubles (42), total bases (329), and less fortunately batting strikeouts (153) to go along with 29 home runs, 92 RBIs, a .352 OBP, and a .540 slugging percentage. He was awarded a Silver Slugger and finished seventh in league MVP voting. Although he received his first Gold Glove in 1989, it was otherwise a disappointing season for Galarraga, who hit .257 with a .327 OBP, 30 doubles, 23 home runs, 85 RBIs, and again topped the circuit in striking out (158). “The Big Cat” received another Gold Glove in 1990 while batting .256 with 29 doubles, 20 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a .306 OBP while again leading the NL in striking out (169). Galarraga suffered through an injury-plagued 1991 season in which his average slid to .219 with a .268 OBP in 107 games along with 9 home runs and 33 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for RHP Ken Hill. The 1992 season with his new team got off to a bad start when he suffered a broken wrist in the season’s second game. He ended up playing in 95 games and batted .243 with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .282 OBP. He was at his best in his last 45 games due to alterations made in his stance by hitting coach Don Baylor. A free agent after the season, he signed with the expansion Rockies, now managed by Baylor, who urged the front office to sign him. 

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in 120 games

1B – 119, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 506

At Bats – 470

Runs – 71

Hits – 174 [13, tied with Mike Piazza, Eddie Murray & Jeff Conine]

Doubles – 35 [11, tied with Jeff King & Darren Daulton]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 22 [17, tied with Larry Walker]

RBI – 98 [12, tied with Charlie Hayes, Mark Grace & Jeff King]

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – 12 [8, tied with Darren Daulton & David Justice]

Strikeouts – 73

Stolen Bases – 2

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .370 [1]

OBP - .403 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .602 [2]

Total Bases – 283 [12, tied with Dante Bichette]

GDP – 9

Hit by Pitches – 6 [18, tied with nine others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 6

League-leading batting average was +.012 ahead of runner-up Tony Gwynn

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 24, HR – 13, RBI – 65, AVG – .391 SLG – .646, OBP – .424

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 6/14, (in 5 AB) vs. LA Dodgers 6/15, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 7/23, (in 6 AB) vs. San Diego 9/21

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 9

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

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Florida 4/30, at Pittsburgh 9/10 – 11 innings

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 1132

Put Outs – 1018

Assists – 103

Errors – 11

DP – 88

Pct. - .990

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

10^th in NL MVP voting (45 points, 11% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Rockies went 67-95 to finish sixth in the NL Western Division, 37 games behind the division-winning Atlanta Braves, while leading the league in triples (59) and fewest walks drawn (388). The hard-hitting Rockies started off slowly during a 33-54 first half, which included a 2-17 stretch in May. Following a 13-game losing streak from July 25 to August 6, the club turned things around and went 31-21 from August 8 to season’s end. They drew a record attendance of 4,483,350 to their temporary home at Mile High Stadium. Galarraga became the first player from an expansion team to win a batting championship.

Aftermath of 1993:

Popular with fans and a key member of the Colorado lineup, Galarraga received a four-year, $12 million contract extension following his outstanding 1993 season. He missed the last 13 games of the strike-shortened 1994 season due to a broken hand suffered on July 28, and the Rockies lost 10 of their last 13 games leading up to the strike without him in the lineup. At the time his season ended, he was hitting .319 with 31 home runs, 85 RBIs, a .356 OBP, and a .592 slugging percentage. The club moved into the new Coors Field in 1995, and “the Blake Street Bombers” (a reference to the new ballpark’s location, as well as the club’s batting prowess) reached the postseason. Galarraga contributed by batting .280 with 31 home runs, 106 RBIs, a .331 OBP, and a .511 slugging percentage while remaining an asset defensively. Along the way he hit a record-tying three home runs in consecutive innings in a game at San Diego. The team accomplished less in 1996, but remained a power-hitting powerhouse at home, helped by Denver’s altitude, and Galarraga led the NL in home runs (47) and RBIs (150) while hitting .304 with a .357 OBP and .601 slugging percentage. He placed sixth in NL MVP balloting. In 1997 he again topped the circuit in RBIs (140) while batting .318 with 41 home runs, a .389 OBP, and a .585 slugging percentage. Finishing seventh in league MVP voting, and with Colorado ready to hand the first base job over to hot prospect Todd Helton, Galarraga departed the Rockies as a free agent in the offseason. “The Big Cat” signed with the Atlanta Braves and had another productive season in 1998, hitting .305 with 44 home runs, 121 RBIs, a .397 OBP, and a .595 slugging percentage. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma during spring training, he missed the entire 1999 season while undergoing treatment. Desiring to play baseball again and with his cancer in remission, “the Big Cat” returned to the Braves in 2000 and batted .302 with 28 home runs, 100 RBIs, a .369 OBP, and a .526 slugging percentage while appearing in 141 games, drawing kudos for his comeback in a season in which he turned 39. A free agent in the offseason, the Braves turned down his request for a two-year contract and Galarraga signed with the Texas Rangers. Unable to dislodge Rafael Palmeiro at first base, Galarraga spent most of his time with the Rangers in 2001 as a Designated Hitter and batted only .235 with 10 home runs in 72 games before being dealt to San Francisco where he hit .288 with 7 homers and 35 RBIs the rest of the way. A return to Montreal as a free agent in 2002 only served to highlight his declining skills and he was back with the Giants in 2003, where he batted .301 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs in 110 games. Another bout with cancer ensued and following a final seven appearances with the Anaheim Angels in 2004 and a spring trial with the Mets in 2005, “the Big Cat’s” career came to an end. For his major league career, Galarraga batted .288 with 2333 hits that included 444 doubles, 32 triples, and 399 home runs. He scored 1195 runs and compiled 1425 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a .499 slugging percentage. With Colorado he batted .316 with 843 hits, 476 runs scored, 155 doubles, 13 triples, 172 home runs, 579 RBIs, a .367 OBP, and a .577 slugging percentage. In 18 postseason games he hit .182 with a home run and 7 RBIs. A five-time All-Star (twice with Colorado), Galarraga received two Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves apiece, and he finished in the top 10 in National League MVP voting five times.  

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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.