Highlighted Year: George Davis, 1901

Shortstop, New York Giants

Age:  31 (Aug. 23)

9^th season with Giants

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Cohoes, New York, Davis was playing for tavern-sponsored baseball teams by age 15 in 1886. Already a switch-hitter, he was with a semipro team in Albany in 1889. With a player shortage in the NL due to competition from the Players League in 1890, Davis joined the Cleveland Spiders and appeared primarily in the outfield where he accounted for 35 assists while batting .264 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 73 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .336 on-base percentage, and a .375 slugging percentage. In 1891 he hit .289 with 35 doubles, 12 triples, 3 home runs, 89 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .354 OBP, and a .409 slugging percentage, while striking out only 29 times. A good and versatile defensive player, he was again primarily used in the outfield as well as at third base, and on three occasions as a pitcher (with bad results). In 1892 his batting average dropped to .241, but with 27 doubles, 12 triples, 5 home runs, 82 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .312 OBP helped by drawing 58 walks. In 1893 Davis was traded to the New York Giants for star catcher/first baseman Buck Ewing, where he was installed at third base and batted .355 with 22 doubles, 27 triples, 11 home runs, 119 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. Along the way he set a short-lived league record with a 33-game hitting streak. He became a fan favorite and was mentored by manager Monte Ward, with whom he bore a physical resemblance once he grew a handlebar mustache. 1894 was another strong season in which Davis hit .352 with 27 doubles, 19 triples, 9 home runs, 93 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, a .434 OBP, and a .541 slugging percentage. With the purchase of the Giants by Andrew Freedman in 1895, Ward stepped down as manager and the intelligent and articulate Davis became his successor at age 24, making him the NL’s youngest manager at the time. The club was off to a 16-17 start when Davis was relieved of his managerial duties. With Freedman refusing to give him his requested release, Davis stayed on as a player and batted .340 with 36 doubles, 9 triples, 5 home runs, 101 RBIs, 48 stolen bases, a .417 OBP, and a .500 slugging percentage. Moved to shortstop during the 1896 season, Davis continued to thrive while the Giants, under the abrasive and miserly Freedman, floundered. He hit .320 with 25 doubles, 12 triples, 5 home runs, 99 RBIs, 48 stolen bases, a .387 OBP, and a .449 slugging percentage. In 1897 Davis topped the National League with 135 RBIs while batting .353 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, 65 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. Playing at shortstop for the full year, he excelled, leading NL shortstops in putouts (339) and double plays (67). His excellent range and throwing ability were on full display at his new position. In 1898 Davis hit .307 with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 2 home runs, 86 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .351 OBP, and a .381 slugging percentage. His fielding remained solid at shortstop. Bothered by injuries in 1899 “Gorgeous George” batted .337 with 28 extra-base hits (22 of them doubles), 59 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, a .394 OBP, and a .420 slugging percentage. Named team captain in 1900, he again became player/manager after the club got off to a dreadful start on the way to a last-place finish. Davis was once again a productive hitter and proficient fielder.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 130 games

SS – 113, 3B – 18

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 538

At Bats – 491

Runs – 69

Hits – 148

Doubles – 26 [9, tied with Kitty Bransfield]

Triples – 7

Home Runs – 7 [7, tied with Topsy Hartsel]

RBI – 65

Bases on Balls – 40

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 38

Stolen Bases – 27 [13, tied with Jesse Burkett, Roy Thomas & Frank Chance]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .301

OBP - .356

Slugging Pct. - .426 [14]

Total Bases – 209 [19, tied with Joe Kelley]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 14, 3B – 3, HR - 4, RBI - 37, SB – 8, AVG - .319, SLG - .469, OBP – .372

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 5/8, (in 6 AB) at Cincinnati 6/9, (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 7/8

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 7/8

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Cincinnati 7/8, at Bos. Beaneaters 8/1

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (SS)

Chances – 737

Put Outs – 296

Assists – 396

Errors – 45

DP – 42

Pct. – .939

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The Giants went 52-85 to finish seventh in the NL, 37 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (133) and fewest bases on balls drawn (303, tied with the Boston Beaneaters). For the Davis-managed Giants, the arrival of rookie RHP Christy Mathewson proved to be a key highlight. The club held onto first place on-and-off from May 14 until June 10, when they lost the first of three straight games to the Pirates. They suffered through a dreadful second half of the season on their way to a seventh-place finish.

Aftermath of 1901:

With his stint as a player/manager at an end, Davis jumped to the American League’s Chicago White Sox in 1902 in which he batted .299 with 27 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 93 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, a .386 OBP, and a .402 slugging percentage. In the offseason the Giants, now managed by John McGraw, got Davis’ signature on a two-year contract in a deal that threatened the nascent peace agreement between the NL and AL. In a case that ended up in federal court, White Sox owner Charles Comiskey managed to get an injunction that forced Davis to play for his team. He ended up appearing in only four games for the Giants in 1903 and didn’t play at all for the White Sox. Returning to the White Sox in 1904, his batting production declined to .252 with 27 doubles, 15 triples, one home run, 69 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, a .311 OBP, and a .359 slugging percentage. With the second-place club in 1905, Davis rebounded to .278 with 29 doubles, a home run, 55 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .353 OBP. He continued to be a top defensive shortstop. The White Sox won the AL pennant in 1906 despite being the league’s lightest-hitting club. Davis contributed to “the Hitless Wonders” by batting .277 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 80 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, a .338 OBP, and a .355 slugging percentage. On a club that prospered on pitching and defense, Davis was a key player. Illness caused him to miss the first three games of the World Series against the highly-favored cross-town Cubs, but in the three games he appeared in he hit .308 with 3 doubles, 4 runs scored, and 6 RBIs as the White Sox won in six games. Davis’ performance dropped off in 1907 and ’08 due to age and injuries, and after appearing in only 28 games in 1909 he was given his release, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, he batted .295 with 2665 hits that included 453 doubles, 163 triples, and 73 home runs. He scored 1545 runs and compiled 1440 RBIs, 619 stolen bases, a .362 OBP, and a .405 slugging percentage. With the White Sox he batted .259 with 785 hits, 393 runs scored, 140 doubles, 32 triples, 6 home runs, 377 RBIs, 162 stolen bases, a .333 OBP, and a .332 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, Davis operated a bowling alley (he was apparently an excellent bowler), managed a minor league team, scouted for the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, and coached at Amherst College. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, 58 years after his death in 1940 at age 70.

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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: George Van Haltren, 1900

Outfielder, New York Giants

Age: 34

7^th season with Giants

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1900:

Born in St. Louis, Van Haltren moved with his family to Oakland, California in his early youth in 1868. He began playing baseball in school and joined a local semipro team as a rare lefthanded catcher in 1885. He was converted into a pitcher after joining a top semipro club called the Greenhood & Morans a short-time later with a 16-strikeout performance. Pitching well against visiting teams tof major leaguers in the 1886-87 offseason, he drew the attention of National League clubs. He signed with Pittsburgh in 1887, but instead played for San Francisco of the California League due to his desire to remain close to home while his mother was seriously ill. Pittsburgh transferred his rights to the Chicago White Stockings (now Cubs) and Van Haltren joined the club after his mother’s death in May of 1887. Already having grown the thick mustache that he wore all his adult life, he got off to a rough start as a pitcher for the White Stockings but finished with an 11-7 record and a 3.86 ERA with 76 strikeouts, along with 66 walks, over 161 innings pitched. In addition he played 27 games in the outfield but was unimpressive at the plate. In 1888 he posted a 13-13 tally with a 3.52 ERA, 24 complete games, and 139 strikeouts over 245.2 innings. Appearing in 57 games in the outfield, his batting improved to .283 with 9 doubles, 14 triples, 4 home runs, 34 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, a .329 on-base percentage, and a .437 slugging percentage. In 1889 Van Haltren played exclusively in the outfield (mostly in left) and hit .322 with 20 doubles, 10 triples, 9 home runs, 81 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, a .416 OBP, and a .446 slugging percentage. Jumping to the short-lived Players League in 1890, he returned to the pitching mound with the Brooklyn club and went 15-10 with a 4.28 ERA in his last season as a regular pitcher, although he would take the mound on rare occasions during the remainder of his career. With the demise of the Players League, Van Haltren moved on to Baltimore of the American Association in 1891 where he appeared at shortstop (very unsuccessfully) in addition to the outfield. He batted .318 with 14 doubles, 15 triples, 9 home runs, 83 RBIs, 75 stolen bases, a .398 OBP, and a .443 slugging percentage. Baltimore joined the National League in 1892 where Van Haltren served briefly as player/manager, before being replaced after the club went 1-10 under his direction. The disgruntled player began to play sloppily in the field until being dealt to Pittsburgh late in the season. His batting production for the season was .293 with 22 doubles, 14 triples, 7 home runs, 62 RBIs, 55 stolen bases, a .373 OBP, and a .409 slugging percentage. “Rip”, as he was nicknamed, spent the offseason playing in the Pacific Coast League. Returning to Pittsburgh in 1893 he benefited from the change to the modern pitching distance of 60 Feet, 6 inches and batted .338 with 14 doubles, 11 triples, 3 home runs, 79 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, a .422 OBP, and .423 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was dealt to the Giants where he was installed in center field and as lead-off hitter. A consistent hitter with speed and an able fielder, he batted .331 in 1894 with 22 doubles, 7 home runs, 105 RBIs, 43 stolen bases, a .399 OBP, and a .428 slugging percentage. The Giants finished second to the Baltimore Orioles in the NL pennant race and defeated Baltimore in the Temple Cup series, which would be Van Haltren’s only postseason appearance. He batted .500 in four games against Baltimore and furthermore was chosen as the favorite player of baseball fans in New York and Brooklyn in a vote conducted by The New York Mercury. He followed up in 1895 by hitting .340 with 23 doubles, 19 triples, 8 home runs, 103 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, a .408 OBP, and a .503 slugging percentage. He led the league with 21 triples in 1896 while batting .351 with 18 doubles, 5 home runs, 74 RBIs, 39 stolen bases, a .410 OBP, and a .484 slugging percentage. In 1897 Van Haltren led the league with 31 outfield assists and offensively he hit .329 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 3 home runs, 64 RBIs, 50 stolen bases, a .376 OBP, and a .415 slugging percentage. In 1898 he hit .312 with 204 hits, 28 doubles, 16 triples, 2 home runs, 68 RBIs, 36 steals, a .372 OBP, and a .413 slugging percentage. Van Haltren remained a solid producer in 1899 as he batted .301 with 27 extra-base hits, 58 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .379 OBP. By 1900 he was well established as an outstanding player on a club that had become mired in controversy and mediocrity.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

CF – 141, P – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 635 [5, tied with Billy Hamilton]

At Bats – 571 [3]

Runs – 114 [3, tied with Jimmy Barrett]

Hits – 180 [6]

Doubles – 30 [5]

Triples – 7

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 51

Bases on Balls – 50 [15]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 26

Stolen Bases – 45 [1, tied with Patsy Donovan]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .315 [16]

OBP - .371 [18]

Slugging Pct. - .398

Total Bases – 227 [12]

FGDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 13 [14, tied with Hughie Jennings]

Sac Flies – N/A

Pitching:

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

Fielding

Chances – 376

Put Outs – 325

Assists – 28

Errors – 23

DP – 7

Pct. – .939

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The Giants went 60-78 to finish eighth in the NL, 23 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas while leading the league in fewest home runs (23). The slow-starting Giants only got worse in May and June, after which they were firmly ensconced in the NL cellar, from which they never emerged the rest of the way.

Aftermath of 1900:

In 1901, Van Haltren led NL outfielders with 23 assists. He had another solid season at the plate, batting..335 with 23 doubles, 6 triples, a home run, 47 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, a .396 OBP, and a .405 slugging percentage. He began to show decline in 1902 at age 37 and was batting only .250 in May when a broken ankle sidelined him for the remainder of the season. His time with the Giants came following a 1903 season in which he lost his starting job in center field and hit .257 in a part-time role. For his major league career, Van Haltren batted .316 with 2544 hits that included 286 doubles, 161 triples, and 69 home runs. He scored 1642 runs and compiled 1015 RBIs, 583 stolen bases, a .386 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage. With the Giants he batted .321 with 1580 hits, 976 runs scored, 195 doubles, 88 triples, 29 home runs, 605 RBIs, 320 stolen bases, a .384 OBP, and a .414 slugging percentage. After leaving the Giants, Van Haltren returned to the West Coast where he was a player/manager for several seasons in the Pacific Coast League and after that a PCL umpire. He also scouted for the Pittsburgh Pirates He also regularly participated in Old Timers Games on the West Coast and died at age 79 in 1945. Efforts to achieve his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame fell short.

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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 “Kip” Selbach, 1900

Outfielder, New York Giants

Age:  28

1^st season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1900:

The son of German immigrants, Albert Karl Selbach was a native of Columbus, Ohio. After first playing baseball in the Columbus League, he entered organized baseball with the Chattanooga Warriors of the Southern Association in 1893. He appeared at several different positions over 77 games, mostly in the outfield and at catcher, and batted .244. Moving on to the Washington Senators of the National League in 1894, the 22-year-old played in the outfield and shortstop and hit .306 with 21 doubles, 17 triples, 7 home runs, and 71 RBIs, along with 21 stolen bases, a .390 on-base percentage, and a .511 slugging percentage. Selbach followed up with another strong season in 1895, batting .324 and leading the NL with 22 triples. A fine defensive outfielder who was often lauded for his spectacular catches, he continued to be an excellent player on a losing team in 1896, hitting .304 with 17 doubles, 13 triples, 5 home runs, 100 RBIs, 49 stolen bases, and a .405 OBP. He was especially appreciated for his speed, especially when running to first, and his defensive skill, which was often noted in the press. Known as Al or “Kip”, he was also nicknamed “the German Ambassador” and was a fan favorite in Washington. In January of 1897 he suffered burns as the result of a fire in his home, leading to questions as to whether he would be able to play that season. He recovered enough to play in 1897 but was bothered by nagging injuries. Selbach still batted .313 with 25 doubles, 16 triples, 5 home runs, 59 RBIs, 46 stolen bases, and a .414 OBP due to drawing 80 walks. A lesser performance in 1898 resulted in his hitting .303 with a .383 OBP and he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds for $5000, a significant amount for the time. Unhappy with Cincinnati, where he was criticized for his time-consuming batting ritual, he batted .297 in 1899 with a .386 OBP and 38 stolen bases. The Giants purchased his contract in 1900.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

LF – 141

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 611 [14]

At Bats – 523 [16, tied with Tommy Corcoran]

Runs – 98 [12, tied with Jake Beckley]

Hits – 176 [8]

Doubles – 29 [6, tied with Harry Steinfeldt]

Triples – 12 [9, tied with Nap Lajoie, Fred Clarke & Willie Keeler]

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

RBI – 68 [16, tied with Jesse Burkett, Jimmy Williams & Willie Keeler]

Bases on Balls – 72 [5, tied with Jimmy Barrett]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 25

Stolen Bases – 36 [8]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .337 [7, tied with Nap Lajoie]

OBP - .425 [7]

Slugging Pct. - .461 [7]

Total Bases – 241 [6]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 8 [15, tied with Honus Wagner, Nap Lajoie & Mike Grady]

Sac Hits – 8

Sac Flies – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 370

Put Outs – 327

Assists – 25

Errors – 18

DP – 8

Pct. – .951

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The Giants went 60-78 to finish eighth in the NL, 23 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas while leading the league in fewest home runs (23). The slow-starting Giants only got worse in May and June, after which they were firmly ensconced in the NL cellar, from which they never emerged the rest of the way.

Aftermath of 1900:

Selbach had a decent but lesser season for the Giants in 1901, batting .289 with a .350 OBP and team-leading 89 runs scored. He jumped to the Baltimore Orioles of the American League in 1902 when offered $3200 and hit .320 with 27 doubles, 9 triples, 60 RBIs, and a .393 OBP. On a down note, he committed five errors in an August game, which was an AL record for outfielders until 2012. With the Orioles being replaced by the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) in 1903, Selbach signed a two-year contract with the Washington Senators, taking advantage of his popularity in Washington from his NL years. In the offseason prior to 1903, Selbach, who was an excellent bowler, was part of a two-man team that won the All-American Bowling tournament in Indianapolis. He ended up having an off year with the ’03 Senators, hitting .251 with a .305 OBP. Back with the Senators in 1904, he was batting .275 with a .361 OBP when he was dealt to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) at the end of June, at a point that the Senators had suspended him for indifferent play. Having regularly played for poor teams thus far during his career, he found himself involved in a pennant race with Boston, which the Americans won (although they didn’t have the opportunity to achieve further success in the postseason due to the refusal of the owner of the NL champion New York Giants to face the AL champs in the World Series). Selbach contributed a .258 average and .347 OBP in 98 games with Boston along with 19 doubles and 8 triples. He also made a key defensive play in the pennant-deciding game against the New York Highlanders (now Yankees). Boston dropped in the standings in 1905 and Selbach hit .246 with a .355 OBP. The team was even worse in 1906 and Selbach was released at the end of June, thus concluding his major league career, although he played and managed in the minor leagues until 1912. For his major league career, he batted .293 with 1807 hits that included 301 doubles, 149 triples, and 44 home runs. He scored 1066 runs and compiled 779 RBIs, 334 stolen bases, and drew 785 walks, which boosted him to a .377 OBP. With the Giants he batted .313 with 321 hits, 187 runs scored, 58 doubles, 18 triples, 5 home runs, 124 RBIs, 44 stolen bases, 117 walks drawn, and a .389 OBP. Following his baseball career, he managed a bowling alley and was a stenographer in a law office. He died in 1956 at age 83. 

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

MVP Profile: Willie Mays, 1954

Outfielder, New York Giants

Age:  23 (May 6)

3^rd season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1954:

An Alabama native, Mays was the son of a father who played semipro baseball and a mother who was a high school track and basketball star. His high school lacking a baseball team, Mays played second base and center field as a teammate of his father with a club in the Fairfield Industrial League. He also played semipro ball and briefly was with the Chattanooga Choo-Choos in 1947, which was a minor affiliate of the Negro American League Birmingham Black Barons. In 1948, at age 17, he joined the Black Barons on a part-time basis while he finished high school and batted .262 in 61 at bats. Still with Birmingham in 1949, Mays hit .311 in 75 games and was impressive defensively in center field. Following a strong start with Birmingham in 1950, Mays was signed by the Giants for $250 per month with a $4000 signing bonus. Initially assigned to Trenton of the Class B Interstate League, where he was the first black player, over the course of 81 games he hit .353 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, and 4 home runs. Mays started the 1951 season with the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AAA American Association and was batting .477 after 35 games, when he was called up to the Giants at the behest of manager Leo Durocher. He was immediately installed in center field and, despite a slow start, he went on to bat .274 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs as the club got hot down the stretch and forced a season-extending playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers to decide the pennant. The Giants won thanks to a walk-off home run by Bobby Thomson and went on to lose the World Series to the New York Yankees. Mays received NL Rookie of the Year recognition. He was limited to 34 games in 1952 before being inducted into the Army. Mays missed the remainder of the ’52 season and all of 1953, but he played service baseball. He returned to the Giants for the 1954 season. 

1954 Season Summary

Appeared in 151 games

CF – 151

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 641 [20]

At Bats – 565 [20]

Runs – 119 [3]

Hits – 195 [3, tied with Stan Musial]

Doubles – 33 [10, tied with Ray Jablonski]

Triples – 13 [1]

Home Runs – 41 [3, tied with Hank Sauer]

RBI – 110 [6]

Bases on Balls – 66 [17]

Int. BB – 14 [6]

Strikeouts – 57

Stolen Bases – 8 [8, tied with four others]

Caught Stealing – 5 [11, tied with six others]

Average - .345 [1]

OBP - .411 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .667 [1]

Total Bases – 377 [2]

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [13, tied with five others]

League-leading triples were +2 ahead of runner-up Granny Hamner

League-leading batting average was +.003 ahead of runner-up Don Mueller

League-leading slugging percentage was +.020 ahead of runner-up Duke Snider

 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, 3B – 6, HR - 31, RBI - 73, AVG - .328, SLG - .710, OBP – .396

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Brooklyn 5/28, (in 4 AB) vs. Phila. Phillies 8/17, (in 4 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/26

Longest hitting streak – 21 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Phila. Phillies 5/24, (in 5 AB) at St. Louis 6/3, (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis 6/21, (in 4 AB) at Brooklyn 7/8

HR at home – 20

HR on road – 21

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 at St. Louis 6/3, at Brooklyn 7/8

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 468

Put Outs – 448

Assists – 13

Errors – 7

DP – 9

Pct. - .985

 

Postseason: 4 G (World Series vs. Cleveland)

PA – 18, AB – 14, R – 4, H – 4, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .286, OBP - .444, SLG - .357, TB – 5, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Willie Mays, NYG: 283 pts. – 16 of 24 first place votes, 84% share

Ted Kluszewski, Cin.: 217 pts. – 7 first place votes, 65% share

Johnny Antonelli, NYG: 154 pts. – 46% share

Duke Snider, Brook.: 135 pts. – 40% share

Al Dark, NYG: 110 pts. – 1 first place vote, 33% share

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Giants went 97-57 to win the NL pennant by 5 games over the Brooklyn Dodgers while leading the league in home runs (186, tied with the Dodgers). The Giants were in fifth place on May 22 but surged into first by mid-June and were 5.5 games ahead at the All-Star break. Benefiting from Mays’ hitting and the pitching of LHP Johnny Antonelli and RHP Sal Maglie, the Giants held off the Dodgers, clinching the pennant in the final week. Won World Series over the Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 0. Mays made a brilliant defensive play in Game 1 at the Polo Grounds to chase down a ball hit over his head by Cleveland first baseman Vic Wertz, making an over-the shoulder catch and whirling to throw to the infield that kept a runner from scoring, setting the stage for the Giants to win in extra innings.

Aftermath of ‘54:

The Giants dropped to third in 1955 but Mays hit .319 with 127 RBIs and topped the league with 13 triples, 51 home runs, a .659 slugging percentage, and 382 total bases. He also led all NL outfielders in assists (23) and double plays (8). The home runs dropped to 36 in 1956, but with his speed and daring on the basepaths he led the league with 40 stolen bases. He further compiled 84 RBIs and hit .296. In the Giants’ final season in New York in 1957, Mays led the NL in triples (20), slugging (.625), and stolen bases (38), while hitting 35 home runs with 97 RBIs and a .333 batting average. With the move to San Francisco in 1958, he was joined in the lineup by power-hitting rookie first baseman Orlando Cepeda and Mays led the NL with 121 runs scored and 31 stolen bases to go along with 33 doubles, 11 triples, 29 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a .347 average. After being enormously popular in New York, he found the San Francisco fans slow to warm up to him and there was a racial incident when he sought to buy a house in the city. The local sportswriters were slow to warm up as well and he had a less pleasant relationship with manager Bill Rigney than the one he had enjoyed with Leo Durocher. A charismatic, enthusiastic, and energetic player known as “the Sey Hey Kid” due to his standard greeting, who did flashy things on the field like utilize a basket catch, he was prone to bouts of nervous exhaustion throughout his career and was briefly hospitalized during the season for rest. Another power-hitting rookie first baseman, Willie McCovey, joined the Giants during the 1959 season and the team contended for the NL pennant (McCovey would later go on to become the strong lefthanded bat behind Mays in the lineup). Mays contributed a .313 average, 34 home runs, 104 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, and his usual impressive play in center field, despite suffering leg and hand injuries. The move into Candlestick Park in 1960 diminished Mays’ power numbers, although he hit well on the road and led the NL with 190 hits while also batting .319 with 29 home runs and 103 RBIs. In 1961 he had his greatest single-game hitting performance as he homered a record-tying four times in a game against the Braves at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. Benefiting from the presence of Cepeda batting behind him, Mays hit .308 with 40 home runs, 123 RBIs, and scored a league-leading 129 runs. The Giants won the NL pennant in 1962 and “the Say Hey Kid” contributed a league-high 49 home runs along with 141 RBIs and a .304 average. He was at his best down the stretch, despite passing out in the dugout in Cincinnati as a result of fatigue, as the Giants battled the Dodgers and ended up facing off in a season-extending playoff. He was narrowly edged out in the league MVP voting by LA shortstop Maury Wills. Mays, now the highest paid player at $105,000, had a rough first half in 1963 that led some observers to speculate that he was slowing down at age 32. He picked up the pace in the season’s second half to finish at .314 with 38 home runs and 103 RBIs. With the Giants contending in 1964, Mays led the NL with 47 home runs and a .607 slugging percentage while batting .296 with 111 RBIs. He followed up with his second MVP season in 1965 by again topping the NL with 52 home runs, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .645 slugging percentage while hitting .317 with 112 RBIs. Mays remained highly productive in 1966, hitting .288 with 37 home runs and 103 RBIs. Along the way he passed Jimmie Foxx to reach second on the all-time home run list at the time. Problems with injury and illness limited him to a .263 average with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs in 1967, although he still was an All-Star and received a Gold Glove. His average rebounded to .289 in 1968 along with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs. Mays reached 600 career home runs in 1969 in a year in which he totaled only 13 with 58 RBIs and a .283 average. He reached 3000 hits in 1970 as he batted .291 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs. The Giants won the NL West in 1971 and Mays contributed 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, and league-leading totals in walks drawn (112) and on-base percentage (.425). He played 48 games at first base in addition to 84 in center field to rest his aging legs. Seeking a long-term contract entering 1972, and now making $160,000 per year, he was dealt to the New York Mets in May. In his return to New York he homered in his first at bat, one of 8 for the year for the 41-year-old slugger. He again split his time between center field and first base and received a salary boost from his new club to $175,000 with a guarantee of $50,000 per year following his retirement if he remained a coach for the team. He lasted one more year as a player in 1973, struggling with rib and knee injuries and appearing in 66 games. For his career, Mays batted .302 with 3283 hits that included 523 doubles, 140 triples, and 660 home runs. He further scored 2062 runs and compiled 1903 RBIs and 338 stolen bases, as well as drawing 1464 walks. He compiled 12 100-run seasons, eleven 30-home run seasons, which included two over 50 and six with at least 40, and ten 100-RBI years. With the Giants he batted .304 with 3187 hits, 504 doubles, 139 triples, 646 home runs, 1859 RBIs, 336 stolen bases, and 2011 runs scored. Appearing in 25 postseason games, Mays hit .247 with a home run and 10 RBIs. A 24-time All-Star (where he often showcased his impressive talents) he placed in the top ten in NL MVP voting twelve times, including two wins. He also received 12 Gold Gloves. The Giants retired his #24 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player. 

MVP Profile: Carl Hubbell, 1936

Pitcher, New York Giants

Age:  33 (June 22)

9^th season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1936:

Born in Missouri, Hubbell grew up in Meeker, Oklahoma, where he pitched well in high school with a fastball and curve. Following graduation, he joined Cushing of the Oklahoma State League in 1923. By 1925 Hubbell was with Oklahoma City of the Class A Western League where, having added a screwball to his repertoire, he produced a 17-13 record with a 4.01 ERA. The Detroit Tigers purchased his contract after the season, but during 1926 spring training he was forbidden from using the screwball due to the increased prospect of suffering an arm injury. Sent to Toronto of the Class AA International League, Hubbell was a disappointing 7-7 with a 3.77 ERA while disallowed from throwing the screwball. Demoted to Decatur of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three-I) League in 1927, Hubbell was a respectable 14-7 with a 2.53 ERA, but the Tigers sold his contract to the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League in 1928 where he was able to again utilize the screwball. Compiling a 12-9 record with a 2.97 ERA by midseason his contract was purchased by the Giants for $30,000. Hubbell ended up going 10-6 for the Giants with a 2.83 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 124 innings pitched.  He followed up with an 18-11 record in 1929 with a 3.69 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 268 innings. Along the way he pitched a no-hitter against Pittsburgh.  The lanky southpaw was 17-12 for the third place Giants in 1930, with a 3.87 ERA (which ranked second in the NL in a year dominated by hitting in which the league mien ERA was 4.97) and 117 strikeouts. His 1931 record was 14-12 with a 2.65 ERA and 155 strikeouts. 1932 was a year of transition for the Giants as the talented but irascible long-time manager John McGraw was replaced by Bill Terry during the season. Hubbell contributed an 18-11 record for the sixth-place club with a 2.50 ERA and 137 strikeouts. The Giants won the pennant in 1933 and Hubbell led the NL in wins with his 23-12 tally and topped the circuit with 10 shutouts and a 1.66 ERA. He was selected as league MVP for the first time and won two more games in the World Series victory over the Washington Senators. The Giants were strong contenders again in 1934 and Hubbell compiled a 21-12 record with a league-leading 2.30 ERA and 25 complete games. During the All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds, he struck out five consecutive future Hall of Fame batters (Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of the Yankees, Jimmie Foxx of the A’s, Al Simmons of the White Sox & Joe Cronin of the Senators). Hubbell, who came to be referred to as “King Carl” and “the Meal Ticket” due to his consistency and reliability, was outstanding again in 1935 as he went 23-12 with a 3.27 ERA and 150 strikeouts while pitching 302.2 innings.   

1936 Season Summary

Appeared in 42 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 42 [12, tied with Dick Coffman & Ed Heusser]

 Games Started – 34 [3, tied with Dizzy Dean]

Complete Games – 25 [2]

Wins – 26 [1]

Losses – 6

PCT - .813 [1]

Saves – 3 [10, tied with six others]

Shutouts – 3 [8]

Innings Pitched – 304 [3]

Hits – 265 [8]

Runs – 81

Earned Runs – 78

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 57

Strikeouts – 123 [4]

ERA – 2.31 [1]

Hit Batters – 5 [9, tied with nine others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading win percentage was +.024 ahead of runner-up Red Lucas

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Hal Schumacher

League-leading innings pitched were +15.2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading ERA was -0.56 lower than runner-up Danny MacFayden

Midseason Snapshot: 10-5, ERA - 2.67, SO - 61 in 145 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 7 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 6/28

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 8/2, (in 9 IP) at St. Louis Cards 9/3, (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/11, (in 9 IP) at Brooklyn 9/19, (in 8.2 IP) at Cincinnati 5/4

Batting

PA – 123, AB – 110, R – 9, H – 25, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .227, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 81

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 65

Errors – 2

DP – 7

Pct. - .975

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (World Series vs. NY Yankees) 

GS – 2, CG – 1, Record – 1-1 PCT – .500, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 16, H – 15, R – 5, ER – 4, HR – 2, BB – 2, SO – 10, ERA – 2.25, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 1

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Carl Hubbell, NYG: 60 pts. – 100% share

Dizzy Dean, StLC.: 53 pts. – 88% share

Billy Herman, ChiC.: 37 pts. – 62% share

Joe Medwick, StLC.: 30 pts. – 50% share

Paul Waner, Pitt.: 29 pts. – 48% share

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Giants went 92-62 to win the NL pennant by 5 games over the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.46). In fifth place on July 1, the Giants exploded in August, propelled by a 15-game winning streak and Hubbell winning 16 straight decisions to close out the season while overtaking the Cubs and Cardinals. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2. Lou Gehrig’s 2-run home run off of Hubbell in Game 4 helped the Yankees take a commanding 3-games-to-1 lead.

Aftermath of ‘36:

The Giants made it two straight pennants in 1937 as Hubbell’s regular season winning streak reached 24 games as he prevailed in his first 8 decisions on his way to a 22-8 tally and 3.20 ERA while topping the NL with 159 strikeouts. In 1938, elbow pain due to throwing the screwball prematurely ended Hubbell’s season with a 13-10 record and 3.07 ERA as he needed surgery to remove bone chips. He remained with the Giants until 1943 and continued to be an effective, if no longer dominant, pitcher. He won 11 games each year from 1939 to ’42, and his 11-12 record in 1940 was the only sub-.500 performance of his career. His 2.75 ERA in 1939 was his best during the same four-year timeperiod. His career came to an end after the 1943 season, by which point his left hand was deformed from years of throwing the screwball. Upon his retirement following 16 seasons with the Giants, Hubbell had a 253-154 record with five 20-win records, a 2.98 ERA, 36 shutouts, and 1677 strikeouts over 3590.1 innings pitched. In the postseason, he produced a 4-2 record with four complete games and 32 strikeouts over 50.1 innings. In addition to being a two-time MVP, he was a nine-time All-Star. Hubbell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947 and the Giants retired his #11. Upon the end of his playing career, the Giants made Hubbell the team’s director of player development, a position he held for 35 years, well after the franchise’s move to San Francisco. He remained a scout for the club until his death in 1988 at the age of 85.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player. 

Rookie of the Year: Willie Mays, 1951

Outfielder, New York Giants

Age:  20 (May 6)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 170

Prior to 1951:

An Alabama native, Mays was the son of a father who played semipro baseball and a mother who was a high school track and basketball star. His high school lacking a baseball team, Mays played second base and center field as a teammate of his father with a semipro club in the Fairfield Industrial League. He also played and briefly was with the Chattanooga Choo-Choos in 1947, which was a minor affiliate of the Negro American League Birmingham Black Barons. In 1948, at age 17, he joined the Black Barons on a part-time basis while he finished high school and batted .262 in 61 at bats. Still with Birmingham in 1949, Mays hit .311 in 75 games and was impressive defensively in center field. Following a strong start with Birmingham in 1950, Mays was signed by the Giants for $250 per month with a $4000 signing bonus. Initially assigned to Trenton of the Class B Interstate League, where he was the first black  player, over the course of 81 games he hit .353 with 20 doubles, 8 triples, and 4 home runs. Mays started the 1951 season with the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AAA American Association and was batting .477 after 35 games, when he was called up to the Giants at the behest of manager Leo Durocher. He was immediately installed in center field.   

1951 Season Summary

Appeared in 121 games

CF – 121

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 524

At Bats – 464

Runs – 59

Hits – 127

Doubles – 22

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 20 [14, tied with Wes Westrum]

RBI – 68

Bases on Balls – 57

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 60 [13]

Stolen Bases – 7 [18, tied with Roy Hartsfield, Solly Hemus & Enos Slaughter]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .274

OBP - .356 [18, tied with Sam Jethroe]

Slugging Pct. - .472 [12]

Total Bases – 219

GDP – 11

Hit By Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: HR – 10, RBI – 31, AVG - .284, SLG - .550, OBP – .379

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Most hits, game – 3 on nine occasions

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Cincinnati 7/22, (in 4 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 8/30

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Cincinnati 7/20

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 374

Put Outs – 353

Assists – 12

Errors – 9

DP – 2

Pct. - .976

Postseason: 6 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 24, AB – 22, R – 1, H – 4, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .182, OBP - .250, SLG - .182, TB – 4, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting:

Willie Mays, NYG: 18 of 24 votes, 75% share

Chet Nichols, BosB.: 4 votes, 17% share

Clem Labine, Brook.: 2 votes, 8% share

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Giants went 96-58 to finish tied for first in the NL with the Brooklyn Dodgers, which necessitated a season-extending best-of-3 playoff. The teams split the first two contests, but the Giants won the deciding game on Bobby Thomson’s walk-off home run to clinch the NL pennant with a final record of 98-59. The Giants led the league in walks drawn (671). The slow-starting Giants were in fifth place at 17-19 when Mays joined the club. The Dodgers dominated the NL for most of the season and were 13.5 games in front on August 11. The Giants put together a 16-game August winning streak and went 20-5 in September to catch Brooklyn and force the climactic playoff. They lost the World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of ‘51:

Mays was limited to 34 games in 1952 before being inducted into the Army. He missed the remainder of the ’52 season and all of 1953, but he played service baseball. Returning to the Giants in 1954 he went on a home run tear to start the season on the way to batting a league-leading .345 with 33 doubles, a NL-high 13 triples, 41 home runs, and 110 RBIs. The Giants won the pennant and Mays was the league MVP. In the World Series sweep of the Cleveland Indians, he made a brilliant defensive play in Game 1 at the Polo Grounds to chase a ball hit over his head by Cleveland first baseman Vic Wertz, making an over-the shoulder catch and whirling to make a throw to the infield that kept runners from advancing. The Giants dropped to third in 1955 but Mays hit .319 with 127 RBIs and topped the league with 13 triples, 51 home runs, a .659 slugging percentage, and 382 total bases. He also led all NL outfielders in assists (23) and double plays (8). The home runs dropped to 36 in 1956, but with his speed and daring on the basepaths he led the league with 40 stolen bases. He further compiled 84 RBIs and hit .296. In the Giants’ final season in New York in 1957, Mays led the NL in triples (20), slugging (.625), and stolen bases (38), while hitting 35 home runs with 97 RBIs and a .333 batting average. With the move to San Francisco in 1958, he was joined in the lineup by power-hitting rookie first baseman Orlando Cepeda and Mays led the NL with 121 runs scored and 31 stolen bases to go along with 33 doubles, 11 triples, 29 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a .347 average. After being enormously popular in New York, he found the San Francisco fans slow to warm up to him and there was a racial incident when he sought to buy a house in the city. The local sportswriters were slow to warm up as well and he had a less pleasant relationship with manager Bill Rigney than the one he had enjoyed with Leo Durocher. A charismatic, enthusiastic, and energetic player known as “the Say Hey Kid” due to his standard greeting, who did flashy things on the field like utilize a basket catch, he was prone to bouts of nervous exhaustion throughout his career and was briefly hospitalized during the season for rest. Another power-hitting rookie first baseman, Willie McCovey, joined the Giants during the 1959 season and the team contended for the NL pennant (McCovey would later go on to become the strong lefthanded bat behind Mays in the lineup). Mays contributed a .313 average, 34 home runs, 104 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, and his usual impressive play in center field, despite suffering leg and hand injuries. The move into Candlestick Park in 1960 diminished Mays’ power numbers, although he hit well on the road and led the NL with 190 hits while also batting .319 with 29 home runs and 103 RBIs. In 1961 he had his greatest single-game hitting performance as he homered a record-tying four times in a game against the Braves at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. Benefiting from the presence of Cepeda batting behind him, Mays hit .308 with 40 home runs, 123 RBIs, and scored a league-leading 129 runs. The Giants won the NL pennant in 1962 and “the Say Hey Kid” contributed a league-high 49 home runs along with 141 RBIs and a .304 average. He was at his best down the stretch, despite passing out in the dugout in Cincinnati as a result of fatigue, as the Giants battled the Dodgers and ended up facing off in a season-extending playoff. He was narrowly edged out in the league MVP voting by LA shortstop Maury Wills. Mays, now the highest paid player at $105,000, had a rough first half in 1963 that led some observers to speculate that he was slowing down at age 32. He picked up the pace in the season’s second half to finish at .314 with 38 home runs and 103 RBIs. With the Giants contending in 1964, Mays led the NL with 47 home runs and a .607 slugging percentage while batting .296 with 111 RBIs. He followed up with his second MVP season in 1965 by again topping the NL with 52 home runs, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .645 slugging percentage while hitting .317 with 112 RBIs. Mays remained highly productive in 1966, hitting .288 with 37 home runs and 103 RBIs. Along the way he passed Jimmie Foxx to reach second on the all-time home run list at the time. Problems with injury and illness limited him to a .263 average with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs in 1967, although he still was an All-Star and received a Gold Glove. His average rebounded to .289 in 1968 along with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs. Mays reached 600 career home runs in 1969 in a year in which he totaled only 13 with 58 RBIs and a .283 average. He reached 3000 hits in 1970 as he batted .291 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs. The Giants won the NL West in 1971 and Mays contributed 18 home runs, 61 RBIs, and league-leading totals in walks drawn (112) and on-base percentage (.425). He played 48 games at first base in addition to 84 in center field to rest his aging legs. Seeking a long-term contract entering 1972, and now making $160,000 per year, he was dealt to the New York Mets in May. In his return to New York he homered in his first at bat, one of 8 for the year for the 41-year-old slugger. He again split his time between center field and first base and received a salary boost from his new club to $175,000 with a guarantee of $50,000 per year following his retirement if he remained a coach for the team. He lasted one more year as a player in 1973, struggling with rib and knee injuries and appearing in 66 games. For his career, Mays batted .302 with 3283 hits that included 523 doubles, 140 triples, and 660 home runs. He further scored 2062 runs and compiled 1903 RBIs and 338 stolen bases, as well as drawing 1464 walks. He compiled 12 100-run seasons, eleven 30-home run seasons, which included two over 50 and six with at least 40, and ten 100-RBI years. With the Giants he batted .304 with 3187 hits, 504 doubles, 139 triples, 646 home runs, 1859 RBIs, 336 stolen bases, and 2011 runs scored. Appearing in 25 postseason games, Mays hit .247 with a home run and 10 RBIs. A 24-time All-Star (where he often showcased his impressive talents) he placed in the top ten in NL MVP voting twelve times, including two wins. He also received 12 Gold Gloves. The Giants retired his #24 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

MVP Profile: Carl Hubbell, 1933

Pitcher, New York Giants

Age:  30 (June 22)

6^th season with Giants

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170

Prior to 1933:

Born in Missouri, Hubbell grew up in Meeker, Oklahoma, where he pitched well in high school with a fastball and curve. Following graduation, he joined Cushing of the Oklahoma State League in 1923. By 1925 Hubbell was with Oklahoma City of the Class A Western League where, having added a screwball to his repertoire, he produced a 17-13 record with a 4.01 ERA. The Detroit Tigers purchased his contract after the season, but during 1926 spring training he was forbidden from using the screwball due to the increased prospect of suffering an arm injury. Sent to Toronto of the Class AA International League, Hubbell was a disappointing 7-7 with a 3.77 ERA while disallowed from throwing the screwball. Demoted to Decatur of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three-I) League in 1927, Hubbell was a respectable 14-7 with a 2.53 ERA, but the Tigers sold his contract to the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League in 1928 where he was able to again utilize the screwball. Compiling a 12-9 record with a 2.97 ERA by midseason his contract was purchased by the Giants for $30,000. Hubbell ended up going 10-6 for the Giants with a 2.83 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 124 innings pitched.  He followed up with an 18-11 record in 1929 with a 3.69 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 268 innings. Along the way he pitched a no-hitter against Pittsburgh.  The lanky southpaw was 17-12 for the third place Giants in 1930, with a 3.87 ERA (which ranked second in the NL in a year dominated by hitting in which the league mien ERA was 4.97) and 117 strikeouts. His 1931 record was 14-12 with a 2.65 ERA and 155 strikeouts. 1932 was a year of transition for the Giants as the talented but irascible long-time manager John McGraw was replaced by Bill Terry during the season. Hubbell contributed an 18-11 record for the sixth-place club with a 2.50 ERA and 137 strikeouts.    

1933 Season Summary

Appeared in 45 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 45 [3, tied with Ad Liska]

Games Started – 33 [6, tied with Tex Carleton, Paul Derringer & Hal Schumacher]

Complete Games – 22 [4]

Wins – 23 [1]

Losses – 12 [19, tied with Guy Bush, Hal Schumacher & Steve Swetonic]

PCT - .657 [3]

Saves – 5 [2, tied with Dizzy Dean, Hi Bell & Bill Harris]

Shutouts – 10 [1]

Innings Pitched – 308.2 [1]

Hits – 256 [8, tied with Ed Brandt]

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 57

Home Runs – 6

Bases on Balls – 47

Strikeouts – 156 [2]

ERA – 1.66 [1]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +3 ahead of runners-up Dizzy Dean, Guy Bush & Ben Cantwell]

League-leading shutouts were +3 ahead of runner-up Hal Schumacher

League-leading innings pitched were +15.2 ahead of runner-up Dizzy Dean

League-leading ERA was -0.34 lower than runner-up Lon Warneke

Midseason Snapshot: 11-5, ERA - 1.84, SO - 87 in 156.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. Boston Braves 4/20

10+ strikeout games – 3

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Braves 4/20, (in 9 IP) vs. Brooklyn 4/24, (in 9 IP) vs. Brooklyn 7/27, (in 10 IP) at Bos. Braves 9/1

Batting

PA – 116, AB – 109, R – 6, H – 20, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 12, BB – 2, SO – 18, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .183, GDP – 2, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances - 119

Put Outs – 23

Assists – 94

Errors – 2

DP – 5

Pct. - .983

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (World Series vs. Washington)

GS – 2, CG – 2, Record – 2-0 PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 20, H – 13, R – 3, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 6, SO – 15, ERA – 0.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Carl Hubbell, NYG: 77 pts. – 96% share

Chuck Klein, PhilaP.: 48 pts. – 60% share

Wally Berger, BosB.: 44 pts. – 55% share

Bill Terry, NYG: 35 pts. – 44% share

Pepper Martin, StLC.: 31 pts. – 39% share

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Giants went 91-61 to win the NL pennant by 5 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.71), shutouts (23), fewest hits allowed (1280), batting (.286), and fewest runs allowed 514). Won World Series over the Washington Senators, 4 games to 1. Hubbell’s two wins included an 11-inning 2-1 contest in Game 4.

Aftermath of ‘33:

The Giants were strong contenders again in 1934 and Hubbell compiled a 21-12 record with a league-leading 2.30 ERA and 25 complete games. During the All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds, he struck out five consecutive future Hall of Fame batters (Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of the Yankees, Jimmie Foxx of the A’s, Al Simmons of the White Sox & Joe Cronin of the Senators). Hubbell, who came to be referred to as “King Carl” and “the Meal Ticket” due to his consistency and reliability, was outstanding again in 1935 as he went 23-12 with a 3.27 ERA and 150 strikeouts while pitching 302.2 innings. The Giants returned to the top of the NL in 1936 and Hubbell was the league MVP for the second time thanks to a 26-6 record, including wins in his last 16 decisions of the season, and league-best 2.31 ERA. The Giants made it two straight pennants in 1937 as Hubbell’s regular season winning streak reached 24 games as he prevailed in his first 8 decisions on his way to a 22-8 tally and 3.20 ERA while topping the NL with 159 strikeouts. In 1938, elbow pain due to throwing the screwball prematurely ended Hubbell’s season with a 13-10 record and 3.07 ERA as he needed surgery to remove bone chips. He remained with the Giants until 1943 and continued to be an effective, if no longer dominant, pitcher. He won 11 games each year from 1939 to ’42, and his 11-12 record in 1940 was the only sub-.500 performance of his career. His 2.75 ERA in 1939 was his best during the same four-year time period. His career came to an end after the 1943 season, by which point his left hand was deformed from years of throwing the screwball. Upon his retirement following 16 seasons with the Giants, Hubbell had a 253-154 record with five 20-win records, a 2.98 ERA, 36 shutouts, and 1677 strikeouts over 3590.1 innings pitched. In the postseason, he produced a 4-2 record with four complete games and 32 strikeouts over 50.1 innings. In addition to being a two-time MVP, he was a nine-time All-Star. Hubbell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947 and the Giants retired his #11. Upon the end of his playing career, the Giants made Hubbell the team’s director of player development, a position he held for 35 years, well after the franchise’s move to San Francisco. He remained a scout for the club until his death in 1988 at the age of 85.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.