Highlighted Year: Harmon Killebrew, 1962

Outfielder, Minnesota Twins

Age:  26 (June 29)

8^th season with Senators/Twins

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1962:

The son of a former college football fullback, Killebrew was a native of Payette, Idaho. A burly and muscular youth who played football and basketball, as well as baseball, in high school, he was playing in a semipro baseball league at age 17 when he came to the attention of Idaho US Senator Herman Welker, who brought him to the attention of the Senators. Scouted by Washington, as well as the Boston Red Sox, Killebrew signed a $6000 contract and $4000 bonus with the Senators. As a bonus signee at the time, he had to be on the major league roster for two years before he could be sent down to the minors and spent 1954 and ’55 as a sparsely utilized reserve third baseman for the Senators. He split the 1956 season between Charlotte of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he batted .325 with 15 home runs, and the Senators, where he hit .222 in 44 games with 5 home runs and 13 RBIs. Killebrew showed off his power in 1957 with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern Association as he slugged 29 home runs. He split 1958 between Chattanooga and Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association, batting a combined .281 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs. He finally got a chance as the starting third baseman for the Senators in 1959 and made the most of it, leading the AL with 42 home runs (tied with Cleveland’s Rocky Colavito) in addition to driving in 105 RBIs and hitting .242. Killebrew was named as an All-Star for the first time and finished fifteenth in league MVP balloting. An unimpressive fielder and hindered by a leg injury, he split 1960 between third and first base and batted .276 with 31 home runs and 80 RBIs. The Senators moved to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and were rechristened the Minnesota Twins in 1961 and, while primarily playing at first base (and still shifting between the two corner infield positions), “Killer” (a monicker which belied his pleasant nature) belted 46 home runs while hitting .288 with 122 RBIs. Killebrew was moved to left field in 1962.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games

LF – 151, 1B – 4, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 666 [17]

At Bats – 552

Runs – 85 [20, tied with Clete Boyer]

Hits – 134

Doubles – 21

Triples – 1

Home Runs – 48 [1]

RBI – 126 [1]

Bases on Balls – 106 [3]

Int. BB – 6 [20, tied with Bob Rodgers]

Strikeouts – 142 [1]

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .243

OBP - .366 [11]

Slugging Pct. - .545 [2]

Total Bases – 301 [5]

GDP – 14 [18, tied with six others]

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4

League-leading home runs were +9 ahead of runner-up Norm Cash

League-leading RBIs were +9 ahead of runner-up Norm Siebern

League-leading batting strikeouts were +24 ahead of runner-up Ed Bressoud

Midseason snapshot: HR – 18, RBI – 48, AVG - .231, SLG - .484, OBP – .373

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. NY Yankees 8/13

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 20

HR on road – 28

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 7/18, (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 9/15, (in 5 AB) vs. Detroit 9/19, (in 5 AB) vs. Baltimore 9/29

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cleveland 7/18, vs. NY Yankees 8/13, vs. Cleveland 9/15

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 RBI & 1 BB

Fielding (OF)

Chances - 240

Put Outs – 227

Assists – 5

Errors – 8

DP – 0

Pct. - .967

Awards & Honors:

3^rd in AL MVP voting (99 points – 1 first place vote, 35% share)

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The Twins went 91-71 to finish second in the AL, 5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in OBP (,338) and fewest stolen bases (33). The Twins were surprise contenders from the start and stuck close behind the Yankees through April, May, and June. 7 games back on August 1, they whittled their way closer until time ran out in September.

Aftermath of 1962:

Killebrew topped the AL in home runs again in 1963 (45) and 1964 (49), further establishing himself as a premier power hitter. Minnesota won the AL pennant in 1965, but Killebrew, who went back to splitting his time between first and third base, was sidelined by a dislocated elbow in August that cost him seven weeks. He ended up with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs in 113 games while hitting .269. He batted .286 with a home run and two RBIs in the seven-game World Series loss to the Dodgers. In 1966 he drew 103 walks on his way to leading the AL in that category for the first of four occasions in a six-year span. Killebrew also hit .281 with 39 home runs and 110 RBIs. He tied for the league lead in home runs in 1967 with 44. A severe hamstring injury suffered during the 1968 All-Star Game limited Killebrew to 100 games with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs. In 1966 he drew 103 walks on his way to leading the AL in that category for the first of four occasions in a six-year span. Killebrew also hit .281 with 39 home runs and 110 RBIs. He tied for the league lead in home runs in 1967 with 44. In 1968 a severe hamstring injury suffered during the All-Star Game limited Killebrew to 100 games with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs. He came back with a 1969 season in which he was named league MVP, batting .276 while leading the AL in home runs (49), RBIs (140), walks drawn (145), and OBP (.427). In the first season of divisional play, the Twins topped the new AL West, losing the ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game sweep. Killebrew followed up in 1970 with his eighth and last 40-home run season, totaling 41 to go along with 113 RBIs and a .271 average. He placed third in AL MVP voting. While his home run total dropped to 28 in 1971, he still topped the circuit with 119 RBIs. He stayed with the Twins through 1974 with steadily declining production. Offered the chance to be a player/coach or manager with Minnesota’s Class AAA Tacoma franchise for 1975, Killebrew chose to sign with the Kansas City Royals instead. As a Designated Hitter and pinch hitter in his final major league season, he batted just .199 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. In his career with the Senators/Twins he batted .258 with 2024 hits that included 277 doubles, 24 triples, and 559 home runs. He also scored 1258 runs and compiled 1540 RBIs. Including his season with the Royals, he ended up hitting 573 home runs with 1584 RBIs and a .256 batting average along with an on-base percentage of .376 (a testament to his 1559 walks drawn). An eleven-time All-Star (at three positions), he finished in the Top 10 in AL MVP voting on seven occasions. In 13 postseason games he hit .250 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs. The Twins retired his # 3 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Killebrew went into broadcasting for a time following his playing career and suffered major financial losses in retirement. He died of cancer in 2011 at the age of 74.

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

Highlighted Year: Buck Freeman, 1903

Outfielder, Boston Americans

Age: 31

3^rd season with Americans

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 169 

Prior to 1903:

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

1903 Season Summary

Appeared in 141 games

RF – 141

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 611 [4]

At Bats – 567 [3]

Runs – 74 [16, tied with Wid Conroy]

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

Doubles – 39 [3]

Triples – 20 [3]

Home Runs – 13 [1]

RBI – 104 [1]

Bases on Balls – 30

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 73 [2]

Stolen Bases – 5

Caught Stealing – N/A

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

OBP - .328

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

Total Bases – 281 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 10

Sac Flies – N/A

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

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

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

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

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

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 6

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

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Cleveland 6/21

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 223

Put Outs – 195

Assists – 13

Errors – 15

DP – 2

Pct. – .933

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

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

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

Aftermath of 1903:

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

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

MVP Profile: Josh Donaldson, 2015

Third Baseman, Toronto Blue Jays

Age:  29

1^st season with Blue Jays

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 2015:

A Florida native, following his first year of high school Donaldson, whose father was in prison, was sent by his mother to Faith Academy in Mobile, Alabama, where he excelled in football as well as baseball. As a senior in 2004 who pitched and played shortstop, he batted .515 in 32 games with 21 doubles and 15 stolen bases. Heading on to college at Auburn University, he hit .294 with a .347 on-base percentage as a freshman while splitting time between catching and playing third base. Appearing in 56 games in 2006 he batted .276 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .331 OBP. In the ensuing summer he played in the Cape Cod League with the Harwich Mariners and finished fifth in batting. Following another productive college season in 2007, Donaldson was selected in the first round of that year’s amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs. He signed for $625,000 and after four games in the Rookie-level Arizona League, he advanced to the Boise Hawks of the Class A Northwest League where, in 49 games, he hit .346 with 9 home runs, 35 RBIs, a .470 OBP, and a .605 slugging percentage. He also led all of the league’s catchers with a .990 fielding percentage and threw out 39.7% of baserunners who attempted to steal against him. In 2008, he started out with Peoria of the Class A Midwest League where he hit only .217 in 63 games before being traded by the Cubs to the Oakland Athletics. Assigned by the A’s to Stockton of the advanced Class A California League, Donaldson’s bat came alive and in 47 games he batted .330 with 9 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .391 OBP. He played in the Arizona Fall League in the offseason and saw action at first base. Donaldson spent 2009 with the Midland RockHounds of the Class AA Texas League where he appeared as catcher and at first and third base and hit .270 with 37 doubles, 9 home runs, 91 RBIs, and a .379 OBP thanks to drawing 80 walks. He started the 2010 season with the Sacramento River Cats of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League before being called up to Oakland at the end of April. In 14 games, where he saw most of his action as a catcher, he batted .156 with a home run before returning to Sacramento where he hit .238 for the year with 18 home runs, 67 RBIs, and a .336 OBP. He was back with Sacramento in 2011, batting .261 with 17 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a .344 OBP. In 2012 Donaldson split time between Sacramento and the A’s, who lacked depth at third base. He hit a mere .153 in two stints with Oakland but when called up again in August due to an injury to starting third sacker Brandon Inge, he hit far better and proved to be acceptable defensively. He ended up batting .241 in 75 games for the A’s with 9 home runs, 33 RBIs, and a .289 OBP. Starting the 2013 season as Oakland’s regular third baseman, Donaldson had a breakout year hitting .301 with 37 doubles, 24 home runs, 93 RBIs, and a .384 OBP. His defensive play at third base was outstanding and he placed fourth in league MVP voting, receiving one first-place vote. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2014 on his way to batting .255 with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, a .342 OBP, and a .456 slugging percentage while still performing impressively at third base. In the offseason he was traded to the Blue Jays for four players.

2015 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

3B – 150, DH – 7, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 711 [2]

At Bats – 620 [9]

Runs – 122 [1]

Hits – 184 [5]

Doubles – 41 [4, tied with Kendrys Morales]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 41 [3, tied with Mike Trout]

RBI – 123 [1]

Bases on Balls – 73 [10]

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 133 [19, tied with Adam LaRoche]

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .297 [10, tied with Eric Hosmer]

OBP - .371 [9]

Slugging Pct. - .568 [2]

Total Bases – 352 [1]

GDP – 16

H by Pitches – 6

Sac Hits – 2

Sac Flies – 10 [1, tied with Edwin Encarnacion & Melky Cabrera]

League-leading runs scored were +14 ahead of runner-up Jose Bautista

League-leading RBIs were +6 ahead of runner-up Chris Davis

League-leading total bases were +13 ahead of runner-up Mike Trout

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 22, HR – 21, RBI – 60, AVG - .293, OBP - .351, SLG – .532

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Tampa Bay 4/15, (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 5/26, (in 5 AB) at LA Angels 8/22

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. Atlanta 4/17, (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 5/26, (in 4 AB) at Philadelphia 8/18

HR at home – 24

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 6 at LA Angels 8/22

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 442

Put Outs – 137

Assists – 287

Errors – 18

DP – 32

Pct. - .959

Postseason Batting: 11 G (ALDS vs. Texas – 5 G; ALCS vs. KC Royals – 6 G)

PA – 48, AB – 41, R – 9, H – 10, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 3, RBI – 8, BB – 6, IBB – 0, SO – 10, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .244, OBP – .354, SLG – .537, TB – 22, GDP – 0, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Hank Aaron Award

Silver Slugger

All-Star (Started for AL at 3B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Josh Donaldson, Tor.: 385 points – 23 of 30 first place votes, 92% share

Mike Trout, LAA: 304 points – 7 first place votes, 72% share

Lorenzo Cain, KCR: 225 points  – 54% share

Manny Machado, Balt.: 158 points – 38% share

Dallas Keuchel, Hou.: 107 points – 25% share

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The Blue Jays went 93-69 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 6 games over the New York Yankees while leading the league in runs scored (891), doubles (308), home runs (232), bases on balls drawn (570), OBP (.340), slugging (.457), and total bases (2518). With a 23-29 record at the end of May, the Blue Jays put together an 11-game June winning streak that put them into contention although they were only 45-46 at the All-Star break. An August surge boosted them into first place to stay on August 23 and they clinched the AL East title on Sept. 30. Won ALDS over the Texas Rangers, 3 games to 2. Lost ALCS to the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 2015:

The Blue Jays reached the postseason again in 2016 and Donaldson contributed another strong season while batting .284 with 37 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .404 OBP, and a .549 slugging percentage. He placed fourth in league MVP voting. A calf injury put him on the disabled list in 2017 and upon his return he went on to hit .270 with 33 home runs, 78 RBIs, a .385 OBP, and a .559 slugging percentage over 113 games. Donaldson embraced the nickname “Bringer of Rain” which was inspired by a television character. After signing a $23 million one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration in 2018, he was hindered by shoulder and calf injuries during the season and was traded to the Cleveland Indians at the end of August. For the year he ended up appearing in only 52 games and batted .246 with 8 home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .352 OBP. He hit poorly in Cleveland’s loss to Houston in the ALDS. A free agent in the offseason, he signed a one-year, $23 million contract with the Atlanta Braves for 2019. Donaldson stayed healthy and rebounded to hit .259 with 37 home runs, 94 RBIs, 100 walks drawn, a .379 OBP, and a .521 slugging percentage for the division-winning Braves. In addition to placing eleventh in league MVP balloting, he received NL Comeback Player of the Year recognition. A free agent once again in the offseason, Donaldson signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2020 for four years and $92 million. In the pandemic-shortened season, Donaldson was limited to 28 games by a chronic calf injury and batted .222 with 6 home runs, 11 RBIs, a .373 OBP, and a .469 slugging percentage while continuing to perform well defensively. The Twins had a poor season in 2021 but Donaldson stayed healthy, helped by occasionally DHing aside from his usual duty at third base. He hit .247 with 26 home runs, 72 RBIs, a .352 OBP, and a .475 slugging percentage. Prior to the 2022 season he was traded to the New York Yankees as part of a five-player deal. Getting off to a good start with the Yankees, he also became embroiled in a controversy over a racially disrespectful comment made to shortstop Tim Anderson of the White Sox that cost him a fine and one-game suspension. For the season he finished at .222 with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .308 OBP. The decline continued into 2023 as he appeared in only 33 games for the Yankees due to hamstring and calf injuries and he was released in late August, moving on to the Milwaukee Brewers as they entered their division-winning stretch run. For the year he batted a combined .152 with 13 home runs and 26 RBIs. For his major league career through 2023 Donaldson has batted .261 with 1310 hits that include 287 doubles, 12 triples, and 279 home runs. He has scored 816 runs and compiled 816 RBIs, a .358 OBP, a .489 slugging percentage, and drawn 725 walks. With Toronto he batted .281 with 331 runs scored, 492 hits, 105 doubles, 7 triples, 116 home runs, 279 walks drawn, a .383 OBP, and a .548 slugging percentage. Appearing in 50 postseason games he has hit .247 with 5 home runs and 16 RBIs. A three-time All-Star, he has placed in the top 11 of league MVP voting five times, including the single win. He has also received two Silver Slugger awards.  

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Elmer Flick, 1900

Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  24

3^rd season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 168 

Prior to 1900:

A native of Bedford, Ohio, Flick was the son of a skilled mechanic and Civil War veteran. A fine natural athlete, he played several sports but preferred baseball and was a star hard-hitting catcher on the Bedford High School team. He joined the town team at age 15 and moved on to the Youngstown Puddlers of the Inter-State League in 1896. Shifted to the outfield, he made his own baseball bat which he used to good effect by batting .438. His play in the outfield was far less impressive. In 1897 he switched to the Dayton Old Soldiers, also of the Inter-State League. He performed better in left field and hit .386 while leading the league with 20 triples among his 183 hits that included 42 doubles and 10 home runs. He further scored 135 runs in 126 games and stole 25 bases. Signed by the Phillies in 1898, he started the season as an outfield reserve and then moved into the lineup due to an injury to right fielder Sam Thompson. Combining power with speed, the small and solidly built Flick batted .302 as a rookie with 16 doubles, 13 triples, 8 home runs, 81 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, and a .430 on-base percentage, which was helped by drawing 86 walks. In 1899 he hit .342 with 98 runs scored, 22 doubles, 11 triples, 2 home runs, 98 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .407 OBP.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

RF – 138

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 623 [10]

At Bats – 545 [10, tied with Jimmy Barrett]

Runs – 106 [6, tied with Willie Keeler & Fielder Jones]

Hits – 200 [4]

Doubles – 32 [3, tied with Ed Delahanty]

Triples – 16 [4, tied with Chick Stahl]

Home Runs – 11 [2]

RBI – 110 [1]

Bases on Balls – 56 [11]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 30 [18, tied with Harry Steinfeldt & Charlie Hickman]

Stolen Bases – 35 [9]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .367 [2]

OBP - .441 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .545 [2]

Total Bases – 297 [2]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 16 [5]

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading RBIs were +1 ahead of runner-up Ed Delahanty

Fielding

Chances – 279

Put Outs – 232

Assists – 23

Errors – 24

DP – 6

Pct. - .914

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The Phillies went 75-63 to finish third in the NL, 8 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas, while leading the league in hits (1439), RBIs (694), walks drawn (440), and total bases (1877). The Phillies started fast and were in first place from April 26 to June 18. A 21-26 June and July had them entering August in second but a 2-10 run in August dropped them into third to stay.

Aftermath of 1900:

Staying with the Phillies in 1901 while several teammates jumped to the new American League, Flick batted .333 with 112 runs scored, 32 doubles, 17 triples, 8 home runs, 88 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, a .399 OBP, and a .500 slugging percentage. Having become adept at playing a shallow right field in the Baker Bowl, with its short dimensions, he also co-led NL outfielders with 23 assists. Making the jump to the AL in 1902, Flick signed with the Philadelphia Athletics but spent only 11 games with them before being sold to Cleveland, seeking to avoid the legal problems of others who jumped from the Phillies to the A’s. Playing in 110 games with Cleveland, he hit .297 with 19 doubles, 11 triples (including a record three in one game), 2 home runs, 61 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, and a .371 OBP. The production was strong again in 1903 as Flick batted .296 with 23 doubles, 16 triples, 2 home runs, 51 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. In 1904 he led the AL with 38 stolen bases while hitting .306 with 31 doubles, 17 triples, 6 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .371 OBP. Flick won the AL batting title in 1905 with a .308 average that remained the lowest for an AL/NL batting champion until 1968. He also led the league in triples (18), slugging (.462), and was second in OBP (.383). In 1906 he led in plate appearances (707), at bats (624), runs scored (98), triples (22), and stolen bases (39). Modest and a team player, he was liked by teammates and opponents alike, and was a fan favorite. At some point around 1907, the Tigers offered to trade outfielder Ty Cobb to the Naps (as the Cleveland team was called at the time) even-up for Flick, which the Naps turned down. Flick was beginning to develop health problems by this point that would soon shorten his career. 1907 proved to be his last outstanding season as he batted .302 with a league-high 18 triples, and a .386 OBP. A gastrointestinal illness sidelined him for all but nine games in 1908. Having lost weight, his batting power and speed were diminished. He hit .255 in 66 games in 1909 and .265 in 24 appearances in 1910 before being released in July, which ended his playing career. For his major league career, Flick batted .313 with 1752 hits that included 268 doubles, 164 triples, and 48 home runs. He scored 950 runs and compiled 756 RBIs, 330 stolen bases, a .389 OBP, and a .445 slugging percentage. With the Phillies he batted .338 with 683 hits, 400 runs scored, 102 doubles, 57 triples, 29 home runs, 377 RBIs, 119 stolen bases, a .419 OBP, and a .487 slugging percentage. Flick was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963. and died at the age of 94 in 1971. He was also inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. A statue was erected in his honor in the town square of Bedford, Ohio.

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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: Alex Rodriguez, 2007

Third Baseman, New York Yankees

Age:  32 (July 27)

4^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 230 

Prior to 2007:

Rodriguez was born in New York City to Dominican parents who returned to Santo Domingo when he was four. The family returned to the US a few years later, this time in Miami where Rodriguez played youth league baseball. At Westminster Christian High School, he excelled in football and basketball, as well as baseball. The Seattle Mariners made him the first overall pick in the 1993 amateur draft and he signed for a $1.3 million bonus. The 18-year-old Rodriguez was first assigned to Appleton of the Class A Midwest League in 1994 where he batted .319 in 65 games and was promoted to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AA Southern League. He played in 17 games at Class AA and was promoted to the Mariners in July. Overmatched in his first exposure to the big leagues, Rodriguez was sent to the Calgary Cannons of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he hit .311 in 32 games with 6 home runs and 21 RBIs. Following a winter of play in the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez was assigned to Tacoma of the PCL in 1995. He moved back-and-forth between Tacoma and the Mariners during the season and by August he was back with Seattle full-time. In Class AAA he batted .360 in 54 games with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs and in 48 appearances with the Mariners he hit .232 with 5 home runs and 19 RBIs. Rodriguez became the starting shortstop in 1996 and led the AL in runs scored (141), doubles (54), batting (.358), and total bases (379) in addition to compiling 36 home runs and 123 RBIs. The player known as “A-Rod” also was an All-Star for the first time, was awarded a Silver Slugger, finished second in league MVP voting by a narrow margin, and was named MLB Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Rodriguez started strong in 1997 but, bothered by a chest injury, overall, his numbers dropped to a .300 average with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs. In the field he led all AL shortstops by committing 24 errors. He started at shortstop for the AL in the All-Star Game. In 1998 “A-Rod” batted .310 with a league-leading 213 hits as well as 42 home runs, 124 RBIs, and 46 stolen bases. He also topped all AL shortstops with 731 total chances and ranked second with 268 put outs and 445 assists. In 1999, Rodriguez suffered a knee injury that required surgery early in the season and ended up hitting .285 in 129 games with 42 home runs and 111 RBIs. With center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr. gone in 2000, “A-Rod” became the key player in Seattle’s lineup and batted .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBIs. He finished third in AL MVP balloting. A free agent in the offseason, Rodriguez signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers. He had an outstanding season with a losing team in 2001, hitting .318 with a league-leading 133 runs scored and 52 home runs, plus 135 RBIs. He also led all AL shortstops with 279 put outs and finished sixth in league MVP voting. “A-Rod” placed second for AL MVP in 2002 after batting .300 with 57 home runs and 142 RBIs. He also received a Gold Glove for outstanding play in the field. In 2003 he hit .298 and led the league in runs scored (124), home runs (47), and slugging (.600), while also compiling 181 hits, 118 RBIs, and a .396 OBP. In the offseason, “A-Rod” was traded to the Yankees for power-hitting second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Shifted to third base due to the presence of Derek Jeter at shortstop, Rodriguez adjusted well in the field and at the plate batted .286 in 2004 with 36 home runs and 106 RBIs. New York won the AL East and “A-Rod” hit well in the ALDS triumph over the Twins. The Yanks lost the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox despite breaking out to a 3 games-to-0 lead and Rodriguez was part of the collapse, managing only two hits in his last 17 at bats. He had a second MVP season in 2005, batting .321 with 130 RBIs and a league-leading 48 home runs and .610 slugging percentage. The Yanks narrowly topped the AL East but lost to the Angels in the ALDS as Rodriguez again took criticism for hitting just .133 in the five games. Rodriguez had another strong performance in 2006, batting .290 with 35 home runs and 121 RBIs. He and the Yankees again came up short in the postseason.

2007 Season Summary

Appeared in 158 games

3B – 154, DH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 708 [7]

At Bats – 583

Runs – 143 [1]

Hits – 183 [15]

Doubles – 31

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 54 [1]

RBI – 156 [1]

Bases on Balls – 95 [7, tied with Jim Thome]

Int. BB – 11 [8, tied with Jim Thome, Justin Morneau & Sean Casey]

Strikeouts – 120 [17]

Stolen Bases – 24 [14]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .314 [13, tied with Jose Vidro]

OBP - .422 [4]

Slugging Pct. - .645 [1]

Total Bases – 376 [1]

GDP – 15

Hit by Pitches – 21 [2]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 9 [4, tied with Nick Swisher, Justin Morneau & Melky Cabrera]

League-leading runs scored were +20 ahead of runner-up Bobby Abreu

League-leading home runs were +8 ahead of runner-up Carlos Pena

League-leading RBIs were +17 ahead of runner-up Magglio Ordonez

League-leading slugging percentage was +.018 ahead of runner-up Carlos Pena

League-leading total bases were +22 ahead of runner-up Magglio Ordonez

Midseason snapshot: HR – 30, RBI – 86, AVG - .316, SLG – .663, OBP – .412

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 18 games

HR at home – 26

HR on road – 28

Most home runs, game – 2 on eight occasions

Multi-HR games – 8

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Baltimore 4/7

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 370

Put Outs – 106

Assists – 251

Errors – 13

DP – 30

Pct. - .965 

Postseason Batting: 4 G (ALDS vs. Cleveland)

PA – 17, AB – 15, R – 2, H – 4, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 1, BB – 2, IBB – 1, SO – 6, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .267, OBP - .353, SLG -.467, TB – 7, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Hank Aaron Award: MLB

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for AL at 3B)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Alex Rodriguez, NYY.: 382 points - 26 of 28 first place votes, 97% share

Magglio Ordonez, Det.: 258 points – 2 first place votes, 66% share

Vladimir Guerrero, LAA: 203 points – 52% share

David Ortiz, Bos.: 177 points – 45% share

Mike Lowell, Bos.: 126 points – 32% share

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The Yankees went 94-68 to finish second in the AL Eastern Division, 2 games behind the division-winning Boston Red Sox and qualified for a wild card spot in the postseason while leading the league in runs scored (968), hits (1656), home runs (201), RBIs (929), batting (.290), OBP (.366), slugging (.463), and total bases (2649). After enduring a 21-29 start that had them 14.5 games out of first place in the AL East on May 29, the Yankees rallied behind a strong offense led by Rodriguez and effective pitching to climb into contention and claim the wild card spot in the playoffs. Lost ALDS to the Cleveland Indians, 3 games to 1.

Aftermath of 2007:

Following the season, “A-Rod” chose to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract but then re-signed with the Yankees for $270 million over 10 years. Rodriguez encountered injury problems in 2008, as well as off-field controversy. He ended up producing solidly (35 home runs, 103 RBIs, .302 average) while leading the AL in slugging (.573). Surgery for a hip condition limited Rodriguez to 124 games in 2009, with his production dropping to 30 home runs, 100 RBIs, a .286 batting average, a .402 OBP, and a .586 slugging percentage. He played well in the postseason as the Yankees reached the World Series and defeated the Phillies. In 2010 “A-Rod” reached the 600-home run milestone during a season in which he batted .270 with 30 home runs and 125 RBIs. A knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery limited him to 99 games in 2011 as well as 16 home runs and 62 RBIs. Following another injury-plagued season in 2012, Rodriguez underwent further hip surgery in 2013. After a minor league rehabilitation assignment, he joined the Yankees in August facing a suspension by major league baseball for his use of performance-enhancing drugs and his related involvement with the Biogenesis scandal. He ended up appearing in just 44 major league games with 7 home runs and 19 RBIs. He was suspended for the entire 2014 season. Reinstated in 2015, Rodriguez played in 151 games, primarily as a Designated Hitter, and hit .250 with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs. He played one last season in 2016. Overall, for his career, “A-Rod” batted .295 with 3115 hits that included 548 doubles, 31 triples, and 696 home runs. He also struck out 2287 times and compiled 2086 RBIs and 329 stolen bases. Often criticized for a lack of postseason production, he appeared in 76 postseason games and hit .259 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs. In addition to being a three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez was a 14-time All-Star (five with the Yankees) and won two Gold Gloves and 10 Silver Slugger Awards. 

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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: Roger Maris, 1961

Outfielder, New York Yankees

Age:  27 (Sept. 10)

2^nd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 197 

Prior to 1961:

Born in Minnesota, Maris moved with his family to Fargo, North Dakota at a young age. A star athlete at Bishop Shanley High School, in football he once returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in a single game. Playing American Legion baseball, he impressed scouts with his all-around ability. Signed by the Cleveland Indians at age 18 in 1953, he was initially assigned to Fargo-Morehead of the Class C Northern League where he appeared in 114 games and batted .325 with 9 home runs and 80 RBIs. Advancing to the Keokuk Kernels of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1954, Maris hit .315 with 32 home runs and 111 RBIs. In the field he tied the league record for put outs by an outfielder with 305. Having gone from being a contact hitter to a pull hitter who could hit for power, he hit a total of 20 home runs in 1955 for Reading of the Class A Eastern League and Tulsa of the Class AA Texas League while batting a combined .278. Promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1956, Maris batted .293 with 17 home runs and 75 RBIs. The team won the Junior World Series and Maris made it to the Indians in 1957 where he flashed more of his potential by hitting 14 home runs with 51 RBIs while batting a disappointing .235 as he played in pain from broken ribs suffered in May. He appeared in 116 games, 99 of them starts. During the 1958 season, Maris was traded to the Kansas City Athletics where he moved into right field and proved to be a star in the making as he batted a combined .240 with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs. An All-Star for the first time in 1959, Maris hit .273 with 16 home runs and 72 RBIs. In the offseason, the Yankees swung a deal for him, and taking over Hank Bauer’s vacated spot in right field he paired up well with star center fielder Mickey Mantle in the middle of the batting order, batting .283 with 39 home runs (one behind Mantle’s league-leading total), and league-best totals in RBIs (112) and slugging (.581). His performance earned him American League MVP recognition. In his first taste of postseason action, he hit .267 with two home runs in the seven-game World Series loss to Pittsburgh.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 161 games

RF – 150, CF – 17, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 698 [7]

At Bats – 590 [12, tied with Frank Malzone]

Runs – 132 [1]

Hits – 159 [16]

Doubles – 16

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 61 [1]

RBI – 141 [1, tied with Jim Gentile]

Bases on Balls – 94 [8]

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 67

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .269

OBP - .372 [15]

Slugging Pct. - .620 [4]

Total Bases – 366 [1]

GDP – 16 [14, tied with Norm Cash, Al Kaline & Jackie Jensen]

Hit by Pitches – 7 [7]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 7 [10, tied with five others]

League-leading runs scored were +1 ahead of runner-up Mickey Mantle

League-leading home runs were +7 ahead of runner-up Mickey Mantle

League-leading total bases were +12 ahead of runner-up Norm Cash

Midseason snapshot: HR - 33, RBI - 80, AVG - .282, SLG - .648, OBP – .388

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at KC A’s 6/22

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 30

HR on road – 31

Most home runs, game – 2 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Chi. White Sox 7/25

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 284

Put Outs – 266

Assists – 9

Errors – 9

DP – 1

Pct. - .968 

Postseason Batting: 5 G (World Series vs. Cincinnati)

PA – 23,AB – 19, R – 4, H – 2, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 4, IBB – 1, SO – 6, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .105, OBP - .261, SLG - .316, TB – 6, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

All-Star (Started for AL in RF in first game)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Roger Maris, NYY.: 202 points - 7 of 20 first place votes, 72% share

Mickey Mantle, NYY: 198 points – 6 first place votes, 71% share

Jim Gentile, Balt.: 157 points – 5 first place votes, 56% share

Norm Cash, Det.: 151 points – 1 first place vote, 54% share

Whitey Ford, NYY: 102 points – 36% share

(1 first place vote for Luis Arroyo, NYY who ranked sixth)

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The Yankees, under new manager Ralph Houk, went 109-53 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in home runs (240), RBIs (781), slugging (.442) & total bases (2455). The Yankees surged to the pennant in a season dominated by the home run race between Maris and Mickey Mantle. From May 17 to June 22, Maris hit 24 home runs in 38 games, taking the lead over his teammate. The low-key Maris became tense and testy from the pressure fed by the media frenzy. His hair began falling out and he became short-tempered. With expansion having caused the AL to expand the schedule from 154 to 162 games (the NL would follow in 1962), commissioner Ford Frick ruled that any home run record would need to be accomplished in 154 games or would be accompanied by an asterisk in the record books. Maris entered September with 51 homers, but his pace began to slow down the stretch. An injury took Mantle out of the race, putting the spotlight entirely on Maris. He hit his 59^th home run at Baltimore in the 154^th game of the season. Number 60 came at Yankee Stadium on September 26 and the record-breaking 61^st in the season finale at home against the Red Sox and RHP Tracy Stallard. Won World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1. The Series was highlighted by New Yotk LHP Whitey Ford’s record string of 33 consecutive shutout innings pitched. Maris contributed a home run while garnering only two hits.

Aftermath of 1961:

Maris followed up with a respectable season in 1962 in which he hit .256 with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs. He also made a big defensive play in Game 7 of the World Series against the Giants when, in the ninth inning with two outs, a one-run lead, and the fleet-footed Matty Alou on first, batter Willie Mays hit a ball into the right field corner. Maris cut the ball off and threw to second baseman Bobby Richardson to force Alou to hold at third. First baseman Willie McCovey lined out to end the game and the Series in the Yanks’ favor. Limited to 90 games in 1963 due to an assortment of injuries, Maris still managed to slug 23 home runs along with 53 RBIs and a .269 average. Rebounding somewhat in 1964, when he occasionally filled in for the ailing Mantle in center field, Maris batted .281 with 26 home runs and 71 RBIs. With the drop of the Yankees to sixth place in 1965, Maris, who was limited to 46 games by a hand injury, hit just .239 with 8 home runs. Following another injury-marred season in 1966, in which he batted .233 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs while playing in 119 games, the Yankees traded Maris to the St. Louis Cardinals for nondescript third baseman Charley Smith. Pleased with the opportunity for a fresh start, he was an effective player for a pennant-winning club in 1967, hitting .261 with 18 doubles, 7 triples, 9 home runs, and 55 RBIs. He also batted .385 with 7 RBIs in the seven-game World Series victory over the Red Sox. Dealing with injuries again in 1968, he hit .255 in 100 games and retired following one last World Series appearance at age 34. For his major league career, Maris batted .260 with 1325 hits that included 195 doubles, 42 triples, and 275 home runs. He further scored 826 runs and compiled 850 RBIs and drew 652 walks. With the Yankees he hit .265 with 797 hits, 520 runs scored, 110 doubles, 17 triples, 203 home runs, 547 RBIs, and a .356 OBP with 413 walks drawn. Appearing in 41 World Series games, Maris hit .217 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. An All-Star during four seasons as well as a two-time MVP, the Yankees eventually retired his #9 and placed a plaque in his honor at Monument Park in Yankee Stadium. In retirement, Cardinals owner Gussie Busch set Maris up with a beer distributorship in Florida that he operated until his death from cancer at age 51 in 1985. A player too-often dismissed as a one-year wonder, Maris was a productive hitter and very good outfielder. A small-town man, he was uncomfortable dealing with newfound notoriety in New York, although he came to be held in greater esteem in retrospect. His 61 home runs in 1961 remained as the AL record until 2022.

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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: Roy Campanella, 1953

Catcher, Brooklyn Dodgers

Age:  31

6^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1953:

The product of an interracial marriage and a native of Philadelphia, Campanella played football and basketball, as well as baseball, in school. A fine ballplayer he signed with the semipro Bacharach Giants at age 15 in 1937 to play on weekends. His good performance caught the attention of the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League who signed him to back up at catcher on weekends while he continued his schooling. After spending the summer barnstorming with the Elite Giants he quit school at 16 to play baseball full-time. He became the regular catcher for the Elite Giants in 1939 and batted .273. Campanella stayed with the team until 1942 when he jumped to the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League due to a contract dispute. With a low draft status during 1942 due to his being married with two young children, he was never called to military service and stayed with Monterrey through the 1943 season before returning to the Elite Giants for two years. He was chosen to catch for a black all-star team that played a series of exhibition games against a team made up of major leaguers in Brooklyn. Coming to the attention of the Dodgers as a result, Campanella was signed in 1946. Originally slated to play in the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, he was rejected because the league refused to integrate. Instead assigned to Nashua of the Class B New England League, Campanella took a pay cut from the $600 per month that he was paid by the Elite Giants to $185 per month to compete against far less experienced players. Campanella distinguished himself by hitting .290 with 13 home runs and 90 RBIs and was chosen as the league’s MVP. In 1947 with Jackie Robinson integrating the NL with the Dodgers, Campanella was assigned to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League and batted .273 with 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. With Brooklyn already in possession of an outstanding catcher in Bruce Edwards, the plan for 1948 was to keep Campanella in the minors. Edwards suffered an arm injury before the season and Campanella started the year with the Dodgers as a backup to Gil Hodges, who filled in behind the plate for Edwards. Campanella was sent down to St. Paul of the Class AAA American Association in May where he went on a tear, hitting .325 with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs over the course of 35 games before he was recalled to Brooklyn. The Dodgers were struggling in seventh place at the point that Campanella returned in July. Hodges was moved to first base and the team rallied to third place following Campanella’s installation at catcher. In his time with the Dodgers he batted .258 with 9 home runs and 45 RBIs in 83 games. “Campy” followed up with a strong season in 1949, batting .287 with 22 home runs and 82 RBIs. He was named an All-Star for the first time and proved to be adept defensively, with great quickness despite his portly build, leading all NL catchers in chances (750) and put outs (684) as well as by throwing out 59% of baserunners who attempted to steal on him. He also proved to be an adept handler of pitchers. Campanella produced a .281 batting average in 1950 with 31 home runs and 89 RBIs. A broken thumb in September cost him 11 games in which the Dodgers struggled on the way to finishing a close second to the Phillies in the NL pennant race. Despite dealing with some injuries in 1951, Campanella contributed significantly to Brooklyn taking a sizeable lead in the NL pennant race, which was whittled away by a strong second-half surge by the New York Giants, resulting in a first-place tie and a season-extending best-of-three playoff, which the Giants won in dramatic fashion. Campanella sat out the last two playoff games due to a leg injury. For the year he batted .325 with 33 home runs, 108 RBIs, a .393 on-base percentage, and a .590 slugging percentage, and he received NL MVP recognition for the first time. He suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1952 and his batting average dropped to .269 with 22 home runs and 97 RBIs.

1953 Season Summary

Appeared in 144 games

C – 140, PH – 11

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 590

At Bats – 519

Runs – 103 [11]

Hits – 162

Doubles – 26 [16, tied with Danny O’Connell]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 41 [3]

RBI – 142 [1]

Bases on Balls – 67 [14]

Int. BB – 13 [2, tied with Del Ennis, Del Rice & Billy Cox]

Strikeouts – 58

Stolen Bases – 4 [20, tied with four others]

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .312 [10]

OBP - .395 [7, tied with Enos Slaughter]

Slugging Pct. - .611 [3]

Total Bases – 317 [6]

GDP – 13 [19, tied with five others]

Hit by Pitches – 4 [11, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading RBIs were +7 ahead of runner-up Eddie Mathews

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, HR – 22, RBI – 73, AVG – .302, SLG – .601

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Cards 7/18, (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis Cards 8/30

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 22

HR on road – 19

Most home runs, game – 2 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 5

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Cincinnati 8/8

Pinch-hitting – 5 for 11 (.455) with 3 R, 3 2B, 1 HR & 6 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 874

Put Outs – 807

Assists – 57

Errors – 10

Passed Balls – 3

DP – 9

Pct. - .989 

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

PA – 25, AB – 22, R – 6, H – 6, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 2, BB – 2, IBB – 1, SO – 3, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .273, OBP - .360, SLG - .409, TB – 9, GDP – 0, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

All-Star (Started for NL at C )

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Roy Campanella, Brook.: 297 points - 17 of 24 first place votes, 88% share

Eddie Mathews, Mil.: 216 points – 3 first place votes, 64% share

Duke Snider, Brook.: 157 points – 1 first place vote, 47% share

Red Schoendienst, StLC.: 155 points – 2 first place votes, 46% share

Warren Spahn, Mil.: 120 points – 36% share

(1 first place vote for Robin Roberts, PhilaP., who ranked sixth)

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The Dodgers went 105-49 to win the NL pennant by 13 games over the Milwaukee Braves, while leading the league in runs scored (955), hits (1529), home runs (208), RBIs (887), stolen bases (90), bases on balls drawn (655), batting (.285), OBP (.366), slugging (.474), and total bases (2545). The Dodgers moved immediately into contention and were 42-25 when they moved into first place to stay on June 28. Lost World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 1953:

A hand injury that required surgery significantly marred Campanella’s 1954 performance. Appearing in only 111 games he batted just .207 with 19 home runs and 51 RBIs. There was again a solid rebound in 1955 as he won his third MVP award after hitting .318 with 32 home runs and 107 RBIs. The Dodgers won the pennant and the ensuing World Series for the first time in franchise history and Campanella contributed two home runs to the effort. Hand and thumb injuries held him to 124 games in 1956 and his production dropped to 20 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .219 average in what was his last All-Star season. Having had an offseason hand operation Campanella had another down year in 1957, the last year for the Dodgers in Brooklyn. He appeared in 103 games and batted .242 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. In January of 1958 Campanella was involved in a car accident in which he suffered a broken neck and spinal cord damage that left him paralyzed from the chest down. For his National League career, played entirely with the Dodgers, he batted .276 with 1161 hits that included 178 doubles, 18 triples, and 242 home runs. He also accumulated 856 RBIs. Campanella was an eight-time All-Star as well as three-time National League MVP. The Dodgers retired his #39 and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. The wheelchair-bound Campanella worked for the Dodgers in community relations and as a special instructor during spring training and died at age 71 in 1993.

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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.