Highlighted Year: Gus Zernial, 1955

Outfielder, Kansas City Athletics

Age: 32 (June 27)

5^th season with Athletics (4^th complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210 

Prior to 1955:

A native of Beaumont, Texas, Gus Edward Zernial was the youngest of ten children. His carpenter father died when he was 15. He played sandlot baseball and in high school participated in baseball, basketball, and football. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals at age 17 in 1941, he played for the Waycross Bears of the Class D Georgia-Florida Legue in 1942 where he appeared in center field and batted .286 in 95 games with 25 doubles, 4 triples, and 3 home runs. Released by the Cardinals, Zernial joined the Navy for World War II service. He played service baseball and filled out physically, which allowed him to develop into a power hitter. Following his stint in the Navy, Zernial resumed his baseball career in 1946 with the Burlington Bees of the Class C Carolina League where he hit .333 with a league-leading 41 home runs along with 29 doubles, 111 RBIs, and a .649 slugging percentage. After going to spring training with the Cleveland Indians in 1947, he was waived and claimed by the Chicago White Sox, who assigned him to the Hollywood Stars of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he batted .344 with 17 doubles, 6 triples, 12 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .400 OBP, and a .519 slugging percentage. Still with Hollywood in 1948, Zernial obtained the nickname “Ozark Ike” after a popular comic strip character who was a prodigious power hitter. Living up to the nickname, which he happily embraced, he led the PCL with 237 hits and 156 RBIs, while batting .322 with 47 doubles, 7 triples, 40 home runs, a .369 OBP, and a .567 slugging percentage. Zernial joined the White Sox in 1949 for a $5000 salary, which was down from the $8000 he made with Hollywood (at a time when the PCL operated almost like an additional major league). Installed in left field, Zernial was limited to 73 games due to a shoulder separation suffered in May. A highly productive minor league hitter, he widened his stance and ended up hitting .318 with 17 doubles, 5 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .366 OBP, and a .500 slugging percentage. The shoulder injury robbed him of his throwing ability in the outfield for a time. Zernial had a solid season at the plate in 1950, batting .280 with 16 doubles, 29 home runs (a team record at the time), 93 RBIs, a .330 OBP, and a .484 slugging percentage, although he struck out a league-leading 110 times. His last four home runs came during a season-ending double-header. During spring training in 1951, he appeared in a photo shoot with actress Marilyn Monroe which set the stage for him to appear frequenty in ads for several years. Zernial was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics four games into the 1951 season and went on to lead the American League in home runs (33) and RBIs (129) while again leading the league by striking out 101 times. (He also hit .268 with 30 doubles, 5 triples, a .345 OBP, and a .511 slugging percentage. Typically a mediocre and error-prone outfielder, he proved adept at charging in on fly balls and throwing out baserunners, which led to a league-leading 18 outfield assists. Zernial remained productive in 1952 as he batted .262 with 29 home runs, 100 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a .452 slugging percentage. “Ozark Ike” started the 1953 All-Star Game in left field for the American League on his way to hitting .284 with 21 doubles, 42 home runs, 108 RBIs, a .355 OBP, and a .559 slugging percentage. In 1954, a broken collarbone suffered in July sidelined Zernial for six weeks and, limited to 97 games, he batted .250 with 14 home runs, 62 RBIs, a .316 OBP, and a .411 slugging percentage. The team, having fallen upon hard times in Philadelphia, was sold and moved to Kansas City in 1955.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in 120 games

LF – 103, PH – 18

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 454

At Bats – 413

Runs – 62

Hits – 105

Doubles – 9

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 30 [2]

RBI – 84 [9]

Bases on Balls – 30

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 90 [4]

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 0

Average - .254

OBP - .304

Slugging Pct. - .508 [3]

Total Bases – 210

GDP – 17 [6, tied with Roy Sievers, Mickey Vernon & Bobby Avila]

Hit by Pitches – 3 [19, tied with nineteen others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 8 [2, tied with Al Rosen & Mickey Vernon]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 17, RBI – 43, AVG - .251, SLG – .489, OBP – .301

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 16

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Boston 5/12, (in 4 AB) at Boston 8/5, (in 4 AB) at Washington 9/10, (in 5 AB) at Boston 9/14

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Boston 9/14

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 17 (.118) with 1 HR & 5 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 251

Put Outs – 234

Assists – 8

Errors – 9

DP – 4

Pct. – .964

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The relocated Athletics went 63-91 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (22) and fewest walks drawn (462). The pitching-poor A’s lost seven of their first nine games which set the tone for a season in which they still finished higher than their final Philadelphia year and drew a healthy 1,393,054 fans to Municipal Stadium, which was over a million more than they drew in ’54.

Aftermath of 1955:

Zernial’s production dropped off in 1956 as he batted .224 with 16 home runs, 44 RBIs, a .315 OBP, and a .445 slugging percentage. Zernial’s home run production bounced back to 27 in 1957 while he hit .236 with 20 doubles, 69 home runs, a .290 OBP, and a .471 slugging percentage. With the A’s seeking to improve their outfield defense in the offseason, Zernial was traded as part of a 13-player deal to the Detroit Tigers, who sought to make use of his power hitting. He was a part-time player for his new club in 1958, backing up in left field and pinch-hitting, where he topped the American League with 15 pinch-hits while batting .395 in that role with 3 homers and 12 RBIs. Overall, he appeared in 66 games and hit .323 with 5 home runs, 23 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a .516 slugging percentage. In 1959 Zernial appeared in 32 games at first base while playing in only one game in the outfield and pinch-hitting 28 times. He was released following the season, thus ending his career. For his major league career, Zernial batted .265 with 1093 hits that included 159 doubles, 22 triples, and 237 home runs. Nine of his home runs were grand slams. He scored 572 runs and compiled 776 RBIs, a .329 OBP, and a .486 slugging percentage. In 191 pinch-hitting appearances he batted .266 with 10 home runs, 51 RBIs, a .325 OBP, and a .451 slugging percentage. With the Athletics he batted .259 with 806 hits, 447 runs scored, 115 doubles, 15 triples, 191 home runs, 592 RBIs, a .329 OBP, and a .489 slugging percentage. An All-Star only once, he was selected to the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 2001 among Athletics players who have since been split off from the Phillies inductees. Following his playing career and apart from several business ventures he became a television sports broadcaster. A golfer and bowler for recreation, Zernial died in 2011 at age 87.

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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: Ken Boyer, 1966

Third Baseman, New York Mets

Age:  35 (May 20)

1^st season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1966:

A Missouri native, Boyer was one of 14 children (two of his brothers, Cloyd and Clete, also played major league baseball). Capable of playing in the infield or outfield, he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school in 1949. With Lebanon of the Class D North Atlantic League, he was utilized as a pitcher thanks to his strong throwing arm and was 5-1 with a 3.42 ERA in 12 games. As a hitter, he had a .455 average with three home runs. Moving to Hamilton of the Class D Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York (or Pony) League in 1950, Boyer was given the opportunity to play at third base and impressed with his defensive skills. He also batted .342 with 9 home runs, thus ending the pitching experiment. Promoted to Omaha of the Class A Western League in 1951, Boyer continued to hone his batting and defensive play at third. He hit .306 with 28 doubles, 7 triples, and 14 home runs. Drafted into the Army in 1951 he spent 1952 and ’53 in the military. Returning to baseball in 1954, Boyer was next assigned to the Houston Buffaloes of the Class AA Texas League where he hit .319 with 21 home runs and 116 RBIs. He played winter ball in Havana until suffering a severe concussion due to a beaning. The Cardinals traded starting third baseman Ray Jablonski to open a spot for Boyer in the lineup for 1955. He had a solid rookie season, appearing in 147 games and hitting .264 with 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .311 on-base percentage. Boyer improved to .306 with 26 home runs, 98 RBIs, a .347 OBP, and a .494 slugging percentage in 1956 and was an All-Star for the first time. He shifted to centerfield in 1957 to make room for rookie Eddie Kasko at third and to add some batting punch to the outfield. The shift caused no defensive lapse as he led all NL outfielders in fielding percentage (.996). He also hit .265 with 19 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .318 OBP. With Kasko injured in 1958 together with the arrival of centerfielder Curt Flood, Boyer returned to third base and earned his first Gold Glove. He also hit .307 with 21 doubles, 9 triples, 23 home runs, 90 RBIs, a .360 OBP, and a .496 slugging percentage. It was more of the same in 1960 as he batted .304 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, 32 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .562 slugging percentage. In 1961 the numbers were .329 with 26 doubles, 11 triples, 24 home runs, 95 RBIs, a .397 OBP, and a .533 slugging percentage. The Cardinals contended in 1963 when Boyer was one of four St. Louis infielders who started for the NL (along with 1B Bill White, 2B Julian Javier, and SS Dick Groat). Boyer went on to bat .285 despite a midseason slump with 28 doubles, 24 home runs, 111 RBIs, a .358 OBP, and a .454 slugging percentage. He received another Gold Glove and placed thirteenth in league MVP voting. In 1964 the Cardinals came from behind to win the NL pennant with the help of an epic September collapse by the Philadelphia Phillies. Boyer, the team captain, spearheaded the charge as he hit .295 with 30 doubles, 10 triples, 24 home runs, a league-leading 119 RBIs, a .365 OBP, and a .489 slugging percentage. In the World Series against the New York Yankees, where he was matched up against his brother Clete, the starting third sacker for the Yanks, he provided the winning runs in a pivotal 4-3 win with a grand slam at Yankee Stadium as St. Louis went on to take the Series in seven games. Afterward he was named National League MVP. 1965 was a down year for the Cardinals and Boyer, who battled a back injury, batted .260 with only 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. In the offseason he was traded to the Mets for LHP Al Jackson and third baseman Charley Smith.

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in 136 games

3B – 130, PH – 8, 1B – 2, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 534

At Bats – 496

Runs – 62

Hits – 132

Doubles – 28 [10, tied with Gene Alley & Rusty Staub]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 14

RBI – 61

Bases on Balls – 30

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 64

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .266

OBP - .304

Slugging Pct. - .415

Total Bases – 206

GDP – 15 [12, tied with Rico Carty & Ernie Banks]

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 7 [5, tied with Denis Menke, Deron Johnson & Rico Carty]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, HR – 8, RBI - 34, AVG - .275, OBP - .315

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Pittsburgh 8/11

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 10

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 1 on fourteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Chi. Cubs 4/26

Pinch-hitting/running – 2 for 7 (.286) with 1 R & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 426

Put Outs – 113

Assists – 292

Errors – 21

DP – 33

Pct. - .951

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The Mets went 66-95 to finish ninth in the NL, 28.5 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1129), fewest hits (1286),fewest doubles (187), fewest home runs (98), fewest total bases (1837), lowest batting average (.239), lowest OBP (.277), and lowest slugging percentage (.342). With West Westrum in his first full year as manager, the roster was sorted out during the season that got off to a 3-6 start. 35-48 at the midway point, a seven-game July winning streak propelled them to a winning month and the club went on to escape the NL cellar for the first time ever, finishing 7.5 games ahead of the Chicago Cubs. It was also the first time the Mets lost fewer than 100 games in a season. The club continued to draw well at Shea Stadium, pulling in 1,932,693 fans, many of which were called the “New Breed”.

Aftermath of 1966:

Boyer started the 1967 season with the Mets and was dealt to the Chicago White Sox, who were in the midst of a torrid pennant race, in July. Altogether, he appeared in 113 games and hit .249 with 7 home runs and 34 RBIs. Released by the White Sox early in the 1968 season, Boyer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers to provide veteran bench strength and finished up his career with LA in 1969. Overall, for his major league career Boyer batted .287 with 2143 hits that included 318 doubles, 68 triples, and 282 home runs. He also accumulated 1141 RBIs, scored 1104 runs, and produced a .349 OBP and .462 slugging percentage. With the Mets he hit .258 with 171 hits, 35 doubles, 4 triples, 17 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and a .400 slugging percentage. He was an 11-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove recipient. Following his playing career, Boyer became a coach and managed in the Cardinals’ and Orioles’ farm systems. He replaced Vern Rapp as manager of the Cardinals during the 1978 season and stayed until he was let go in 1980, having compiled an overall record of 166-190. He died of lung cancer in 1982 at the age of 51. The Cardinals retired his #14. Boyer was elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.

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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: Cal Koonce, 1962

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age: 21

1^st season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1962:

A North Carolina native, Koonce was an outstanding athlete while growing up in Hope Mills who then went on to Campbell Junior College (now University) where he played basketball in addition to baseball. As a sophomore in 1961 he was a Junior College All-American after producing a 10-4 record. Signed by the Cubs, he was assigned to the Wenatchee Chiefs of the Class B Northwest League where he compiled a 6-10 tally and 4.81 ERA with 46 walks and 74 strikeouts over 131 innings. Throwing harder than he had in the minors and featuring a good changeup, he made the most of his spring training outings to surprisingly make the jump to the pitching staff of the lowly Cubs in 1962.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 35 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 35

Games Started – 30 [19, tied with Ernie Broglio & Bob Gibson]

Complete Games – 3

Wins – 10

Losses – 10

PCT - .500

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 190.2

Hits – 200

Runs – 93

Earned Runs – 84

Home Runs – 17

Bases on Balls – 86 [10]

Strikeouts – 84

ERA – 3.97

Hit Batters – 7 [10, tied with four others]

Balks – 2 [3, tied with five others]

Wild Pitches – 2 

Midseason Snapshot: 7-2, ERA - 4.12, SO – 52 in 107 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 7 IP) vs. Mil. Braves 7/7

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Cincinnati 7/13

 Batting

PA – 68, AB – 64, R – 7, H – 6, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 1, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .094, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 49

Put Outs – 17

Assists – 29

Errors – 3

DP – 1

Pct. - .939

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The Cubs went 59-103 to finish in ninth place in the newly expanded NL, 42.5 games behind the pennant-winning San Francisco Giants. The pitching staff led the league in bases on balls issued (601), fewest complete games (29) and fewest shutouts (4, tied with the New York Mets) Continuing their experiment of utilizing a rotating group of coaches to guide the club, in lieu of a manager, the Cubs started poorly and stumbled through a chaotic season despite the presence of some young talent.

Aftermath of 1962:

Following a poor start in 1963, Koonce was demoted to Salt Lake City of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in June, where he regained his footing before being called back to the Cubs in August. He finished the season with a major league tally of 2-6 with a 4.58 ERA. Returned to Salt Lake City in 1964, Koonce posted an 11-15 record and 3.48 ERA with 157 strikeouts over 238 innings which earned him a late-season promotion to the Cubs where he was an impressive 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA. He spent all of 1965 with the Cubs, starting in 23 of his 38 appearances, and had a 7-9 tally and 3.69 ERA with 3 complete games and a shutout. Following a brief demotion to Class AAA Tacoma early in the 1966 season, Koonce returned to the rebuilding Cubs and was primarily utilized out of the bullpen. In 45 appearances his record was 5-5 with a 3.81 ERA, two saves, and 65 strikeouts over 108.2 innings. Another poor start in 1967 led to Koonce being dealt to the New York Mets where he was initially tried as a starter before taking up residence in the bullpen. He appeared in 45 games in all, 6 of them starts, and again ended up with a 5-5 tally along with a 3.75 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 96 innings. With the Mets developing a good, and deep, pitching staff, Koonce settled into his role as a reliever in 1968 and compiled a 6-4 mark in 55 appearances along with 11 saves, a 2.42 ERA, and 50 strikeouts over 96.2 innings. In 1969, the first season of division play in the major leagues, the Mets surged past the Cubs to win the NL East. Koonce started off poorly, as had become his pattern, but came on as the divisional race heated up and finished with a 6-3 record, 7 saves, and 4.99 ERA over the course of 40 appearances. Unused in the postseason which saw the club emerge with a World Series title, Koonce was sold to the Boston Red Sox following 13 appearances during the 1970 season. With Boston he appeared in 23 games (8 of them starts) and went 3-4 with 2 saves and a 3.54 ERA. He appeared in 13 games with the Red Sox in 1971 before being released, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, Koonce appeared in 334 games, 90 of which he started, and posted a 47-49 record with 24 saves, a 3.78 ERA, 9 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 504 strikeouts over 971 innings. With the Cubs, his record was 29-32 with 4 saves, a 3.89 ERA, 6 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 326 strikeouts over 627 innings. Following his playing career he went into teaching and coaching at the high school level and coached the Campbell University baseball team from 1980-86 before becoming a minor league general manager and was also involved in community organizations. He died in 1993 at age 52.   

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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: Clay Dalrymple, 1962

Catcher, Philadelphia Phillies

Age: 25

3^rd season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1962:

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

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 123 games

C – 119, PH – 12

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 451

At Bats – 370

Runs – 40

Hits – 102

Doubles – 13

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 11

RBI – 54

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

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

Strikeouts – 32

Stolen Bases – 1

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .276

OBP - .393 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .416

Total Bases – 154

GDP – 7

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 4

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

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Most hits, game – 3 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 9 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eleven occasions

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 7

Multi-HR games – 0

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

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

Fielding

Chances – 705

Put Outs – 635

Assists – 61

Errors – 9

Passed Balls – 16

DP – 11

Pct. - .987

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

Aftermath of 1962:

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

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

Highlighted Year: Enos Slaughter, 1955

Outfielder, New York Yankees/Kansas City Athletics

Age: 39 (April 27)

2^nd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1955:

A native of Roxboro, North Carolina, Slaughter was raised on a farm where he developed into a stocky young man with much of his strength and fitness due to working chores. He and his brothers played for the local county baseball team, and he also played football in addition to baseball in high school. Slaughter passed on a college scholarship to work at a textile mill in Durham and play semipro ball. A tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals resulted in his signing with them. Assigned to Martinsville of the Class D Bi-State League in 1935, he found himself moved to the outfield after originally having been a second baseman. He batted .273 with 25 doubles, 11 triples, and 18 home runs. Advancing to Columbus of the Class B South Atlantic (or Sally) League in 1936 he received sarcastic advice from manager Eddie Dyer that proved meaningful to his entire baseball career. While loping toward the dugout from the outfield during a change of innings, he slowed to a walk as he passed first base and Dyer said “Are you too tired to run all the way? If you are, I’ll get some help for you.” From then on Slaughter always ran when entering and exiting the ballfield and became noted for his hustling, and aggressive, style of play. For the season he hit .325 with 31 doubles, 20 triples, 9 home runs, 118 RBIs, a .394 on-base percentage, and a .497 slugging percentage. Moving from Columbus, Georgia to Columbus, Ohio (both teams were called the Red Birds but the Ohio team was in the Class AA American Association) in 1937 he obtained the nickname “Country”, which proved to be long-lasting, from manager Burt Shotton, based on his appearance and manner of dress. He again hit the ball with authority and batted .382 with 245 hits, 42 doubles, 13 triples, 26 home runs, 122 RBIs, a .444 OBP, and a .609 slugging percentage. Having earned a promotion to the Cardinals in 1938, Slaughter hit .276 as a rookie with 20 doubles, 10 triples, 8 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .330 OBP, and a .438 slugging percentage. In 1939 Slaughter led the NL with 52 doubles while batting .320 with 12 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .371 OBP, and a .482 slugging percentage. He tied for nineteenth in league MVP voting. His development continued in 1940 as he hit .306 with 25 doubles, 13 triples, 17 home runs, 73 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .504 slugging percentage. With the Cardinals developing into contenders in 1941 and despite being somewhat hindered while playing with a broken collarbone, Slaughter hit .311 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 13 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .390 OBP, and a .496 slugging percentage. Gaining recognition for his defensive play in addition to his productive batting, he was an All-Star for the first time. The Cardinals won the NL pennant in 1942 and Slaughter contributed by leading the league in hits (188), triples (17), and total bases (292) while batting .318 with 31 doubles, 13 home runs, 98 RBIs, a .412 OBP, and a .494 slugging percentage. He became the club’s inspirational leader and part of an esteemed outfield along with center fielder Terry Moore and rookie left fielder Stan Musial. Slaughter finished second in league MVP balloting and in the five-game World Series defeat of the New York Yankees, he homered and contributed a couple of significant defensive plays. Slaughter missed the next three seasons due to World War II military service. Upon his return to the Cardinals in 1946, he continued where he had left off as the Cardinals reached the World Series again. “Country” led the NL in RBIs (130) while batting .300 with 30 doubles, 8 triples, 18 home runs, a .374 OBP, and a .465 slugging percentage. Defensively he led all NL right fielders with 21 assists. He finished third in league MVP voting. In the World Series against the Boston Red Sox, he famously scored the winning run of the decisive seventh game with his “Mad Dash” from first base on a double, ignoring the third base coach’s signal to hold up, and beating the slow relay throw from Boston shortstop Johnny Pesky. It was a legendary play that exemplified Slaughter’s style of play and for the Series, he hit .320 with a home run and 5 runs scored while playing through the pain of a sore elbow after being hit by a pitch in Game 5. He remained a key contributor in 1947 and 1948, batting .294 and .321, respectively, along with 13 and 11 triples, 10 and 11 home runs, 86 and 90 RBIs, and a .366 and .409 OBP. He tied for seventh in league MVP voting in 1948. Now playing in left field, he was among the leaders in putouts and assists both seasons. Slaughter placed third in MVP balloting in 1949 and tied for the NL lead in triples, along with teammate Musial. He further hit .336 with 34 doubles, 13 home runs, 96 RBIs, a .418 OBP, and a .511 slugging percentage. The Sporting News named him NL Player of the Year. The perennially contending Cardinals dropped to fifth place in 1950 but Slaughter batted .290 with 26 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, 101 RBIs, and a .367 OBP. He spent three more productive seasons with the Cardinals before being traded to the New York Yankees prior to the 1954 season to make room for rookie outfielder Wally Moon (Slaughter openly cried in the clubhouse when informed of the trade). Hampered by a wrist injury, the 38-year-old Slaughter was limited to 69 games and hit a mere .248 with a .386 OBP, seeing most of his action as a pinch-hitter. He started the 1955 season with the Yankees but was dealt to the Athletics in May.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in 118 games (NY – 10/KC – 108)

RF – 77, PH – 59

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 325 (NY – 10/KC – 315)

At Bats – 276 (NY – 9/KC – 267)

Runs – 50 (NY – 1/KC – 49)

Hits – 87 (NY – 1/KC – 86)

Doubles – 12 (KC)

Triples – 4 (KC)

Home Runs – 5 (KC)

RBI – 35 (NYY – 1/KC – 34)

Bases on Balls – 41 (NY – 1/KC – 40)

Int. BB – 4 (KC)

Strikeouts – 18 (NY – 1/KC – 17)

Stolen Bases – 2 (KC)

Caught Stealing – 3 (KC)

Average - .315 [Non-qualifying] (NY – .111/KC – .322)

OBP - .401 [Non-qualifying] (NY – .200/KC – .408)

Slugging Pct. - .442 [Non-qualifying] (NY – .111/KC – .453)

Total Bases – 122 (NY – 1/KC – 121)

GDP – 8 (KC)

Hit by Pitches – 2 (KC)

Sac Hits – 1 (KC)

Sac Flies – 5 [18, tied with nine others] (KC) 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 2, HR - 1, RBI - 12, AVG - .271, OBP – .352

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Chi. White Sox 5/21, (in 4 AB) at Chi. White Sox 5/22, (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 8/19 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on five occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 at NY Yankees 5/15, vs. Baltimore 6/12, at Washington 7/26, at Cleveland 9/5

Pinch-hitting – 16 for 41 (.390) with 8 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 12 BB & 1 HBP 

Fielding (appeared in OF with KC only)

Chances – 133

Put Outs – 126

Assists – 5

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. – .985

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The relocated Athletics went 63-91 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (22) and fewest walks drawn (462). The pitching-poor A’s lost seven of their first nine games which set the tone for a season in which they still finished higher than their final Philadelphia year and drew a healthy 1,393,054 fans to Municipal Stadium, which was over a million more than they drew in ’54.

Aftermath of 1955:

Slaughter was back with the A’s in 1956 and batting .278 with a .362 OBP when he was waived in August and claimed by the Yankees. He proved his value in a utility role when he hit a three-run home run in Game 3 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers that provided the winning margin for the Yankees. In 1957 he appeared in 96 games, mostly in left field and as a pinch-hitter. He hit .254 with 5 home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .369 OBP. He batted .304 in 1958 at age 42 and would typically sit next to manager Casey Stengel in the dugout and complain about some of the younger players. He remained with the Yankees in his part-time role in which he was especially effective as a pinch-hitter until he was released late in the 1959 season. Picked up by the Milwaukee Braves, his major league career reached a conclusion at season’s end. For his major league career, Slaughter batted .300 with 2383 hits that included 413 doubles, 148 triples, and 169 home runs. He scored 1247 runs and compiled 1304 RBIs, 71 stolen bases, a .382 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. With the Athletics he batted .302 with 148 hits, 86 runs scored, 26 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs, 57 RBIs, a .387 OBP, and a .427 slugging percentage. Slaughter appeared in 27 World Series games and hit .291 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs. A 10-time All-Star, he placed in the top 10 in NL MVP voting five times and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985. The Cardinals retired his #9. Following his playing career Slaughter was a minor league manager for two years and later became the baseball coach at Duke University. He also worked on his large North Carolina farm and was married and divorced five times. He summed up his playing career by saying in his characteristic gravel voice that “regardless of what uniform I wore. I gave 100 % for whatever team I played.” Slaughter, died in 2002 at age 86. 

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

Highlighted Year: Joe Christopher, 1964

Outfielder, New York Mets

Age: 28

3^rd season with Mets

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1964:

A native of the US Virgin Islands, Christopher played baseball in high school in Frederiksted and also played shortstop for a local amateur team. While playing in the National Baseball Congress tournament in Kansas in 1954, the 18-year-old shortstop drew the attention of a Pittsburgh Pirates scout, who signed him. He played in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Assigned to the Phoenix Stars of the Class C Arizona-Mexico League in 1955, he was shifted to the outfield and batted .366 in 84 games with 15 doubles, 14 triples, 2 home runs, 60 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, a .481 on-base percentage, and a .507 slugging percentage. Moving up to two Class A teams during the year, his final combined totals for the season were .283 with 22 doubles, 15 triples, 4 home runs, 76 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, a .392 OBP, and a .383 slugging percentage. In 1956, Christopher was with Williamsport of the Class A Eastern League and hit .283 with 13 doubles, 4 home runs, 34 RBIs, 67 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. Advancing to the Mexico City Tigers of the Class AA Mexican League in 1957, he topped the circuit with 24 stolen bases in 64 games while batting .291 with 16 extra-base hits, 61 runs scored, 23 RBIs, and a .358 OBP. In 1958 he was next assigned to the Salt Lake City Bees of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he hit .327 with 15 doubles, 10 triples, 8 home runs, 71 runs scored, 58 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, a .413 OBP, and a .469 slugging percentage. Called up to the Pirates as an outfield reserve in 1959, Christopher encountered injury problems and was quickly sent down to the Columbus Jets of the Class AAA International League where he batted .301 with 23 doubles, 7 triples, one home run, 69 runs scored, 32 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, and a .373 OBP. Back with the Pirates in 1960 as an outfield reserve and pinch-runner, thanks to his speed, and pinch-hitter, he was sent to Salt Lake City at one point for the opportunity to see more action and returned to Pittsburgh in June. He went on to appear in 50 games for the pennant-winning Pirates and hit .232 with one homer, 3 RBIs, and a .295 OBP. In the World Series against the New York Yankees, Christopher appeared in three of the seven games as a pinch-runner and contributed two runs. Still little used by the Pirates in 1961, he appeared in 76 games and batted .263 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 14 RBIs, 6 stolen bases, and a .327 OBP. In the offseason he was chosen by the Mets in the NL expansion draft. Christopher started the 1962 season back in Class AAA with Syracuse of the International League prior to being called up by the struggling first-year Mets. He played in 119 games and hit .244 with 10 doubles, 6 home runs, 32 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. Farmed out again in 1962, he returned to the Mets in July to appear in 64 games and batted .221 with 7 extra-base hits, 8 RBIs, and a .295 OBP. He finally was given the opportunity to play regularly in 1964, although he was not an especially good defensive outfielder.

1964 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 129, CF – 10, PH – 9, LF – 7, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 604

At Bats – 543

Runs – 78 [20]

Hits – 163 [19, tied with Tommy Davis]

Doubles – 26 [19, tied with Bob Bailey & Felipe Alou]

Triples – 8 [8, tied with Donn Clendenon & Bill Mazeroski]

Home Runs – 16

RBI – 76

Bases on Balls – 48 [19]

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 92 [15, tied with Willie Stargell]

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .300 [15]

OBP - .360 [13]

Slugging Pct. - .466 [17]

Total Bases – 253 [19, tied with Willie Davis]

GDP – 18 [5, tied with Roy McMillan]

Hit by Pitches – 6 [10, tied with Tony Gonzalez & Johnny Callison]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – 6 [7, tied with ten others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 7, 3B – 2, HR - 9, RBI - 36, AVG - .277, OBP - .335

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 10 AB) vs. San Francisco 5/31 – 23 innings, (in 6 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs – 12 innings, (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 8/18, (in 6 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/28

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 7

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Philadelphia 6/20

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Mil. Braves 6/26

Pinch-hitting – 3 for 9 (.333) with 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI & 1 ROE

Fielding

Chances – 268

Put Outs – 251

Assists – 10

Errors – 7

DP – 2

Pct. - .974 

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The Mets went 53-109 to finish tenth (last) in the NL, 40 games behind the pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in fewest triples (31), and fewest walks drawn (353). Moving from the decrepit Polo Grounds to the new Shea Stadium, the Mets remained a cellar-dwelling club despite the addition of some helpful veterans and the improvement of players such as Christopher, who became the first hitter in club history who batted .300 and had the plate appearances to qualify for ranking. A 2-10 April planted the Mets in the cellar to stay. They still managed to almost play a spoiler role on the season’s final weekend, winning the first two of three games at St. Louis to nearly deprive the Cardinals, locked in a tight pennant race, of the prize outright. The club was 33-48 for the year at Shea Stadium, where they drew 1,732,597 fans.

Aftermath of 1964:

Christopher was unable to build on his 1964 success in 1965. Hindered by a hand injury from the start of the season along with the competition from rookie slugger Ron Swoboda, he batted only .249 with 18 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .311 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Little used by Boston in 1966, Christopher was dealt to the Detroit Tigers at midseason and was sent down to Class AAA with Syracuse of the International League. With his major league career effectively finished, he continued to play winter ball in Puerto Rico and with minor league teams through 1968. An abortive comeback in the Mexican League in 1972 marked the end of his playing career. For his major league playing career, Christopher batted .260 with 434 hits that included 68 doubles, 17 triples, and 29 home runs. He scored 224 runs and compiled 173 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, a .329 OBP, and a .374 slugging percentage. With the Mets he batted .265 with 171 runs scored, 371 hits, 59 doubles, 14 triples, 28 home runs, 156 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .334 OBP, and a .387 slugging percentage. Following his playing career, Christopher worked for an ad agency in New York. Christopher died at age 87 in 2023. As his caregiver during his final years summed up “I can say with all honesty that Mr. Joe was one of the kindest, most pleasant men that I have ever met.” And for one season with the Mets, he was a noteworthy ballplayer.

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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: Bo Belinsky, 1962

Pitcher, Los Angeles Angels

Age:  25

1^st season with Angels

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 191 

Prior to 1962:

Born in New York City, Robert Belinsky moved with his family to Trenton, New Jersey at a young age and acquired the nickname “Bo”. A pool hustler with a bad temper that led to frequent fights and prone to getting into trouble, he didn’t play sports at Trenton Central High School but played sandlot and semipro baseball. Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956, he was assigned to Brunswick of the Class D Georgia-Florida League with disastrous results. With a 7.36 ERA over 33 innings, he quit the team and was sold to the Baltimore Orioles. Moving on to Pensacola of the Alabama-Florida League in 1957, Belinsky flashed his potential and outstanding fastball, with a 13-6 tally, 3.00 ERA, and 202 strikeouts over 195 innings. He also solidified a reputation for being a carouser who proved frustrating to managers. Spending most of the 1958 season in South Dakota with the Aberdeen Pheasants of the Class C Northern League, he posted a 10-14 tally and 2.24 ERA with 15 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 184 strikeouts over 181 innings. Belinsky spent 1959 with four minor league teams and went a combined 8-7 and relieved more often than he started. Threatening to quit, he was then assigned to Vancouver of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 1960. In a season interrupted by Army Reserve duty, he injured his hand in a bar fight and only appeared in 10 games, totaling 32 innings, and went 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA. Sent down to Little Rock of the Class AA Southern Association in 1961, Belinsky appeared in 31 games, 23 of them starts, and produced a 9-10 record and 3.72 ERA with 182 strikeouts over 174 innings. Along the way he struck out 18 batters over 11 innings in a game, after which he quit the club to return home to Trenton and study electronics. He thought better of his decision and returned to Little Rock to complete the season. In the offseason he was taken by the Angels in the Rule 5 draft and was sent to play winter ball in Venezuela. With Pampero he had an outstanding performance in which he generated a 13-5 record, 2.13 ERA, and 156 strikeouts over 156 innings. Although he balked at signing a league-minumum $6000 contract, he joined the Angels for the 1962 season. His fastball, screwball, and curve helped to allay concerns about his past conduct.

1962 Season Summary

Appeared in 34 games

P – 33, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 31 [17, tied with Don Lee]

Complete Games – 5

Wins – 10

Losses – 11 [20, tied with four others]

PCT - .476

Saves – 1

Shutouts – 3 [6, tied with four others]

Innings Pitched – 187.1

Hits – 149

Runs – 86

Earned Runs – 74

Home Runs – 12

Bases on Balls – 122 [1]

Strikeouts – 145 [12]

ERA – 3.56 [13]

Hit Batters – 13 [2, tied with Jim Bunning]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 9 [7, tied with Chuck Estrada & Ed Rakow]    

League-leading bases on balls issued were +1 ahead of runners-up Chuck Estrada & Don Schwall

Midseason Snapshot: 7-4, ERA - 3.14, SO - 89 in 100.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 7.1 IP) vs. Chi. White Sox 5/11

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 0 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 5/5 (No-hitter with 4 BB, 2 HB, 1 WP & 9 strikeouts. Angels won 2-0)

Batting

PA – 69, AB – 60, R – 1, H – 10, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 7, SO – 24, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .167, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 40

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 30

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. - .900

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In their second season, the Angels went 86-76 to finish third in the AL, 10 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (15), saves (47), fewest complete games (23), and fewest home runs allowed (118). Shifting to Dodger Stadium where they improved their home attendance to 1,144,063, the Angels started well and were alone in first place on July 4, a stay that didn’t last long although they drew much attention. Under the guidance of manager Bill Rigney and pitching coach Marv Grissom, who managed the bullpen effectively, the club remained in the first division for the remainder of the season, despite sagging in September. Belinsky contributed to the team’s success with a 5-0 start that included a no-hitter. Although his penchant for wildness that had opposing batters often hitting the dirt and his distracting off-field behavior and newfound celebrity status led to questions regarding his work ethic as his performance began to drop off. Nearly traded to the Kansas City Athletics at one point, he finished the season with the Angels.

Aftermath of 1962:

More celebrated for his lifestyle, involving a flashy car and dating actresses such as Ann-Margaret, Tina Louise, and Connie Stevens, than his pitching, the handsome Belinsky also made several acting appearances. Prone to moodiness he could also be polite and engaging. Just prior to the 1963 season, it was announced that he was engaged to actress Mamie Van Doren, which proved to be of short duration. The distractions seemed to catch up to him once the season was underway and he pitched poorly. At 1-7 with a 6.39 ERA in late May, Belinsky was sent to the Hawaii Islanders of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where, following a delay in his reporting to the team, he pitched well in nine appearances (4-1, 2.50 ERA, 47 strikeouts over 54 innings).and proved to be a major drawing card. Returning to the Angels in September, he ended up with a major league record of 2-9 with a 5.75 ERA and 60 strikeouts over 76.2 innings. Reporting to the Angels in 1964, he appeared to be more serious and purposeful and following an uneven start he went on a 10-game run from late May to July in which he posted a 6-2 tally with a 1.82 ERA and culminated in a 2-hit shutout of the White Sox. After expressing a desire to quit the Angels, a fight with a 64-year-old reporter at a hotel in Washington during a road trip to play the Senators led to his suspension. Told he was being sent down to Hawaii again, he refused to report and finished the season with a 9-8 record and 2.86 ERA with 4 complete games and 91 strikeouts over 135.1 innings. In the offseason, Belinsky was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for two prospects. Often criticized for a lack of commitment and unwillingness to work out, he drew the following comment from Phillies manager Gene Mauch: “He could pitch. He just wouldn’t work out. I wish I had a thousand guys with his arm and none with his head.” Dealing with injuries and following seven poor starts in 1965, Belinsky was demoted to the bullpen. He finished the season with a 4-9 tally and 4.84 ERA with 71 strikeouts over 109.2 innings. By 1966 he was using amphetamines to enhance his performance, which led to drug addiction. Benched by the Phillies, he found himself back in the Pacific Coast League by midseason, this time with San Diego where he made 13 appearances (10 of them starts) and compiled a 2-4 mark and 4.83 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 54 innings. Drafted away from the Phillies by the Houston Astros in 1967, Belinsky started in 18 of 27 appearances and, outstanding on occasion, but usually not, he went 3-9 with a 4.68 ERA and 80 strikeouts over 115.1 innings. More committed to a relationship with Jo Collins, the 1965 Playboy Playmate of the Year, who he married the following year, than to baseball, the Astros sold his contract to the Hawaii Islanders, who were now affiliated with the White Sox. Belinsky went on to have a surprisingly good season, producing a 9-14 tally and 2.97 ERA with 181 strikeouts over 176 innings. Along the way he pitched the first no-hitter in the club’s history. He played winter ball in Venezuela where he was effective. Back with Hawaii again in 1969 he had a 12-5 record and 2.82 ERA with 111 strikeouts over 147 innings when he was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates at the end of July. He appeared in eight games, three of them starts, and was 0-3 with a 4.58 ERA. Dealt to the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, he made his last three major league pitching appearances in 1970 and had no decisions. He returned to the minors where his career came to an end. For his major league career, Belinsky had a 28-51 record and 4.10 ERA with 14 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 476 strikeouts over 665.1 innings pitched. With the Angels he went 21-28 with a 3.74 ERA, 11 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 296 strikeouts over 399.1 innings. Following baseball, Belinsky struggled while dealing with alcohol and drug abuse, the demise of his marriage to Jo Collins which was followed by two more failed marriages. Through a religious conversion he sought to achieve sobriety with uneven results. In failing health, he died in 2001 at age 64. Talented, tormented, and erratic, Belinsky once summed up his baseball career (and life) by saying “There isn’t one regret, not one. I’ve been there. I’ve done everything…I’ve lived enough for two lives.”

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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.