Bob Elliott (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Robert Irving Elliott was an American
third baseman
and right fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates
and Boston Braves
. He contributed some of the happiest memories to the Braves' final Boston years, winning the 1947 National League
Most Valuable Player Award
and earning the nickname "Mr. Team." The following season, his power hitting helped lift Boston to its second NL pennant since 1901, the team's last before relocating to Milwaukee. He was the second major league third baseman to have five seasons of 100 runs batted in
, joining Pie Traynor
, and retired with the highest career slugging average (.440) of any NL third baseman. He also led the league in assists
three times and in putout
s and double play
s twice each, and ended his career among the NL leaders in games (8th, 1262), assists (7th, 2547), total chances
(10th, 4113) and double plays (4th, 231) at third base.
Born in San Francisco, California
, Elliott came to the major leagues with the Pirates as an outfielder in 1939. As a right-handed batter (and thrower), his power hitting was hampered by the spacious left field at Forbes Field
, but in eight years with the team he compiled more than 100 RBI three times, and he batted
.315 in 1943. Manager Frankie Frisch
shifted him to third base after the 1941 season, seeking to take advantage of his strong arm while compensating for his lack of speed. Exempted from World War II
military service due to head injuries from being hit by a pitch in 1943, Elliott was named to the NL All-Star
team in 1941, 1942, 1944 and 1945, and finished among the top ten players in the MVP voting from 1942 through 1944, placing second in the league in RBI the last two years. On July 15, 1945, he hit for the cycle
. After the 1946 season, he was traded to the Braves in a lopsided deal for 37-year-old second baseman
Billy Herman
, who played only 15 more major league games but became the team's manager, and three other players who made a total of 127 appearances with the Pirates.
With a friendlier hitting environment at Braves Field
, Elliott exceeded the 20 home run
mark three times in his five years in Boston, equalling Whitey Kurowski
for the most 20-HR seasons by an NL third baseman. In his 1947 MVP campaign, Elliott did not lead the NL in any offensive category; however, he batted .317 (second in the NL), with 22 home runs and 113 runs batted in, all team highs. In 1948, when the Braves won the pennant, Elliott batted .283 with 23 homers and 100 RBI and made his sixth All-Star team. He also led the major leagues with 131 walks
, breaking the club record of 110 set by Billy Hamilton in 1896
; it remains the franchise record. Batting cleanup, he hit .333 in the 1948 World Series
, which Boston lost in six games to the Cleveland Indians
; he had a pair of home runs in his first two at bat
s in Game 5, an 11-5 victory, and was 3 for 3 with a walk in the final 4-3 loss in Game 6.
Although his numbers declined somewhat thereafter, Elliott enjoyed productive years from 1949 through 1951, including a season batting .305 with 24 HRs and 107 RBI in 1950, his sixth 100-RBI campaign. He was named to his last All-Star squad in 1951, his final year with Boston. By the early 1950s he had broken Kurowski's NL record for career home runs at third base, though Eddie Mathews
surpassed him within a few seasons. His playing career began to wind down in 1952, as he struggled with the New York Giants
following an April trade, and ended after a 1953 campaign split between the St. Louis Browns
and Chicago White Sox
. Over 15 years (1939–53) and 1,978 games, Elliott batted .289 and collected 2,061 hits
, 170 home runs, 382 doubles
, 1,064 runs
and 1,195 RBI. Elliott's last highlight was 2 home runs on opening day for the N. Y. Giants in 1952. His final major league game occurred on September 16, 1953 for the Chicago White Sox.
Elliott then returned to California in 1954 and played for San Diego Padres
in Pacific Coast League
only for the second half of the season. He hits 2 home runs and drove in 5 RBIs in the final game of the season, helping Padres to win the pennant for the first time since 1937, the team's second year in the PCL (when they had Ted Williams). He became the team's manager the following season and managed them until after the first 35 games of the 1957 season. He also managed the Sacramento Solons
(1959). After a third-place finish in Sacramento, Elliott received his only major league managing opportunity when he took over the Kansas City Athletics
for the 1960 season. It was bad timing; the A's were one of the weakest teams in the American League
, and the team's owner, Arnold Johnson
, died suddenly just before the season began. The A's won only 58 games while losing 96 (.377) in Elliott's only season at the helm. He was fired by new owner Charles O. Finley
at season's end, and replaced by Joe Gordon. In 1961, Elliott was a coach for the expansion Los Angeles Angels
during their maiden AL campaign.
Less than five years later, Elliott died at age 49 in San Diego
after suffering a ruptured vein in his windpipe.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. He contributed some of the happiest memories to the Braves' final Boston years, winning the 1947 National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Most Valuable Player Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
and earning the nickname "Mr. Team." The following season, his power hitting helped lift Boston to its second NL pennant since 1901, the team's last before relocating to Milwaukee. He was the second major league third baseman to have five seasons of 100 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, joining Pie Traynor
Pie Traynor
Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and radio broadcaster. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed...
, and retired with the highest career slugging average (.440) of any NL third baseman. He also led the league in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
three times and in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s and double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s twice each, and ended his career among the NL leaders in games (8th, 1262), assists (7th, 2547), total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(10th, 4113) and double plays (4th, 231) at third base.
Born in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Elliott came to the major leagues with the Pirates as an outfielder in 1939. As a right-handed batter (and thrower), his power hitting was hampered by the spacious left field at Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
, but in eight years with the team he compiled more than 100 RBI three times, and he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.315 in 1943. Manager Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch
Francis “Frankie” Frisch , nicknamed the "Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was a German American Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century....
shifted him to third base after the 1941 season, seeking to take advantage of his strong arm while compensating for his lack of speed. Exempted from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military service due to head injuries from being hit by a pitch in 1943, Elliott was named to the NL All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team in 1941, 1942, 1944 and 1945, and finished among the top ten players in the MVP voting from 1942 through 1944, placing second in the league in RBI the last two years. On July 15, 1945, he hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
. After the 1946 season, he was traded to the Braves in a lopsided deal for 37-year-old second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Billy Herman
Billy Herman
William Jennings Bryan "Billy" Herman was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball during the 1930s and 1940s. He was known for his stellar defense and consistent batting...
, who played only 15 more major league games but became the team's manager, and three other players who made a total of 127 appearances with the Pirates.
With a friendlier hitting environment at Braves Field
Braves Field
Braves Field was a baseball park that formerly stood on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. The stadium was home to the Boston Braves National League franchise from 1915–1952, when the team moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, Elliott exceeded the 20 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
mark three times in his five years in Boston, equalling Whitey Kurowski
Whitey Kurowski
George John Kurowski was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals . Kurowski batted and threw right-handed. He debuted on September 23, 1941, and played his final game on October 1, 1949...
for the most 20-HR seasons by an NL third baseman. In his 1947 MVP campaign, Elliott did not lead the NL in any offensive category; however, he batted .317 (second in the NL), with 22 home runs and 113 runs batted in, all team highs. In 1948, when the Braves won the pennant, Elliott batted .283 with 23 homers and 100 RBI and made his sixth All-Star team. He also led the major leagues with 131 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, breaking the club record of 110 set by Billy Hamilton in 1896
1896 in baseball
-Champions:*Temple Cup: Baltimore Orioles defeated Cleveland Spiders, 4 games to 0*National League: Baltimore Orioles-Statistical leaders:*Batting: Jesse Burkett .410*Home Runs: Ed Delahanty & Bill Joyce 13*Wins: Kid Nichols 30*ERA: Billy Rhines 2.46...
; it remains the franchise record. Batting cleanup, he hit .333 in the 1948 World Series
1948 World Series
The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of . The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston...
, which Boston lost in six games to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
; he had a pair of home runs in his first two at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s in Game 5, an 11-5 victory, and was 3 for 3 with a walk in the final 4-3 loss in Game 6.
Although his numbers declined somewhat thereafter, Elliott enjoyed productive years from 1949 through 1951, including a season batting .305 with 24 HRs and 107 RBI in 1950, his sixth 100-RBI campaign. He was named to his last All-Star squad in 1951, his final year with Boston. By the early 1950s he had broken Kurowski's NL record for career home runs at third base, though Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
surpassed him within a few seasons. His playing career began to wind down in 1952, as he struggled with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
following an April trade, and ended after a 1953 campaign split between the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. Over 15 years (1939–53) and 1,978 games, Elliott batted .289 and collected 2,061 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 170 home runs, 382 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 1,064 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and 1,195 RBI. Elliott's last highlight was 2 home runs on opening day for the N. Y. Giants in 1952. His final major league game occurred on September 16, 1953 for the Chicago White Sox.
Elliott then returned to California in 1954 and played for San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
only for the second half of the season. He hits 2 home runs and drove in 5 RBIs in the final game of the season, helping Padres to win the pennant for the first time since 1937, the team's second year in the PCL (when they had Ted Williams). He became the team's manager the following season and managed them until after the first 35 games of the 1957 season. He also managed the Sacramento Solons
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
(1959). After a third-place finish in Sacramento, Elliott received his only major league managing opportunity when he took over the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
for the 1960 season. It was bad timing; the A's were one of the weakest teams in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, and the team's owner, Arnold Johnson
Arnold Johnson
Arnold M. Johnson was an American industrialist, businessman and sportsman, who purchased the storied but financially unsound Philadelphia Athletics baseball club and moved it to Kansas City, Missouri, in the autumn of 1954...
, died suddenly just before the season began. The A's won only 58 games while losing 96 (.377) in Elliott's only season at the helm. He was fired by new owner Charles O. Finley
Charles O. Finley
Charles Oscar Finley , nicknamed Charlie O or Charley O, was an American businessman who is best remembered for his tenure as the owner of the Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball team. Finley purchased the franchise while it was located in Kansas City, moving it to Oakland in 1968...
at season's end, and replaced by Joe Gordon. In 1961, Elliott was a coach for the expansion Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
during their maiden AL campaign.
Less than five years later, Elliott died at age 49 in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
after suffering a ruptured vein in his windpipe.
See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- Hitting for the cycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
External links
- Baseball Evolution Hall of Fame - Player Profile