Eddie Yost
Encyclopedia
Edward Frederick Joseph Yost (born October 13, 1926 in Brooklyn
, New York City
, New York
) is a former professional
baseball
player and coach
. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball
career as a third baseman
for the Washington Senators
, before ending his career with the Detroit Tigers
and the Los Angeles Angels. Yost batted and threw right-handed. He was nicknamed the "Walking Man" for the numerous bases on balls he drew. Yost was considered one of the best lead off
men and third basemen of his era.
in . He made his Major League debut with the Senators at the age of 17 on August 16, 1944
, having never played in the minor leagues
. Yost spent the season in the United States Navy
before returning to the Senators in 1946
.
In 1950
, Yost posted career-highs with a .295 batting average
and a .440 on base percentage
. In 1951
he led the American League with 36 doubles
and produced a career-high 65 runs batted in. He earned a place as a reserve player for the American League team in the 1952 All-Star Game
. Between August 30, 1949
and May 11, 1955
, Yost played in 829 consecutive games for the Senators, the ninth longest consecutive game streak in major league history. Yost's home run
totals were diminished by having to play his home games in Washington's cavernous Griffith Stadium
. Between 1944 and 1953
, he hit only 3 home runs at home
while hitting 52 home runs on the road
.
On December 6, 1958
, after 14 seasons with the Senators, Yost was traded to the Detroit Tigers, allowing the Senators to make room for rising third baseman
Harmon Killebrew
. Playing in hitter
-friendly Tiger Stadium in 1959
, his home run production climbed to a career-high of 21 and, he led the American League with 115 runs
scored, 135 base on balls
and a .435 on base percentage
. In 1960
, he again led the league in base on balls and on base percentage. Yost spent two seasons with the Tigers before being selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 1961
American League expansion draft. While with the Angels during their inaugural season, Yost earned the distinction of being the first Angels player to appear in a major league game, leading off
in the team's first game, played at Baltimore
on April 11, . In his last plate appearance as a major league player, he received a base on balls.
, accumulating 1,863 hits
in 7,346 at bats for a .254 career batting average along with 139 home runs, 683 runs batted in and an on base percentage
of .394. He ended his career with a .957 fielding percentage
. Yost led the American League
in bases on balls on six different occasions and logged 1,614 over his 18-year career, ranking him 11th on the all-time walks list. In , he had a .412 on base percentage while posting a .231 batting average, the lowest batting average with a .400 on base percentage in major league history. Yost hit 28 home runs to lead off a game, a record which stood until Bobby Bonds
broke it in the 1970s.
Yost led American League third basemen eight times in putout
s, seven times in double play
s, three times in assists
and twice in fielding percentage. He set American League career records with 2,356 putouts, 3,659 assists, and 6,285 total chances
. His 2,356 putouts ranks him third all-time among third basemen behind Brooks Robinson
and Jimmy Collins
. In , he surpassed Pie Traynor
's major league record for most games played as a third baseman with 1,865 games. Yost was the first third baseman in history to appear in more than 2,000 games. Baseball historian Bill James
ranked Yost 24th all-time among third baseman in his Historical Baseball Abstract
.
Yost attended New York University
during the off-season where he earned a Master's degree
in physical education.
Angels, Yost returned to Washington as the third-base coach of the second Senators
franchise, under his old teammate, manager Mickey Vernon
. When Vernon was replaced by Gil Hodges
, Yost briefly served as interim manager, losing his only game as manager. Yost then continued on Hodges' Washington staff through 1967
. When Hodges became manager of the New York Mets
in 1968
, he took Yost with him to New York. Yost was the Mets' third-base coach from 1968 to 1976
. He then continued his coaching career with the Boston Red Sox
, coaching third in Boston from 1977
to 1984
.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is a former professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
. He played the majority of his 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...
career as a 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...
for the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, before ending his career with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and the Los Angeles Angels. Yost batted and threw right-handed. He was nicknamed the "Walking Man" for the numerous bases on balls he drew. Yost was considered one of the best lead off
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
men and third basemen of his era.
Major League career
Yost was signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in . He made his Major League debut with the Senators at the age of 17 on August 16, 1944
1944 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 64 games, lost 90, and finished in eighth place in the American League. They were managed by Ossie Bluege and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, having never played in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. Yost spent the season in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
before returning to the Senators in 1946
1946 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 76 games, lost 78, and finished in fourth place in the American League. They were managed by Ossie Bluege and played home games at Griffith Stadium.-Offseason:...
.
In 1950
1950 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 67 games, lost 87, and finished in fifth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Offseason :...
, Yost posted career-highs with a .295 batting average
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 :...
and a .440 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. In 1951
1951 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 62 games, lost 92, and finished in seventh place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Offseason :...
he led the American League with 36 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....
and produced a career-high 65 runs batted in. He earned a place as a reserve player for the American League team in the 1952 All-Star Game
1952 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1952 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 19th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1952, at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the home of...
. Between August 30, 1949
1949 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 50 games, lost 104, and finished in eighth place in the American League. They were managed by Joe Kuhel and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Offseason :...
and May 11, 1955
1955 Washington Senators season
The 1955 Washington Senators season was a season in American baseball. The team won 53 games, lost 101, and finished in eighth place in the American League...
, Yost played in 829 consecutive games for the Senators, the ninth longest consecutive game streak in major league history. Yost's 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...
totals were diminished by having to play his home games in Washington's cavernous Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park had been built on the same site in 1891...
. Between 1944 and 1953
1953 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 76 games, lost 76, and finished in fifth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, he hit only 3 home runs at home
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
while hitting 52 home runs on the road
Road (sports)
Road game , more commonly known as an away game, is a reference to all cities and stadia/arenas/fields/venues where an athletic team plays games for which it is not the host. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions...
.
On December 6, 1958
1958 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 61 games, lost 93, and finished in eighth place in the American League, 31 games behind the New York Yankees. They were managed by Cookie Lavagetto and played home games at Griffith Stadium.-Offseason:...
, after 14 seasons with the Senators, Yost was traded to the Detroit Tigers, allowing the Senators to make room for rising 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...
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
. Playing in hitter
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
-friendly Tiger Stadium in 1959
1959 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was the 59th season for the American League franchise in Detroit. It involved the Tigers finishing in fourth place with a record of 76-78, eighteen games behind the AL Champion Chicago White Sox.- Offseason :...
, his home run production climbed to a career-high of 21 and, he led the American League with 115 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...
scored, 135 base on balls
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...
and a .435 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. In 1960
1960 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Tigers' sixth-place finish in the American League with a 71-83 record, 26 games behind the AL Champion New York Yankees.- Offseason :...
, he again led the league in base on balls and on base percentage. Yost spent two seasons with the Tigers before being selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 1961
1961 Los Angeles Angels season
The Los Angeles Angels season ended with the Angels finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 70-91. It was the Angels' first season in franchise history, and their only season at Wrigley Field...
American League expansion draft. While with the Angels during their inaugural season, Yost earned the distinction of being the first Angels player to appear in a major league game, leading off
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
in the team's first game, played at Baltimore
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...
on April 11, . In his last plate appearance as a major league player, he received a base on balls.
Career statistics
In an 18 year career, Yost played in 2,109 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1,863 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....
in 7,346 at bats for a .254 career batting average along with 139 home runs, 683 runs batted in and an on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .394. He ended his career with a .957 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. Yost led 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...
in bases on balls on six different occasions and logged 1,614 over his 18-year career, ranking him 11th on the all-time walks list. In , he had a .412 on base percentage while posting a .231 batting average, the lowest batting average with a .400 on base percentage in major league history. Yost hit 28 home runs to lead off a game, a record which stood until Bobby Bonds
Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
broke it in the 1970s.
Yost led American League third basemen eight times 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, seven times in 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, three times 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...
and twice in fielding percentage. He set American League career records with 2,356 putouts, 3,659 assists, and 6,285 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...
. His 2,356 putouts ranks him third all-time among third basemen behind Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
and Jimmy Collins
Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century who was widely regarded as being the best third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson...
. In , he surpassed 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...
's major league record for most games played as a third baseman with 1,865 games. Yost was the first third baseman in history to appear in more than 2,000 games. Baseball historian Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
ranked Yost 24th all-time among third baseman in his Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
.
Yost attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
during the off-season where he earned a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in physical education.
Coaching career
After a brief stint as a playing coach with the 19621962 Los Angeles Angels season
The Los Angeles Angels season involved the Angels finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses.- Offseason :* October 19, 1961: Del Rice was released by the Angels....
Angels, Yost returned to Washington as the third-base coach of the second Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
franchise, under his old teammate, manager Mickey Vernon
Mickey Vernon
James Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...
. When Vernon was replaced by Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Yost briefly served as interim manager, losing his only game as manager. Yost then continued on Hodges' Washington staff through 1967
1967 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators season involved the Senators finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 76 wins and 85 losses.-Offseason:* November 30, 1966: Don Lock was traded by the Senators to the Philadelphia Phillies for Darold Knowles and cash....
. When Hodges became manager of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in 1968
1968 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 7th regular season for the Mets. They went 73-89 and finished 9th in the National League. They were managed by Gil Hodges...
, he took Yost with him to New York. Yost was the Mets' third-base coach from 1968 to 1976
1976 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 15th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Joe Frazier, the team had a 86-76 record yielding a 3rd place finish in the National League East.- Offseason :...
. He then continued his coaching career with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, coaching third in Boston from 1977
1977 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing second in the American League East with a record of 97 wins and 64 losses.- Regular season :...
to 1984
1984 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses.- Offseason :...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- MLB consecutive games played streaksMLB consecutive games played streaksListed below are the 15 longest consecutive games played streaks in Major League Baseball history. To compile such a streak, a player must appear in every game played by his team...