Riggs Stephenson
Encyclopedia
Jackson Riggs Stephenson (January 5, 1898 - November 15, 1985) was an American
left fielder
in Major League Baseball
. Nicknamed Old Hoss, Stephenson played for the Cleveland Indians
from to and the rest of his career from to with the Chicago Cubs
. Benefiting from the offensive surge of the late 1920s and early 1930s, he retired with a career batting average
of .336, although he was only a full-time player from 1927 to 1929 and in 1932, with injuries and platooning
limiting his role for the rest of his career.
, Stephenson originally played baseball and football
at the University of Alabama
before he started his professional baseball career. A natural athlete who excelled in both sports, Stephenson had a good reputation at the university. Former University of Alabama president George H. Denny described Riggs as "the embodiment of cleanliness, manliness, and courage." Stephenson sustained a shoulder injury in a football game in 1920 when he dropped back and was tackled by a pair of linebackers. His injury to his right shoulder was so bad that he had to end his football career as a quarterback
, and as a result it greatly affected his throwing abilities. His throwing problems made it difficult for him to turn double play
s, but his hitting compensated for those fielding woes. Stephenson quit school at Alabama and immediately made the jump to professional baseball, where he signed with the defending World Series
champions Cleveland Indians at the age of 23.. Riggs was one of those guys who went straight from college to the big leagues.
, as seen by the 17 errors
he committed in the 54 games he played at the position that season. However, Riggs' hitting compensated for his fielding woes; he hit 17 doubles
among his 68 hits
during his 65-game season that year. Stephenson batted .330, reaching a mark that he would frequently surpass during the rest of his professional career.
The following season, Stephenson made the transition towards playing third base
in the middle of the season. In 34 games at third base, 25 at second base and three in the outfield
, he committed 11 errors, a sharp improvement from the previous season. He continued to shine at the plate, batting .339 in 86 games, with 24 doubles and 47 runs scored
. In , Stephenson was moved back to second base and only committed thirteen errors and had a .970 fielding percentage
in 66 games. He batted .319 for the season, finishing with 96 hits, 20 doubles and a .357 on base percentage
. On September 14, Frank Brower
hit a line drive directly to Boston Red Sox
first baseman
George Burns
, and Rube Lutzke
and Stephenson were tagged out to complete Burns' unassisted triple play
, only the fourth in major league history.
Stephenson had limited playing time again in , only playing in 71 games. However, he batted a career-best .371 with 89 hits and a .439 on base percentage. He was sent to the outfield the following year, and played only 19 games before being sent back down the minor league
s by the Indians in order to make him a full-time outfielder. During 1925, Riggs was optioned to the Kansas City AA team, which then traded him to Indianapolis (AA) for Johnny Hodapp
. In 1926, Cubs manager Joe McCarthy was able to acquire Stephenson to produce "one of the hardest hitting outfields of all time".
, and he led the league in doubles with 46. He finished fifth in the league in hits and seventh in the league for scoring 101 runs. Riggs also placed 20th in the NL Most Valuable Player Award voting. He also earned the nickname "Old Hoss" because of his reliability as a hitter that season. Stephenson followed up with another solid performance in , batting .324 with 90 runs batted in
and 166 hits.
was a career year for Stephenson. He batted .362 on the year and had a .445 on base percentage, both fifth highest in the league. He finished with seventeen home run
s, 110 RBIs and 179 hits. He also placed 23rd in the league's MVP Award voting this time around. Stephenson teamed up with fellow Cubs outfielders and future Hall of Famers
Kiki Cuyler
and Hack Wilson
to be the only outfield trio in NL history to drive in over 100 runs each on the season. Stephenson was most useful in the 1929 World Series
. Despite the Cubs' loss in five games to Connie Mack
and the Philadelphia Athletics
, Stephenson collected six hits, including a double in Game 3 and knocked in one and scored three runs. Stephenson followed up with another solid, but shortened season in . In 109 games, he collected 125 hits and had a career-high .367 batting average. Eighty games into the following season, on July 27, Stephenson broke his ankle in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies
at Wrigley Field
. Danny Taylor
, along with Cuyler and Wilson, saw significant playing time for the Cubs in left field in 1930 and 1931.
Stephenson came back in and collected the most at bat
s of his career (583) and hit .324 with a team leading 85 RBIs. He hit a career-best 49 doubles, which gave him the third-highest total in the league. He also finished fifth in the NL MVP Award voting. The Cubs won the pennant over the Pittsburgh Pirates
in four games, but were then swept by the New York Yankees
in the World Series
that featured the Babe's "called shot home run
". Stephenson collected eight hits, drove in four runs and batted a team-high .444 in the series.
Stephenson's playing time slowly declined. He played only 97 games the following season, but maintained a solid .329 average with 114 hits.
was Stephenson's final year in the major leagues. He spent most of his time as a pinch hitter
, but only batted a career-low .216 in 74 at bats. The Cubs released him on October 30. Stephenson subsequently enjoyed a somewhat illustrious minor league career.
in the minor leagues, but called it quits for good in . After baseball, he went back to Alabama
, and he opened up a successful car dealership
in Tuscaloosa
and a lumber yard
in Akron
. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
in . He died at the age of 87 at his Tuscaloosa home after suffering a long illness.
Stephenson has one of the highest lifetime batting averages of eligible 20th-century players not in the Baseball Hall of Fame
, although his relatively short career (1310 games, 4508 at bats) was barely long enough to qualify for official recognition among the career leaders; other than Earle Combs
and Shoeless Joe Jackson
, every other 20th-century player with a .325 batting average exceeded 6000 at bats. Stephenson's .336 career batting average, 22nd highest in major league history, is also tied with that of Bill Madlock
's for the highest in Cubs team history. Stephenson hit over .300 in all but two of his seasons in the big leagues. Stephenson received a total of only eight votes in his four years on the Hall of Fame ballot in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was on the Veterans Committee
ballot again in recent years, but failed to pick up any votes.
:
Hitting
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left 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...
. Nicknamed Old Hoss, Stephenson played for 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...
from to and the rest of his career from to with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Benefiting from the offensive surge of the late 1920s and early 1930s, he retired with a career 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 :...
of .336, although he was only a full-time player from 1927 to 1929 and in 1932, with injuries and platooning
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
limiting his role for the rest of his career.
Early years
Born in Akron, AlabamaAkron, Alabama
Akron is a town in Hale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 356. Akron has one site on the National Register of Historic Places, the Greek Revival cottage known as Tanglewood.-Geography:...
, Stephenson originally played baseball and football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
before he started his professional baseball career. A natural athlete who excelled in both sports, Stephenson had a good reputation at the university. Former University of Alabama president George H. Denny described Riggs as "the embodiment of cleanliness, manliness, and courage." Stephenson sustained a shoulder injury in a football game in 1920 when he dropped back and was tackled by a pair of linebackers. His injury to his right shoulder was so bad that he had to end his football career as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and as a result it greatly affected his throwing abilities. His throwing problems made it difficult for him to turn 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, but his hitting compensated for those fielding woes. Stephenson quit school at Alabama and immediately made the jump to professional baseball, where he signed with the defending World Series
1920 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 2:Wednesday, October 6, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 3:Thursday, October 7, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 4:...
champions Cleveland Indians at the age of 23.. Riggs was one of those guys who went straight from college to the big leagues.
With the Indians
Stephenson made his major league debut on April 13, , and continued to play limitedly during the remainder of the season. His weak arm and throwing difficulties weakened his fielding abilities at second baseSecond 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...
, as seen by the 17 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
he committed in the 54 games he played at the position that season. However, Riggs' hitting compensated for his fielding woes; he hit 17 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....
among his 68 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....
during his 65-game season that year. Stephenson batted .330, reaching a mark that he would frequently surpass during the rest of his professional career.
The following season, Stephenson made the transition towards playing third base
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...
in the middle of the season. In 34 games at third base, 25 at second base and three in the outfield
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, he committed 11 errors, a sharp improvement from the previous season. He continued to shine at the plate, batting .339 in 86 games, with 24 doubles and 47 runs scored
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...
. In , Stephenson was moved back to second base and only committed thirteen errors and had a .970 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...
in 66 games. He batted .319 for the season, finishing with 96 hits, 20 doubles and a .357 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...
. On September 14, Frank Brower
Frank Brower
Francis "Frank" Marion Brower was an American blackface performer active in the mid-19th century. Brower began performing blackface song-and-dance acts in circuses and variety shows when he was 13. He eventually introduced the bones to his act, helping to popularize it as a blackface instrument...
hit a line drive directly to 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"...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
George Burns
George Burns (first baseman)
George Henry Burns , nicknamed "Tioga George," was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from to...
, and Rube Lutzke
Rube Lutzke
Rube Lutzke was a former professional baseball player. He played from 1923 to 1927 with the Cleveland Indians. He primarily played third base....
and Stephenson were tagged out to complete Burns' unassisted triple play
Unassisted triple play
In baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three putouts by himself in one continuous play, without any teammates touching the ball . In Major League Baseball , it is one of the rarest of individual feats, along with hitting four home runs in one game and the...
, only the fourth in major league history.
Stephenson had limited playing time again in , only playing in 71 games. However, he batted a career-best .371 with 89 hits and a .439 on base percentage. He was sent to the outfield the following year, and played only 19 games before being sent back down the minor league
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...
s by the Indians in order to make him a full-time outfielder. During 1925, Riggs was optioned to the Kansas City AA team, which then traded him to Indianapolis (AA) for Johnny Hodapp
Johnny Hodapp
Urban John Hodapp played major league baseball in the 1920s and 30s, mostly for the Cleveland Indians. He primarily played second base. He had a 9-year career, hitting for a .311 batting average...
. In 1926, Cubs manager Joe McCarthy was able to acquire Stephenson to produce "one of the hardest hitting outfields of all time".
With the Cubs
Stephenson again played limitedly with the Cubs, but spent the whole season at left field. In , he batted .338 with 95 hits in just 82 games. The following season, his seventh in the majors, was the first complete season of his career. Riggs had a remarkable season, playing in 152 games while batting .344 with a .415 on base percentage. His batting average was fourth-highest in the National LeagueNational 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...
, and he led the league in doubles with 46. He finished fifth in the league in hits and seventh in the league for scoring 101 runs. Riggs also placed 20th in the NL Most Valuable Player Award voting. He also earned the nickname "Old Hoss" because of his reliability as a hitter that season. Stephenson followed up with another solid performance in , batting .324 with 90 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...
and 166 hits.
was a career year for Stephenson. He batted .362 on the year and had a .445 on base percentage, both fifth highest in the league. He finished with seventeen 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...
s, 110 RBIs and 179 hits. He also placed 23rd in the league's MVP Award voting this time around. Stephenson teamed up with fellow Cubs outfielders and future Hall of Famers
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Kiki Cuyler
Kiki Cuyler
Hazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler was a Major League Baseball right fielder from 1921 until 1938. He was born in Harrisville, Michigan.Cuyler broke into the big leagues in 1921 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a fixture in the lineup in 1924...
and Hack Wilson
Hack Wilson
Lewis Robert "Hack" Wilson was an American professional baseball player who played 12 seasons with the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies...
to be the only outfield trio in NL history to drive in over 100 runs each on the season. Stephenson was most useful in the 1929 World Series
1929 World Series
In the 1929 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics beat the Chicago Cubs in five games.The famous "Mack Attack" occurred in 1929, named for manager of the Athletics, Connie Mack, in which the Athletics overcame an eight-run deficit by scoring ten runs in the seventh inning of Game 4...
. Despite the Cubs' loss in five games to Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
and the Philadelphia 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....
, Stephenson collected six hits, including a double in Game 3 and knocked in one and scored three runs. Stephenson followed up with another solid, but shortened season in . In 109 games, he collected 125 hits and had a career-high .367 batting average. Eighty games into the following season, on July 27, Stephenson broke his ankle in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. Danny Taylor
Danny Taylor
Daniel Turney Taylor was a Major League Baseball outfielder from 1926-1936. He played with the Washington Senators, Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers. He died on October 11, 1972.-External links:...
, along with Cuyler and Wilson, saw significant playing time for the Cubs in left field in 1930 and 1931.
Stephenson came back in and collected the most 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 of his career (583) and hit .324 with a team leading 85 RBIs. He hit a career-best 49 doubles, which gave him the third-highest total in the league. He also finished fifth in the NL MVP Award voting. The Cubs won the pennant over 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...
in four games, but were then swept by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the World Series
1932 World Series
The 1932 World Series was played between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs , with the Yankees holding home field advantage. The Yankees swept the Cubs, four games to none...
that featured the Babe's "called shot home run
Babe Ruth's Called Shot
Babe Ruth's called shot was the home run hit by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, held on October 1, 1932 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. During the at-bat, Ruth made a pointing gesture, which existing film confirms, but the exact nature of his...
". Stephenson collected eight hits, drove in four runs and batted a team-high .444 in the series.
Stephenson's playing time slowly declined. He played only 97 games the following season, but maintained a solid .329 average with 114 hits.
was Stephenson's final year in the major leagues. He spent most of his time as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
, but only batted a career-low .216 in 74 at bats. The Cubs released him on October 30. Stephenson subsequently enjoyed a somewhat illustrious minor league career.
Later years and legacy
Stephenson spent the next five years playing and managingManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in the minor leagues, but called it quits for good in . After baseball, he went back to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and he opened up a successful car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
and a lumber yard
Lumber yard
A lumber yard is a retail location for lumber and wood related products used in construction and/or home improvement projects. Lumber yards can also provide services such as the use of a planer and other large machines....
in Akron
Akron, Alabama
Akron is a town in Hale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 356. Akron has one site on the National Register of Historic Places, the Greek Revival cottage known as Tanglewood.-Geography:...
. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history...
in . He died at the age of 87 at his Tuscaloosa home after suffering a long illness.
Stephenson has one of the highest lifetime batting averages of eligible 20th-century players not in the Baseball Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
, although his relatively short career (1310 games, 4508 at bats) was barely long enough to qualify for official recognition among the career leaders; other than Earle Combs
Earle Combs
Earle Bryan Combs was an American professional baseball player, who played his entire career for the New York Yankees . Combs batted leadoff and played center field on the Yankees' fabled 1927 team...
and Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson , nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century...
, every other 20th-century player with a .325 batting average exceeded 6000 at bats. Stephenson's .336 career batting average, 22nd highest in major league history, is also tied with that of Bill Madlock
Bill Madlock
Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1973 to 1987, Madlock was a right-handed hitter who won several National League batting titles. His record of four batting titles as a third baseman would be eclipsed in 1988 by Wade Boggs. Since 1970, only Tony Gwynn has...
's for the highest in Cubs team history. Stephenson hit over .300 in all but two of his seasons in the big leagues. Stephenson received a total of only eight votes in his four years on the Hall of Fame ballot in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was on the Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
ballot again in recent years, but failed to pick up any votes.
Career
Career StatisticsBaseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
:
Hitting
| G Games 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,... |
AB 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... |
R 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... |
H 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.... |
2B 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.... |
3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
HR 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... |
RBI 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... |
SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... |
CS Caught stealing In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt... |
BB 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... |
SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
AVG 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 :... |
OBP 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... |
SLG |
| 1310 | 4508 | 714 | 1515 | 321 | 54 | 63 | 773 | 53 | 9 | 494 | 247 | .336 | .407 | .473 |