Jimmie Foxx

From SoSH

James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx was born on October 22, 1907 in Sudlersville, Maryland. His major league baseball career began in 1925 with the Athletics. He retired in 1943 but later came back to play with the Phillies. After 2 seasons he retired for good with 534 homeruns, 1,921 RBIs, and a .609 slugging percentage. Foxx was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Awards 3 Achievements 4 Moment in the Sun 5 Trivia 6 Transactions 7 External Links

Overall Career

One of the greatest power hitters in major league history, Foxx broke in as a catcher, won fame as a first baseman, and filled in elsewhere, including several turns on the mound.

Frank Baker, who was managing Easton of the Eastern Shore League, noticed Jimmie Foxx’s power he displayed in high school and invited him for a tryout. Foxx soon became Baker's protégé. Baker recommended Foxx to his old boss, Connie Mack, who took the 17-year-old Foxx in 1925 and sat him next to him on the Athletics' bench for several seasons. Mack had the young Mickey Cochrane at catcher, so he converted Foxx to first base, where he became a regular in 1928.

Perhaps more impressive than his homers was his record as an RBI man as he drove in over 100 runs in 13 seasons. Also hitting for average, he won the Triple Crown in 1933 (.356, 48 HR, 163 RBI), one of three seasons he led the league in RBI; his best RBI mark was 175 in 1938, when he would have captured his second Triple Crown if not for Hank Greenberg's 58 HR. He was the HR champ four times despite competition from Ruth, Gehrig, Greenberg, and DiMaggio.

In 1932 Foxx hit 58 homers; he might have hit more than 60 if not for an injured wrist. Five times he hit the right field screen in St. Louis; the screen was not there when Ruth hit 60 HR in 1927. Also in 1932, a screen that Ruth hadn't had to contend with was erected in left field in Cleveland. Reportedly, Foxx hit that at least three times.

Foxx never made big money with the financially troubled Athletics, and he had to be unloaded to Tom Yawkey's Boston Red Sox, where he was paid well.

Foxx was sent to the Cubs in 1942. He retired in 1943, but came back to play a few games during WWII with the Cubs and Phillies. His exceptionally strong throwing arm even enabled him to pitch in nine games for the Phillies in 1945, including two starts.

Awards

• 3-Time American League MVP (1932, 1933, & 1938)
• 1933 American League Triple Crown
• 9-Time American League All-Star (1933 - 1941)
• In 1951, was inducted into the Hall of Fame

Achievements

• Member of the 500 Home Run Club (534 HR)

• 2-time AL Batting Average Leader (1933 & 1938)
• 3-time AL On-Base Percentage Leader (1929, 1938 & 1939)
• 5-time AL Slugging Percentage Leader (1932, 1933, 1935, 1938 & 1939)
• 5-time AL OPS Leader (1932, 1933, 1935, 1938 & 1939)
• AL Runs Scored Leader (1932)
• AL Total Bases Leader (1932, 1933 & 1938)
• 4-time AL Home Runs Leader (1932, 1933, 1935 & 1939)
• 3-time AL RBI Leader (1932, 1933 & 1938)
• 2-time AL Bases on Balls Leader (1934 & 1938)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 12 (1929-1940)
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 12 (1929-1940)
• 40-Home Run Seasons: 5 (1932-1934, 1936 & 1938)
• 50-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1932 & 1938)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 13 (1929-1941)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 11 (1929, 1930 & 1932-1940)
• 200 Hits Seasons: 2 (1932 & 1933)

Moment in the Sun

• June 16, 1938: After hitting home run #19 the day before, Foxx is walked a record six consecutive times by four Browns pitchers. One is intentional and one semi-intentional.

• 1938: Foxx hit 50 home runs, drove in 175 runs, and hit 98 extra-base hits, two of which remain Boston Red Sox single season records. The Home Run Record was broken by David Ortiz in 2006.

Trivia

• In Yankee Stadium, he hit a shot into the left field upper deck that had enough power to break a seat.
• Dropped out of High School to join a minor league baseball team.
• Won two World Series Rings with the Philadelphia Athletics (1929 & 1930)
• In 1999, he ranked number 15 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

Transactions

• July, 1924: Purchased by the Philadelphia Athletics from the Easton (Eastern Shore).
• December 10, 1935: Traded by the Philadelphia Athletics with Johnny Marcum to the Boston Red Sox for Gordon Rhodes, George Savino, and $150,000.
• June 1, 1942: Selected off waivers by the Chicago Cubs from the Boston Red Sox.
• July 5, 1944: Released by the Chicago Cubs.
• February 10, 1945: Signed as a Free Agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Jimmie Foxx: Hall of Fame Page