Richie Ashburn
Regarded by many as the finest defensive fielder this side of Tris Speaker, Richie Ashburn was a gritty competitor who threw out the Dodgers' Cal Abrams at home plate in the final game of the 1950 season to help the Phillies win the pennant. He twice won the batting title and was an All-Star in his final season, as a member of the 1962 Mets. After his playing career he was a popular announcer for the Phillies, becoming a legend to a new generation of fans
| Career Batting Stats |
| G |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
AVG |
SLG |
OBP |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 2189 |
8365 |
2574 |
1322 |
29 |
586 |
234 |
.308 |
.382 |
.396 |
.778 |
107.4 |
|
Where does Richie Ashburn rank among baseball greats?
Richie Ashburn ranks #23 among the Top 50 all-time at CF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1958
Ashburn led the National League with a .350 batting average, 215 hits, 13 triples, 97 walks, and a .441 OBP. He also stole 16 bases in 20 attempts.
Factoids
Richie Ashburn had more hits than any other player in baseball during the 1950s.
Richie Ashburn was the first batter in the history of the New York Mets.
The 1950 Pennant Race
On October 1, 1950, the Phillies played their most historic game to date. Leading Brooklyn by one game on the final day of the season, Phillie ace Robin Roberts and Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe battled into extra innings in a 1-1 tie. Phillies' outfielder Dick Sisler blasted a three-run homer in the top of the 10th to deliver the pennant to Philadelphia. In the play that set the stage for Sisler’s heroics, Ashburn, playing shallow, threw out Dodger runner Cal Abrams at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, eliminating the potential pennant-winning run. Abrams said later, "I think they should have held me at third," while Dodgers' skipper Burt Shotton, commenting on having Duke Snider hitting away, "I should have bunted. If you don't believe me, look in the newspapers."
Sage Advice
Ashburn served 35 years in the broadcast booth for the Phillies. Onetime partner and former catcher Tim McCarver remembered the advice Ashburn gave him just before they went on the air for their first game together: "If you don't have anything to say, don't say it."
Born
Don Richard Ashburn was born on March 19, 1927, in Tilden, NE.
Died
September 9, 1997, New York, NY
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
Major League Debut
4 20,
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1948
Roy Campanella
Richie Ashburn
Robin Roberts
Mike Garcia
Carl Erskine
Hank Bauer
Ray Boone
Don Mueller
Satchel Paige
Nicknames
Whitey,Put Put
"Whitey" for his complexion, and "Putt-Putt" for his running style. Ted Williams gave Ashburn the nickname "Putt-Putt." The Red Sox slugger joked that Ashburn ran as though he had twin motors in his pants.
Uniform Numbers
#1 (1948-1962)
Similar Players
Brett Butler... Lloyd Waner was similar but not nearly as good.
Related Players
Duke Snider, Willie Mays
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1968 |
BBWAA |
6 |
2.1% |
1969 |
BBWAA |
10 |
2.9% |
1970 |
BBWAA |
11 |
3.7% |
1971 |
BBWAA |
10 |
2.8% |
1972 |
BBWAA |
11 |
2.8% |
1973 |
BBWAA |
25 |
6.6% |
1974 |
BBWAA |
56 |
15.3% |
1975 |
BBWAA |
76 |
21.0% |
1976 |
BBWAA |
85 |
21.9% |
1977 |
BBWAA |
139 |
36.3% |
1978 |
BBWAA |
158 |
41.7% |
1979 |
BBWAA |
130 |
30.1% |
1980 |
BBWAA |
134 |
34.8% |
1981 |
BBWAA |
142 |
35.4% |
1982 |
BBWAA |
126 |
30.4% |
1995 |
Veterans |
|
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1950 World Series
Milestones
Ashburn collected his 2,000th career hit in 1958, and his 2,500th in 1962.
Hitting Streaks
23 games (1948)
20 games (1951)
20 games (1953)
Transactions
Before 1945 Season: Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent; January 11, 1960: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs for John Buzhardt, Alvin Dark, and Jim Woods; December 8, 1961: Purchased by the New York Mets from the Chicago Cubs.
All-Star Selections
1948 NL
1951 NL
1953 NL
1958 NL
1962 NL
Replaced
Harry "The Hat" Walker was playing center field for the Phils in 1947.
Replaced By
Duke Snider came to the Mets in 1963, taking Ashburn's spot in the outfield. The Mets were obviously not building with youth.
Best Strength as a Player
Defensive range.
Largest Weakness as a Player
Power
Learn More about Richie Ashburn
Search Amazon.com for Books about Richie Ashburn ⇒
Search for Richie Ashburn at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒