Intro

One of the most difficult batters to strike out in baseball history, towering Frank McCormick won the 1940 National League Most Valuable Player Award. As one of the big bats in the middle of their lineup, McCormick drove in 100 or more runs four times for the Cincinnati Reds, and helped the team to back-to-back pennants in 1939-1940. In his first three full seasons in the majors, he led the NL in hits. He retired with a .299 career average - four hits shy of the .300 mark.

Unform Number

#10

Minor Leages

Stuck in a logjam in the Reds' farm system, McCormick spent most of the 1935, 1936, and 1937 seasons in the minors. When he got his chance with Cincinnati in 1938, he led the NL in at-bats and hits.

Best Season

He was NL MVP (McCormick received votes for MVP in eight different seasons, and finished in the top five three times), and he led the Reds to their first World Series title in 21 years. He struggled in the World Series against Detroit, but his double did start the game-winning rally for Cincinnati in the seventh inning of the seventh game.

Factoid 1

First baseman Frank McCormick was selected to the All-Star team in nine consecutive seasons, from 1938-1946.

Transition

December 10, 1945: Purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Cincinnati Reds for $30,000. May 14, 1947: Released by the Philadelphia Phillies. May of 1947: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Braves. October 28, 1948: Released by the Boston Braves.

Strengths

Putting the ball in play and driving in runners.

Weaknesses

Drawing walks.

Feats

McCormick once went 138 consecutive games without an error at first base - a record at the time... Big Frank played 682 straight games for the Reds, spanning 1938-1942.

Notes

According to biographer Sheldon Appleton: In 1949, McCormick managed the Quebec Braves in the Canadian-American League and led them to a 90-win season - 34 more than the previous year - and to a playoff sweep and the league championship. Nevertheless, he did not remain as a manager. He continued to be involved with baseball as a coach, scout and television broadcaster for the Reds and as director of group and season ticket sales for the New York Yankees.