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| Richie Ashburn |
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POSITION
OF |
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BATS-THROWS
L-R |
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HEIGHT
5-10 |
WEIGHT
170 |
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BORN
March 19, 1927
Tilden, NE |
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DIED
September 9, 1997 |
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CAREER
Played 12 years with the Phillies (1948-59) and was regarded as one of the best leadoff hitters and defensive players in the game . . . Also played with the Cubs (1960-61) and New York Mets (1962), ending his playing career in 1962 with a .306 average.
HOW OBTAINED
Signed to a $3,500 bonus in 1945 as a catcher.
OFFENSE
Two-time NL batting champion (.338, 1955 & .350, 1958) and runner-up twice (both to Stan Musial, 1948 and 1951) . . . Only rookie named to 1948 NL All-Star squad . . . Hit in 23 consecutive games that season . . . Led NL in singles, walks and on-base percentage, four times; hits, three times; triples, twice and stolen bases, once . . . His 1958 season marked the only time a leadoff hitter led the league in both average and walks . . . Batted .300 or better in nine of his 15 years in the majors and had an on-base percentage of .400 or more six times . . . Ranked 11th all-time in walks and 35th in hits when he retired after the 1962 season to enter the broadcast booth . . . Phillies all-time leader in singles (1,811) and was the club leader in games, at-bats and hits until Mike Schmidt came along . . . Ranks third in Phillies history in runs . . . Holds Phillies record for consecutive games played, 730 . . . Finished with career .397 on-base percentage (.394 with Phillies).
DEFENSE
Holds club record for outfield putouts, 538, in 1951 . . . Holds NL records for most years, 500 or more putouts, four times, and most years, 400 or more putouts, nine times . . . Led NL outfielders in putouts nine times, tying an NL record . . . Ranks sixth all-time in putouts, 6,089 . . . One of only two players to ever lead the league in putouts, assists and double plays in the same season twice . . . Second all-time to Taylor Douthit in total chances per game (3.04), chances per game (2.98) and putouts per game (2.90). . . Career chances per game average is well ahead of his contemporaries, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider.
HONORS
Rookie of the Year (The Sporting News) in 1948 . . . Selected to five All-Star teams . . . Number retired August 24, 1979 . . . Elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1995.
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