Red Sox History Lesson

The past two days the history lesson has been about Hall of Famer Joe Cronin. Today, the lesson will sum up Cronin’s career as a player, manager, Red Sox GM and American League President.

Joe Cronin as a player:

Joe Cronin, whose No. 4 was retired by the Red Sox, began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who signed him before the 1925 season. Cronin played for Pittsburgh when he was just 19 and 20 years old and hit .257 in 105 at-bats.

On April 1, 1928, Cronin was purchased by Kansas City of the American Association from the Pirates and then he was purchased by the Washington Senators from Kansas City for $7,500 in July 1928, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

He batted for a .304 average, hit 51 homers, knocked in 673 runs and recorded a .387 on-base percentage in seven years with Washington.

A shortstop, he batted .309, led the American League with 45 doubles and finished second in the American League MVP voting in 1933.

Cronin was traded to the Red Sox on Oct. 26, 1934 for Lyn Lary and $225,000, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

Cronin retired as a player during the 1945 season. From 1942 until his retirement, he served mainly as a pinch and was a good one.

The Hall of Fame website states “that on June 17, 1943, Joe Cronin connected for two pinch-hit home runs, one in each game of a doubleheader, becoming the first of only two players to ever accomplish the feat.”

He set the record for the most pinch hit home runs in a season (5) in 1943, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

During his 20 seasons as a major leaguer, he hit .301 with 170 homers, 1,424 RBIs, 1,233 runs scored and 2,285 hits. 

Joe Cronin as a manager:

Cronin became a player/manager for Washington at just 26 years old in 1933 and led the Senators to a 99-53 record and the American League Pennant that year.

He served as a player/manager for the Red Sox from 1935 through 1945. He then served as the Red Sox manager in 1946 and 1947 after retiring as a player. He led the Red Sox to a 104-50 record and the American League Pennant in 1946.

Cronin holds the Red Sox record for the most wins posted by a Red Sox manager in franchise history. He went 1,071-916 in his time with Boston. Pinky Higgins has posted the second most wins of any Red Sox manager with 560.

Joe Cronin as the Sox GM and President of the American League:

Cronin was the Red Sox General Manager from 1948 through 1958 and the second GM in club history. He followed Edward T. Collins, who held the position from 1933 through 1947.

Cronin also was the first modern day player to become a league president, according to mlb.com.

“From 1959 to 1973, Cronin was President of the American League,” according to Baseball-Reference.com. “As leader of the AL, he presided over two expansions – in 1961 and 1969 – and the second dead-ball era.”

Video of the Day

MLB Hall of Famer of the Day

Sandy Koufax.

Koufax, a left-hander, had an unbelievable stretch from 1962 through 1966 when he led the National League in ERA five years in a row. He also earned the pitching Triple Crown (most wins, lowest ERA and most strikeouts) in 1963, 1965 and 1966.  He won the MLB Cy Young and NL MVP awards in 1963. He also won the MLB Cy Young award in 1965 and 1966.

He posted a 14-7 record with a NL-leading 2.54 ERA in 1962. He also led the league that year in WHIP (1.036) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.5).

He led the NL with 25 wins, a 1.88 ERA, 11 shutouts, 306 strikeouts and a 0.875 WHIP in 1963.

He posted a 19-5 record and led the NL in ERA (1.74), shutouts (7), WHIP (0.928) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.0) in 1964.

In 1965, he led the NL in wins (26), ERA (2.04), complete games (27), innings pitched (335 2/3), strikeouts (382), WHIP (0.855) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.2).

In 1966, Koufax, led the NL in wins (27), ERA (1.73), complete games (27), shutouts (5), innings pitched (323), strikeouts (317), strikeouts per nine innings (8.8).

His biography on the baseball Hall of Fame website states: “After Sandy Koufax finally tamed his blazing fastball, he enjoyed a five-year stretch as perhaps the most dominating pitcher in the game’s history. … His fastball and devastating curve enabled him to pitch no-hitters in four consecutive seasons, culminating with a perfect game in 1965. He posted a 0.95 ERA in four career World Series, leading the Dodgers to three championships.”

The Hall of Fame website also states that “Koufax attended the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship, playing freshman basketball (and baseball) under legendary hoops coach Ed Jucker.”

He was a six-time All-Star (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966).

His career ended in 1966 at age 30 because of arthritis in his pitching arm, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the baseball writers in 1972.

Here is his page on the baseball Hall of Fame website.

MLB Statistic of the Day

Francisco Rodriguez holds the MLB record for most saves in a season (62). He did in 2008 as a 26 year old.

• 1. Francisco Rodriguez (62 in 2008)
• 2. Bobby Thigpen (57 in 1990)
• 3t. Eric Gagne (55 in 2003)
• 3t. John Smoltz (55 in 2002)
• 5t. Trevor Hoffman (53 in 1998)
• 5t. Randy Myers (53 in 1993)
• 5t. Mariano Rivera (53 in 2004)
• 8. Eric Gagne (52 in 2002)
• 9t. Rod Beck (51 in 1998)
• 9t. Dennis Eckersley (51 in 1992)

Statistics from Baseball-Reference.com

Trivia Question of the Day

Who holds the Red Sox club record for most career saves?

Answer to yesterday’s trivia question: 1997