Ripper Collins
Ripper Collins | |||
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First baseman | |||
Born: Altoona, Pennsylvania | March 30, 1904|||
Died: April 15, 1970 New Haven, New York | (aged 66)|||
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MLB debut | |||
April 18, 1931, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 28, 1941, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .296 | ||
Home runs | 135 | ||
Runs batted in | 659 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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James Anthony "Ripper" Collins (March 30, 1904 – April 15, 1970) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. A switch hitter who threw left-handed, Collins was listed as 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg). Despite his stature, he was a power hitter who in 1934 co-led the National League in home runs with 35.
Born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, he grew up in nearby Nanty Glo, where he was a standout in sandlot baseball in his youth.[1] Collins started his professional baseball career in 1923. He played in various minor leagues for eight seasons until 1930, when he hit .376 with 40 home runs for the Rochester Red Wings of the International League. His 180 runs batted in set an IL record.
For that performance, Collins was called up to the majors. As a member of the Gashouse Gang Cardinals teams, Collins had a breakout season in 1934 with 35 homers (sharing the league's long-ball championship with future Baseball Hall of Famer Mel Ott), 128 runs batted in, and a .333 batting average. He also hit .367 in the World Series, which the Cardinals won in seven games.
Collins is the only first baseman to have twice recorded no putouts in a nine-inning game – once for the Cardinals in 1935, and again for the Cubs in 1937.[2] Between his time with the Cubs and the Pirates, Collins spent two years with the Los Angeles Angels, and played in 346 games during that time.
In 1084 games played, Collins compiled a .296 batting average (1121-3784) with 615 runs scored, 135 home runs and 659 RBI. His on-base percentage was .360 and slugging percentage was .492. He hit better than .300 four times in a nine-year major league career. In 13 World Series games, he posted a .277 (13-47) batting average. Defensively, he recorded a .991 fielding percentage.
Collins played in the Pacific Coast League and Eastern League after his major league career was over. In 1944, he was named Minor League Player of the Year as the player-manager of the Albany Senators of the Eastern League. That season—at the age of 40—Collins hit .396 with a league-leading 40 doubles.
He returned to the major leagues as a member of the Cubs' College of Coaches from 1961–63, and was a scout for the Cardinals at the time of his death at age 66 in 1970.
See also
References
- ^ Nanty Glo Journal article, November 20, 1930
- ^ Solomon, Abbot Neil (1988). Baseball Records Illustrated. London: Quintet Publishing. ISBN 1-85348-108-4.
External links
- 1904 births
- 1970 deaths
- Albany Senators players
- Baseball players from Pennsylvania
- Chicago Cubs coaches
- Chicago Cubs players
- Chicago Cubs scouts
- Danville Veterans players
- Jacksonville Tars players
- Johnstown Johnnies players
- Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players
- Major League Baseball first basemen
- Minor league baseball managers
- National League All-Stars
- National League home run champions
- People from Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania
- Rochester Red Wings players
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- St. Louis Cardinals scouts
- San Antonio Missions managers
- San Diego Padres (minor league) players
- Savannah Indians players
- Sportspeople from Altoona, Pennsylvania
- Wilson Tobacconists players
- York White Roses players