Chuck Klein
Encyclopedia
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Klein (October 7, 1904 – March 28, 1958) was a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who played for the Philadelphia Phillies
(1928–33, 1936–39, 1940–44), Chicago Cubs
(1934–36) and Pittsburgh Pirates
(1939).
Klein was born in Indianapolis, Indiana
, and was known as the "Hoosier Hammer." He was one of the most prodigious National League sluggers in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
in his youth, and played semipro baseball on his own time. The St. Louis Cardinals
soon noticed his talent, and signed him to a minor-league contract. He eventually worked his way up to the Cardinals' farm team in Fort Wayne. After hitting 26 homers in 88 games in 1928, Klein was slated to be called up to St. Louis midway through the season. However, Baseball Commissioner
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
discovered that the Cardinals owned a team in Dayton, Ohio
that played in the same league as Fort Wayne. Landis ordered the Cardinals to sell off the Fort Wayne team and give up the rights to its players. The Phillies outbid the New York Yankees
for Klein's services, and Klein joined the Phillies in July.
Klein owned the record for most team home runs until the arrival of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt
. A left-handed hitter, Klein racked up almost all of his numbers during his first six-year stint in Philadelphia, where he was an instant success as the starting right fielder
. A conscientious worker and hustler, Klein captured four home run
championships, two RBI
titles, and a batting
title for the Phillies. Unlike most sluggers, Klein was a competent baserunner, topping the senior circuit in 1932 in stolen base
s and coming in third in triples
with 15. The same year, he was the last player to lead in homers and steals in the same season, when he paced the National League
with 38 and 20, respectively. Jimmy Sheckard
and Hall of Famer Ty Cobb
are the only other players to do so in the majors. After the season, he was named the NL MVP
.
Klein won the National League home run title in 1929, his first full year in the majors. However, he was helped along by his teammates on the last day of the season. In this game, the Phillies faced the New York Giants
. The Giants' star slugger, Mel Ott
, was tied with Klein for the lead with 42. In the first game, Klein homered to put him one ahead of Ott, who was held to a single. In the second game, the Phillies' pitchers walked Ott five straight times — including once with the bases loaded.
Through May 2009, Klein holds the all-time record for most home runs over the first two calendar years in the major leagues (83). Ryan Braun
is second (79), and Joe DiMaggio
and Mark McGwire
are tied for third (77).
Through 2011, he was one of seven major leaguers to have had at least four 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in their first five years, along with Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams
, Ralph Kiner
, Mark Teixeira
, and Pujols, and Ryan Braun.
Along with his batting prowess, the strong right-armed Klein was also a superb defensive right fielder who still holds the single-season mark with 44 assists in 1930.
In 1933 Klein won the Triple Crown
(.368, 28, 120), though Carl Hubbell
took MVP honors. On July 6
of that year, he also became the first Phillies player ever to bat in an All-Star Game
.
Traded to the Cubs for the 1934 season, Klein was a disappointment in Chicago by his previous standards. Even so, he hit 20 and 21 HRs in two seasons and batted .301 and .293. These were far below the numbers he posted in Philadelphia, leading to claims that Klein wouldn't have hit nearly as many homers had he not played in notoriously hitter-friendly Baker Bowl
. The Phillies reacquired him two years later.
On July 10, 1936
, Klein became the first NL player to slug four home runs in a game in the 20th century. He is one of only 15 players in baseball history to have accomplished that.
Klein went to the Pirates during the 1939 season, but was back in Philadelphia the following season. For the last five years of his career, he was a part-time player, often used as a pinch-hitter. He retired after getting one hit in seven at-bats
in 1944.
In his 17-year career Klein batted .320, with 398 doubles
, 1,201 runs batted in, 1,168 runs
, 2,076 hits (870 extra-bases), and 300 home runs. After retiring, he ran a bar in Philadelphia for a time. He endured some tough financial times, largely due to a drinking problem. Eventually, his drinking and a stroke
damaged his nervous system and left one leg paralyzed.
, aged 53, from undisclosed causes.
After years of lobbying, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.
The Phillies honored him on the outfield wall of Veterans Stadium
with his name and an Old English-style "P" where a retired uniform number would go. The Phillies began using numbers in 1932, and in that season and 1933, Klein wore number 3. He was then traded to the Chicago Cubs
, and when he returned to the Phillies in 1936, he wore 32 (later retired by the Phillies for Steve Carlton
), and soon switched to 36 (later retired by the Phillies for Robin Roberts
) for that season and 1937. In 1938 he wore number 1 (later retired by the Phillies for Richie Ashburn
), wore 26 and then 14 (later retired by the Phillies for Jim Bunning
) in 1939, wore 29 in 1940 and 1941, 3 again in 1942, 8 in 1943 and 26 again in 1944, his last major league season. Rather than choose one of these numbers, the Phillies simply retired a "P" for him, as they did for pre-numbers legend Grover Cleveland Alexander
.
In 1999, he ranked number 92 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball
All-Century Team.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1928–33, 1936–39, 1940–44), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1934–36) and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1939).
Klein was born in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, and was known as the "Hoosier Hammer." He was one of the most prodigious National League sluggers in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Overview
Klein worked in a steel millSteel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
in his youth, and played semipro baseball on his own time. The St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
soon noticed his talent, and signed him to a minor-league contract. He eventually worked his way up to the Cardinals' farm team in Fort Wayne. After hitting 26 homers in 88 games in 1928, Klein was slated to be called up to St. Louis midway through the season. However, Baseball Commissioner
Baseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
discovered that the Cardinals owned a team in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
that played in the same league as Fort Wayne. Landis ordered the Cardinals to sell off the Fort Wayne team and give up the rights to its players. The Phillies outbid the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for Klein's services, and Klein joined the Phillies in July.
Klein owned the record for most team home runs until the arrival of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
. A left-handed hitter, Klein racked up almost all of his numbers during his first six-year stint in Philadelphia, where he was an instant success as the starting right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
. A conscientious worker and hustler, Klein captured four home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
championships, two RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
titles, and a batting
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
title for the Phillies. Unlike most sluggers, Klein was a competent baserunner, topping the senior circuit in 1932 in stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s and coming in third in triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
with 15. The same year, he was the last player to lead in homers and steals in the same season, when he paced the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with 38 and 20, respectively. Jimmy Sheckard
Jimmy Sheckard
Samuel James Tilden "Jimmy" Sheckard was an American left fielder and left-handed leadoff hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Superbas , Baltimore Orioles , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs , St...
and Hall of Famer Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
are the only other players to do so in the majors. After the season, he was named the NL MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
.
Klein won the National League home run title in 1929, his first full year in the majors. However, he was helped along by his teammates on the last day of the season. In this game, the Phillies faced the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. The Giants' star slugger, Mel Ott
Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, was tied with Klein for the lead with 42. In the first game, Klein homered to put him one ahead of Ott, who was held to a single. In the second game, the Phillies' pitchers walked Ott five straight times — including once with the bases loaded.
Through May 2009, Klein holds the all-time record for most home runs over the first two calendar years in the major leagues (83). Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
is second (79), and Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
and Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
are tied for third (77).
Through 2011, he was one of seven major leaguers to have had at least four 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in their first five years, along with Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner
Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...
, Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
, and Pujols, and Ryan Braun.
Along with his batting prowess, the strong right-armed Klein was also a superb defensive right fielder who still holds the single-season mark with 44 assists in 1930.
In 1933 Klein won the Triple Crown
Triple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
(.368, 28, 120), though Carl Hubbell
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell was an American baseball player. He was a member of the New York Giants in the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell...
took MVP honors. On July 6
1933 in baseball
-Headline Events of the Year:* First Major League Baseball All-Star Game, July 6 at Comiskey Park: American League, 4-2.* First Negro League Baseball All-Star Game.-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Giants over Washington Senators...
of that year, he also became the first Phillies player ever to bat in an All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
.
Traded to the Cubs for the 1934 season, Klein was a disappointment in Chicago by his previous standards. Even so, he hit 20 and 21 HRs in two seasons and batted .301 and .293. These were far below the numbers he posted in Philadelphia, leading to claims that Klein wouldn't have hit nearly as many homers had he not played in notoriously hitter-friendly Baker Bowl
Baker Bowl
Baker Bowl is the best-known popular name of a baseball park that formerly stood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its formal name, painted on its outer wall, was National League Park. It was also initially known as Philadelphia Park or Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds.It was on a small...
. The Phillies reacquired him two years later.
On July 10, 1936
1936 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Braves Field: National League, 4–3-Awards and honors:* Most Valuable Player**American League: Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, 1B...
, Klein became the first NL player to slug four home runs in a game in the 20th century. He is one of only 15 players in baseball history to have accomplished that.
Klein went to the Pirates during the 1939 season, but was back in Philadelphia the following season. For the last five years of his career, he was a part-time player, often used as a pinch-hitter. He retired after getting one hit in seven at-bats
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
in 1944.
In his 17-year career Klein batted .320, with 398 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 1,201 runs batted in, 1,168 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 2,076 hits (870 extra-bases), and 300 home runs. After retiring, he ran a bar in Philadelphia for a time. He endured some tough financial times, largely due to a drinking problem. Eventually, his drinking and a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
damaged his nervous system and left one leg paralyzed.
Death; Posthumous honors
Chuck Klein died in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, aged 53, from undisclosed causes.
After years of lobbying, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.
The Phillies honored him on the outfield wall of Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
with his name and an Old English-style "P" where a retired uniform number would go. The Phillies began using numbers in 1932, and in that season and 1933, Klein wore number 3. He was then traded to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and when he returned to the Phillies in 1936, he wore 32 (later retired by the Phillies for Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
), and soon switched to 36 (later retired by the Phillies for Robin Roberts
Robin Roberts (baseball player)
Robin Evan Roberts was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who pitched primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies . He spent the latter part of his career with the Baltimore Orioles , Houston Astros , and Chicago Cubs...
) for that season and 1937. In 1938 he wore number 1 (later retired by the Phillies for Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
), wore 26 and then 14 (later retired by the Phillies for Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
) in 1939, wore 29 in 1940 and 1941, 3 again in 1942, 8 in 1943 and 26 again in 1944, his last major league season. Rather than choose one of these numbers, the Phillies simply retired a "P" for him, as they did for pre-numbers legend Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander , nicknamed "Old Pete", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.-Career:Alexander was born in Elba, Nebraska, one of thirteen...
.
In 1999, he ranked number 92 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
All-Century Team.
Career highlights
- MVP (1932)
- Triple Crown (1933)
- Twice All-Star (1933–34)
- 4-time led league in home runs (1929, 1931–33)
- Led league in home runs (38) and stolen bases (20) in the same season (1932). He was the third and last player to do so (the others being Jimmy SheckardJimmy SheckardSamuel James Tilden "Jimmy" Sheckard was an American left fielder and left-handed leadoff hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Superbas , Baltimore Orioles , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs , St...
and Hall of Famer Ty CobbTy CobbTyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
). - Hit 4 home runs in one game (1936)
- 3-time led league in runs batted in (1931, 1933, 1936)
- 3-time led league in runs (1930–32)
- Led league in batting average (1933)
- Twice led league in OPS (On-base percentage Plus Slugging percentage)On-base plus sluggingOn-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
(1932–33) - Twice led league in hits (1932–33)
- 5-time collected more than 200 hits (1929–33)
- 4-time led league in total bases (1930–33)
- 4-time led league in extra-base hits (1929–30, 1932–33)
- Led league in triples (1932)
- Twice led league in doubles (1930, 1933)
- Led league in stolen bases (1932)
- Holds the single-season record for assists by a right fielder (1930)
- Twice 26-consecutive-game hitting streak in the same season (1930)
- Hit safely in 135 of his team's 156 games (1930)
- Twice hit for the cycle (1931, 1933)
- Holds the record for most home runs (83) over the first two calendar years (through May 2009)
- Twice led league in games played (1930, 1932)
See also
- Philadelphia Phillies award winners and league leaders
- Triple CrownTriple crown (baseball)In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
- Batters with four home runs in one game
- Hitting for the cycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
- List of Major League Baseball Home Run Records
- List of Major League Baseball doubles records
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- Major League Baseball titles leadersMajor League Baseball titles leadersAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....