Hank Majeski
Encyclopedia
Henry Majeski was an American
professional
baseball
player, coach
and minor league manager. He played as a third baseman
in Major League Baseball
from to for the Boston Bees/Boston Braves
(1939–41), New York Yankees
(1946), Philadelphia Athletics (1946–49 and 1951–52), Chicago White Sox
(1950–51), Cleveland Indians
(1952–55) and Baltimore Orioles
(1955). He was known as one of the best fielding third basemen of his era, setting a major league single-season record for third basemen with a .988 fielding percentage
in .
in at the age of 18 with the Eau Claire Bears
of the Northern League. In his second season at Eau Claire, he posted a .365 batting average
to finish as runnerup in the Northern League batting championship. His performance brought him to the attention of the Chicago Cubs
who signed him to a contract and sent him to play for their minor league
affiliate, the Moline Plowboys
of the Three-I League. Majeski continued to perform well, winning the Three-I League batting championship with a .345 batting average. He was traded to the Birmingham Barons
of the Southern Association
in where he hit for a .325 average.
Majeski's contract was purchased by the Boston Braves, then known as the Boston Bees and, he made his major league debut with the team on May 17, 1939
at the age of 22. During his rookie season, Bees' manager Casey Stengel
converted him into a third baseman. Majeski began the season hitting above .300 for the first half of the season before a mid-season slump
saw his average dip to .238 but, he recovered to finish the year with a .272 average along with 7 home run
s and 54 runs batted in.
Majeski only appeared in 19 games for the Bees in 1940
, spending most of the season with the minor league Newark Bears, a New York Yankees farm team. Majeski hit for a .323 average during the Bears' season, then hit .478 in the post-season to help the Bears defeat the Louisville Colonels of the American Association
in the Junior World Series
. At the beginning of the 1941
season, Stengel decided to replace Majeski with Sibby Sisti
as the Bees' third baseman and, in May 1941
his contract was purchased by the New York Yankees. In while still playing for the Newark Bears, Majeski won the International League
batting championship with a .345 batting average and was named the league's Most Valuable Player
.
Majeski joined the United States Coast Guard
in and missed the next three seasons before being discharged in November . He reported back to the Yankees in 1946
and, after an impressive spring training
performance, made the team as a substitute player. After appearing in only eight games, his contract was sold to Connie Mack's
Philadelphia Athletics in June 1946
.
Majeski immediately became the starting third baseman for the Athletics, appearing in 78 games. On July 29, 1947
, he escaped serious injury when he was hit in the head by a fastball
thrown by Chicago White Sox pitcher, Earl Harrist
. He ended the season with a .280 batting average
with 8 home runs, 72 runs batted in and, set a major league single-season record for third basemen with a .988 fielding percentage
. Majeski had his best season in 1948
, hitting for a .310 batting average along with 12 home runs, 120 runs batted in, .368 on base percentage
, and a .454 slugging percentage. He led the league once again with a .975 fielding percentage, finished third in assists
and in putout
s and finished 11th in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award. On August 27, 1948, Majeski set an American League
record for most doubles
in a doubleheader
with 6.
Majeski was a member of the 1949
Philadelphia Athletics team that set a major league team record of 217 double play
s, a record which still stood as of . On August 7, , Majeski was once again hit in the head by a fastball, this time thrown by Cleveland Indians pitcher Early Wynn
. Majeski seemed to fall out of favor with manager Connie Mack and he would be traded to the Chicago White Sox before the 1950
season. He rebounded with the White Sox to post a .309 batting average with 6 home runs and 46 runs batted in. After only a year and a half with the White Sox, he was traded back to the Athletics in June 1951
.
A year later, his contract was purchased by the Cleveland Indians where he served as a utility infielder
behind Al Rosen
, and helped tutor a young Bobby Avila
. Majeski helped the Indians win the American League Pennant, batting .281 with only 3 errors
while backing up Rosen at third base and filling in as a second baseman
when Avila was injured. He also hit a pinch hit three-run home run
in Game 4 of the 1954 World Series
in a losing cause against the New York Giants
. He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in June 1955
, and then retired as a player at the end of the season at the age of 38.
, accumulating 956 hits
in 3421 at bats for a .279 career batting average along with 57 home runs and 501 runs batted in. In , Majeski set a then-record .988 fielding percentage
, still the sixth highest single-season average for third basemen in major league baseball history. He ended his career with a .967 fielding percentage, the thirteenth highest average for third basemen in major league history.
in the Cleveland Indians organisation. In , he managed the Daytona Beach Islanders
to a fourth place finish in the Florida State League
, and in he led the Cocoa Indians to a sixth place finish. He returned to baseball in to manage one final time for the New York Yankees organisation with the Oneonta Yankees. Majesik also served as a scout for several teams. He later was the baseball coach
for Wagner College
and, was a batting
coach for the Houston Astros
.
Majeski died of cancer on Staten Island, New York on August 9, at the age of 74.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and minor league manager. He played as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in 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...
from to for the Boston Bees/Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1939–41), 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...
(1946), Philadelphia Athletics (1946–49 and 1951–52), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1950–51), Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1952–55) and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1955). He was known as one of the best fielding third basemen of his era, setting a major league single-season record for third basemen with a .988 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in .
Baseball career
Born in Staten Island, New York, Majeski began his professional baseball career as a second basemanSecond baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in at the age of 18 with the Eau Claire Bears
Eau Claire Bears
The Eau Claire Bears were a minor league baseball team from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. From 1933 until 1942 and 1946 until 1953, the team was a member of the Northern League. The Class C team was affiliated with the Chicago Cubs until 1939, and re-affiliated with the Boston Braves in 1947...
of the Northern League. In his second season at Eau Claire, he posted a .365 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
to finish as runnerup in the Northern League batting championship. His performance brought him to the attention of 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...
who signed him to a contract and sent him to play for their minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
affiliate, the Moline Plowboys
Moline Plowboys
The Moline Plowboys were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1914 to 1941. They were located in Moline, Illinois. From 1914 to 1923, they played in the Class B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League; from 1924 to 1932, they played in the Class D Mississippi Valley League; and from 1937 to 1941,...
of the Three-I League. Majeski continued to perform well, winning the Three-I League batting championship with a .345 batting average. He was traded to the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
in where he hit for a .325 average.
Majeski's contract was purchased by the Boston Braves, then known as the Boston Bees and, he made his major league debut with the team on May 17, 1939
1939 Boston Bees season
- Offseason :* December 16, 1938: Ray Mueller was traded by the Bees to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Johnny Dickshot, Al Todd and cash.* December 29, 1938: Al Simmons was purchased by the Bees from the Washington Senators for $3,000.- Notable transactions :...
at the age of 22. During his rookie season, Bees' manager Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
converted him into a third baseman. Majeski began the season hitting above .300 for the first half of the season before a mid-season slump
Slump (sports)
In sports, a slump is a period of time when player or team is not performing well or up to expectations. It is pretty much a dry spell or drought, though it is often misused to define a player's decline that is natural during their career....
saw his average dip to .238 but, he recovered to finish the year with a .272 average along with 7 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...
s and 54 runs batted in.
Majeski only appeared in 19 games for the Bees in 1940
1940 Boston Bees season
The Boston Bees season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Bees finished seventh in the National League with a record of 65 wins and 87 losses.- Notable transactions :* May 8, 1940: Roy Weir was purchased from the Bees by the Philadelphia Athletics....
, spending most of the season with the minor league Newark Bears, a New York Yankees farm team. Majeski hit for a .323 average during the Bears' season, then hit .478 in the post-season to help the Bears defeat the Louisville Colonels of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in the Junior World Series
Junior World Series
The Junior World Series was the name given to a postseason series between champions of two of the three high-minor baseball leagues, modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball...
. At the beginning of the 1941
1941 Boston Braves season
The Boston Braves season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Braves finished seventh in the National League with a record of 62 wins and 92 losses.- Notable transactions :...
season, Stengel decided to replace Majeski with Sibby Sisti
Sibby Sisti
Sebastian Daniel "Sibby" Sisti , was an American Major League Baseball utility player.-Playing career:Sisti stood 5' 11" tall and weighed 175 pounds...
as the Bees' third baseman and, in May 1941
1941 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 39th season for the team in New York, and its 41st season overall. The team finished with a record of 101-54, winning their 12th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played their home games at...
his contract was purchased by the New York Yankees. In while still playing for the Newark Bears, Majeski won the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
batting championship with a .345 batting average and was named the league's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
.
Majeski joined the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
in and missed the next three seasons before being discharged in November . He reported back to the Yankees in 1946
1946 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the team's 44th season in New York, and its 46th overall. The team finished with a record of 87-67, finishing 17 games behind of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy, Bill Dickey, and Johnny Neun...
and, after an impressive spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
performance, made the team as a substitute player. After appearing in only eight games, his contract was sold to Connie Mack's
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
Philadelphia Athletics in June 1946
1946 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 49 wins and 105 losses.- Regular season :...
.
Majeski immediately became the starting third baseman for the Athletics, appearing in 78 games. On July 29, 1947
1947 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing fifth in the American League with a record of 78 wins and 76 losses.Except for a fifth-place finish in 1944, the A’s finished in last or next-to-last place every year from 1935–1946...
, he escaped serious injury when he was hit in the head by a fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
thrown by Chicago White Sox pitcher, Earl Harrist
Earl Harrist
Earl "Irish" Harrist was born in Dubach, Louisiana on August 20, 1919. He was pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , the Chicago White Sox , the Washington Senators , the St...
. He ended the season with a .280 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 8 home runs, 72 runs batted in and, set a major league single-season record for third basemen with a .988 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. Majeski had his best season in 1948
1948 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 4th in the American League with a record of 84 wins and 70 losses.- Notable transactions :...
, hitting for a .310 batting average along with 12 home runs, 120 runs batted in, .368 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, and a .454 slugging percentage. He led the league once again with a .975 fielding percentage, finished third in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s and finished 11th in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award. On August 27, 1948, Majeski set an American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
record for most 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....
in a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
with 6.
Majeski was a member of the 1949
1949 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 5th in the American League with a record of 81 wins and 73 losses.- Offseason :* November 10, 1948: Tod Davis was drafted by the Athletics from the Chicago White Sox in the 1948 rule 5 draft....
Philadelphia Athletics team that set a major league team record of 217 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s, a record which still stood as of . On August 7, , Majeski was once again hit in the head by a fastball, this time thrown by Cleveland Indians pitcher Early Wynn
Early Wynn
Early Wynn Jr. , nicknamed "Gus", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 25-year baseball career, he pitched for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox...
. Majeski seemed to fall out of favor with manager Connie Mack and he would be traded to the Chicago White Sox before the 1950
1950 Chicago White Sox season
The 1950 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 50th season in the major leagues, and its 51st season overall. They finished with a record 60-94, good enough for sixth place in the American League, 38 games behind the first place New York Yankees....
season. He rebounded with the White Sox to post a .309 batting average with 6 home runs and 46 runs batted in. After only a year and a half with the White Sox, he was traded back to the Athletics in June 1951
1951 Philadelphia Athletics season
The 1951 Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing sixth in the American League with a record of 70 wins and 84 losses.- Offseason :...
.
A year later, his contract was purchased by the Cleveland Indians where he served as a utility infielder
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
behind Al Rosen
Al Rosen
Albert Leonard Rosen , nicknamed "Al", "Flip", and the "Hebrew Hammer", is a former American professional baseball player who was a third baseman and right-handed slugger in the Major Leagues for ten seasons in tthe 1940s and 1950s.He played his entire 10-year career with the Cleveland Indians in...
, and helped tutor a young Bobby Avila
Bobby Avila
Roberto Francisco Ávila González to Maria Gonzalez and Jorge Avila, was a Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter who played for the Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Tigres del México...
. Majeski helped the Indians win the American League Pennant, batting .281 with only 3 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
while backing up Rosen at third base and filling in as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
when Avila was injured. He also hit a pinch hit three-run 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...
in Game 4 of the 1954 World Series
1954 World Series
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the...
in a losing cause against the New York Giants
1954 New York Giants (MLB) season
The New York Giants season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Giants won the National League pennant with a record of 97 wins and 57 losses and then defeated the Cleveland Indians in the World Series.-Offseason:...
. He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in June 1955
1955 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1955 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 57 wins and 97 losses, 39 games behind the AL champion New York Yankees...
, and then retired as a player at the end of the season at the age of 38.
Career statistics
In a thirteen-year major league career, Majeski played in 1069 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 956 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 3421 at bats for a .279 career batting average along with 57 home runs and 501 runs batted in. In , Majeski set a then-record .988 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, still the sixth highest single-season average for third basemen in major league baseball history. He ended his career with a .967 fielding percentage, the thirteenth highest average for third basemen in major league history.
Managing and coaching career
After retiring as a player, Majeski took on the role of minor league managerManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in the Cleveland Indians organisation. In , he managed the Daytona Beach Islanders
Daytona Beach Islanders
Daytona Beach Islanders was the name used by several different minor league baseball teams that have all played in the Florida State League.-History:...
to a fourth place finish in the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
, and in he led the Cocoa Indians to a sixth place finish. He returned to baseball in to manage one final time for the New York Yankees organisation with the Oneonta Yankees. Majesik also served as a scout for several teams. He later was the baseball coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for Wagner College
Wagner College
Wagner College is a private, co-educational, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 total students located atop Grymes Hill in New York City's borough of Staten Island...
and, was 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...
coach for the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
.
Majeski died of cancer on Staten Island, New York on August 9, at the age of 74.