Jigger Statz
Encyclopedia
Arnold John "Jigger" Statz (October 20, 1897 – March 16, 1988) was a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who also had a lengthy minor league
career.
Statz attended Holy Cross College
in Worcester, Massachusetts
, where he moved from Illinois along with his parents at an early age. He played baseball for two years at Holy Cross before enlisting in the U. S. Navy during World War I
. Though he signed with the Giants in 1919, Statz continued his studies at Holy Cross and graduated with his class in 1921.
Jigger Statz played in the major leagues during eight seasons from 1919 to 1928 for the Chicago Cubs
, New York Giants
, Boston Red Sox
, and Brooklyn Robins
. His best season was in 1923 with the Cubs, when he played in all 154 games, compiling a .319 batting average, with 10 home runs and 70 runs batted in.
Statz also played 18 minor league
seasons, all of them for the Los Angeles Angels
of the Pacific Coast League
. In an era when many players had lengthy minor league careers, Jigger Statz's statistics surpassed those of his contemporaries, e.g. a grand total of 4,093 major and minor league hits, and a total number of games played which was exceeded only by Pete Rose
.
Statz had a distinguished career in the Pacific Coast League. He holds the PCL records for games played (2790), hits (3356), doubles (597), triples (136), and runs scored (1996). His career PCL batting average was .315. The year after his playing career ended, he was a member of the first group of players elected to the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame.
Statz managed for five years in the minor leagues. He was the Angels' player-manager during 1940-41-42, and managed the Visalia Cubs of the California League
in 1948-49.
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 also had a lengthy minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
career.
Statz attended Holy Cross College
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, where he moved from Illinois along with his parents at an early age. He played baseball for two years at Holy Cross before enlisting in the U. S. Navy during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Though he signed with the Giants in 1919, Statz continued his studies at Holy Cross and graduated with his class in 1921.
Jigger Statz played in the major leagues during eight seasons from 1919 to 1928 for 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...
, 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....
, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, and Brooklyn Robins
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. His best season was in 1923 with the Cubs, when he played in all 154 games, compiling a .319 batting average, with 10 home runs and 70 runs batted in.
Statz also played 18 minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
seasons, all of them for the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. In an era when many players had lengthy minor league careers, Jigger Statz's statistics surpassed those of his contemporaries, e.g. a grand total of 4,093 major and minor league hits, and a total number of games played which was exceeded only by Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
.
Statz had a distinguished career in the Pacific Coast League. He holds the PCL records for games played (2790), hits (3356), doubles (597), triples (136), and runs scored (1996). His career PCL batting average was .315. The year after his playing career ended, he was a member of the first group of players elected to the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame.
Statz managed for five years in the minor leagues. He was the Angels' player-manager during 1940-41-42, and managed the Visalia Cubs of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
in 1948-49.