Jim Rivera
Encyclopedia
Manuel Joseph "Jim" Rivera (born July 22, 1922) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
and left-handed batter who played for the St. Louis Browns
(1952), Chicago White Sox
(1952–1961) and Kansas City Athletics
(1961). Born to Puerto Rican
immigrants in New York, NY, he was called "Jungle Jim" due largely to his unorthodox playing style, and for his highly extroverted personality. Rivera threw and batted left-handed
; he stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 196 pounds (88.9 kg) in his playing days.
In the 1950s, Rivera was a sparkplug for the White Sox. A smart and fast runner, he ran the bases with abandon, sliding into bases on his belly before it was fashionable, and made many a game-saving catch in the right field. A ground ball hitter, he used his speed to full advantage and was a much tougher in clutch situations.
In Rivera led the American League
in stolen bases, being six times runner-up behind Minnie Miñoso (1952–53), Jackie Jensen
(1954) and Luis Aparicio
(1956–58).
In his 10-year career Rivera batted
.256 with 83 home run
s, 422 RBIs
, 503 runs, 155 doubles
, 56 triples
, and 160 stolen bases in 1171 games played
.
Jim Rivera said Whitey Ford
was the "toughest" pitcher he ever faced, and the nickname
"Jungle Jim" came from a writer at The Chicago Sun Times referencing the way Rivera ran the bases head first.
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...
and left-handed batter who played for the St. Louis Browns
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...
(1952), 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...
(1952–1961) and Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1961). Born to Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
immigrants in New York, NY, he was called "Jungle Jim" due largely to his unorthodox playing style, and for his highly extroverted personality. Rivera threw and batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
; he stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 196 pounds (88.9 kg) in his playing days.
In the 1950s, Rivera was a sparkplug for the White Sox. A smart and fast runner, he ran the bases with abandon, sliding into bases on his belly before it was fashionable, and made many a game-saving catch in the right field. A ground ball hitter, he used his speed to full advantage and was a much tougher in clutch situations.
In Rivera led the 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...
in stolen bases, being six times runner-up behind Minnie Miñoso (1952–53), Jackie Jensen
Jackie Jensen
Jack Eugene Jensen was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for three American League teams from 1950 to 1961, most notably the Boston Red Sox...
(1954) and Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
(1956–58).
In his 10-year career Rivera batted
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 :...
.256 with 83 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, 422 RBIs
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...
, 503 runs, 155 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....
, 56 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....
, and 160 stolen bases in 1171 games played
Games 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,...
.
Jim Rivera said Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
was the "toughest" pitcher he ever faced, and the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Jungle Jim" came from a writer at The Chicago Sun Times referencing the way Rivera ran the bases head first.
See also
External links
- Baseball Library
- http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1987&pid=11996Smiley, Richard, Jim Rivera, SABRSociety for American Baseball ResearchThe Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
Baseball Biography Project]