Joe Judge
Encyclopedia
Joseph Ignatius Judge was an American
first baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played nearly his entire career for the Washington Senators
. He set American League
records for career games (2,056), putout
s (19,021), assists
(1,284), total chances
(20,444), double play
s (1,476) and fielding percentage
(.993) at first base, and led the AL in fielding average five times, then a record. He also batted
over .300 nine times, and hit .385 in the 1924 World Series
as the Senators won their only championship. At the end of his career he ranked tenth in AL history in hits
(2,328) and doubles
(431), seventh in games played
(2,129), eighth in triples
(158) and at bat
s (7,786), and ninth in walks
(958).
, New York
, and grew up on New York's Upper East Side
near 66th Street and 1st Avenue on what is now the site of Rockefeller University
. He was noticed as a 12-year-old shortstop
by a local postman, Bud Hannah, who bought him a first baseman's glove so that he could play at a more natural position. After playing semipro ball in the New York area and having a tryout with the New York Giants
in 1911, he signed with the Boston Red Sox
in 1914. He hit over .300 as a minor leaguer before his contract was sold to the Senators in , and broke into the major leagues with 12 games late that season. Right fielder Sam Rice
, who would be his teammate for the next 18 years, made his debut a month earlier.
In the early years of his career, Judge was slowed by the dead ball
, and by playing his home games in Griffith Stadium
, which defied power hitting. In 12 of his 18 seasons with the Senators, fewer home run
s were hit there than in any other AL park. Judge hit 2 home runs in , but that was half of the entire team's total of 4 (three of which were hit in road games; also, opponents hit only 3 HRs while visiting Washington); the only major league team since 1900 to have fewer home runs were the Chicago White Sox
, who had 3. Judge ended 1917 with the seventh highest slugging average in the AL at .417, despite having only 2 homers and 15 doubles
; however, he also added 15 triples
, one of three times he would hit that many. In 1918, he had one of the Senators' five total home runs. In he set a club record with 81 walks, topping the total of 74 shared by Clyde Milan
and Doc Gessler
; Joe Cronin
broke his record with 95 in .
On July 1, , Judge preserved the only no-hitter
of Walter Johnson
's career by snaring Harry Hooper
's line drive
down the first base line, tossing the ball to Johnson for the final out of the 1-0 victory over the Red Sox. He ended the season with a career-high .333 batting average, and would hit over .300 every year through 1930 except 1922 and 1926. In he tied Ed Delahanty
's club record of 10 home runs; Goose Goslin
broke the record with 12 in . Judge also passed Howard Shanks to take over the team's career home run record with 27; Goslin moved ahead of him in . In addition, Judge collected 15 triples again along with 32 doubles, and finished eighth in the MVP
voting. His 131 double plays that year broke Earl Sheely
's AL record of 121 and came within one of George Kelly
's major league mark, both set in ; Joe Hauser
tied the AL record in 1924 before Sheely broke it again with 136 in 1925.
The Senators had traditionally struggled, finishing higher than fourth place only four times in their first two decades, but now entered the strongest period in their history. Second baseman Bucky Harris
had joined the starting lineup in 1920, and shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh
had been acquired in 1922, with rookie third baseman Ossie Bluege
also arriving briefly the same year. In 1922 Washington set a major league team record of 161 double plays, breaking the mark of 155 shared by the 1921 Giants and White Sox, and in – the first full season in which all four played together – the Senators shattered their own mark with 182; the record would be broken by the Cincinnati Reds
, with 194. In 1923 the Senators also became only the fifth team in major league history – and the first since the Philadelphia Athletics
with their "$100,000 infield" – to have all four infielders lead the league in double plays. Judge led the AL in fielding for the first time that year with a .993 average.
In 1924 the Senators won their first pennant, edging the three-time defending league champion New York Yankees
by two games. Batting fifth in the World Series against the Giants, Judge scored on Peckinpaugh's double with one out in the ninth inning of Game 2 for a 4-3 victory; he also completed three double plays in the game, one of which ended an inning with the bases loaded. He got three hits each in the losses in Games 3 and 5; Washington took the Series in seven games, winning 4-3 in 12 innings in the last game. They repeated as league champions in 1925, with Judge again pacing the AL with a .993 fielding average, and met the Pittsburgh Pirates
in the World Series
. Batting cleanup, Judge hit a home run in the second inning of Game 2 at Forbes Field
for a 1-0 lead, though Pittsburgh won 3-2. In Game 3 he doubled to drive in the tying run in the third inning, and had a sacrifice fly
with the bases loaded in the seventh to again tie the game 3-3; Washington went on to win 4-3. In Game 7 he drew a bases-loaded walk and later scored in a 4-run first inning, but Pittsburgh came back to win 9-7 and take the championship.
Despite his small frame for a first baseman – 5 feet 8½ inches and 155 pounds – Judge led the AL in fielding average five times, an AL record for first basemen until Don Mattingly
did so six times between 1984 and 1993. (Some sources credit Judge with leading the AL six times, but they count 1924 as a tie when he actually lost the title to Wally Pipp
by a fraction of a point.) He led the AL in (.996), 1929 (.996) and (.998), committing only two errors
in the latter season. In 1926 he broke Clyde Milan's team record of 105 career triples, though Sam Rice passed him the next year. In 1927, Judge also tied Milan's team record of 685 career walks. His career .993 fielding average set an AL mark that stood for more than three decades. In Judge collected a career-best 93 runs batted in
and finished third in the MVP balloting. That year he passed George Burns
to take over the league record for career games at first base, and he broke Burns' AL mark of 16,892 career putouts in 1929 and his record of 18,231 total chances in 1930. Judge broke George Sisler
's AL record of 1134 career double plays in 1928, and his mark of 1251 career assists in . In 1930 he enjoyed his last strong season, again reaching double figures in doubles (29), triples (11) and home runs (10). By the time he left the Senators after the 1932 season he was among the AL's top ten players in career runs
and total bases
, though he was edged out of the top ten by the time he retired.
Judge was disappointed over not being named manager
of the Senators in , being passed over in favor of 26-year-old shortstop Cronin, who led the team to the pennant in his first year. Although Judge had no hard feelings about the decision, respecting owner Clark Griffith
's hunch and remembering that 27-year-old Harris had managed the Senators to the 1924 championship in his first year, he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers
for the 1933 season. After hitting .214 in 42 games in his first National League
experience, he switched to the Red Sox in midseason and batted .296 in 35 games for them. He finished his career with 10 games for the Red Sox in early , batting .333, and then briefly managed the minor league Baltimore Orioles
for several weeks.
In a 20-season career, Judge hit .298 with 1034 RBI in 2171 games; he also collected 2,352 hits and 213 stolen base
s with a .378 on base percentage
. He ranked second to Sam Rice in Washington history in games (2084), at bats (7663), hits (2291), runs (1154), RBI (1004), doubles (421), triples (157) and total bases (3239). His 71 career home runs, all with Washington, were second in club history to Goslin's 125. His 249 sacrifice hit
s for the team remain the record for the Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise. His 2084 career games at first base then trailed only Jake Beckley
(2377) and Charlie Grimm
(2094) in major league history, and his 1500 double plays trailed only Grimm's 1698. Lou Gehrig
broke his AL records for career games, putouts, total chances and double plays at first base in ; Mickey Vernon
broke his league record for career assists in . Eddie Yost
broke his franchise record of 943 career walks in 1955 as well.
Following his retirement as a player, Judge coached the Georgetown University
baseball team between 1936 and 1958, except for two seasons of service as a Senators coach in -46
under Ossie Bluege
, who was now the manager. With his 1946 service, Judge barely qualified for the newly established pension system; his initial $250 investment qualified him for a $510 monthly pension after he turned 63. He was offered the Senators' managing job after the 1947 season, but declined due to his desire to not travel heavily.
Judge's son Joseph Judge
became a writer and editor, most notably at National Geographic.
Judge died at 68 years of age after suffering a heart attack
while shoveling snow outside his home in the Chevy Chase
neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
, and was buried in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
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...
who played nearly his entire career for the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He set 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...
records for career games (2,056), 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 (19,021), 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...
(1,284), total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(20,444), 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 (1,476) and 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...
(.993) at first base, and led the AL in fielding average five times, then a record. He also 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 :...
over .300 nine times, and hit .385 in the 1924 World Series
1924 World Series
In the 1924 World Series, the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in seven games. The Giants became the first team to play in four consecutive World Series, winning in 1921–1922 and losing in 1923–1924. Their long-time manager, John McGraw, made his ninth and final World Series appearance...
as the Senators won their only championship. At the end of his career he ranked tenth in AL history in 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....
(2,328) and 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....
(431), seventh in 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,...
(2,129), eighth 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....
(158) and at bat
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...
s (7,786), and ninth in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(958).
Career
Judge, who batted and threw left-handed, was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and grew up on New York's Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
near 66th Street and 1st Avenue on what is now the site of Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
. He was noticed as a 12-year-old shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
by a local postman, Bud Hannah, who bought him a first baseman's glove so that he could play at a more natural position. After playing semipro ball in the New York area and having a tryout with 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....
in 1911, he signed with the 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"...
in 1914. He hit over .300 as a minor leaguer before his contract was sold to the Senators in , and broke into the major leagues with 12 games late that season. Right fielder Sam Rice
Sam Rice
Edgar Charles "Sam" Rice was an American pitcher and right fielder in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963....
, who would be his teammate for the next 18 years, made his debut a month earlier.
In the early years of his career, Judge was slowed by the dead ball
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
, and by playing his home games in Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park had been built on the same site in 1891...
, which defied power hitting. In 12 of his 18 seasons with the Senators, fewer 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 were hit there than in any other AL park. Judge hit 2 home runs in , but that was half of the entire team's total of 4 (three of which were hit in road games; also, opponents hit only 3 HRs while visiting Washington); the only major league team since 1900 to have fewer home runs were the 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...
, who had 3. Judge ended 1917 with the seventh highest slugging average in the AL at .417, despite having only 2 homers and 15 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....
; however, he also added 15 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....
, one of three times he would hit that many. In 1918, he had one of the Senators' five total home runs. In he set a club record with 81 walks, topping the total of 74 shared by Clyde Milan
Clyde Milan
Jesse Clyde Milan was an American baseball player who spent his entire career as an outfielder with the Washington Senators . He was not a powerful batter, but was adept at getting on base and was fleet of foot, receiving the nickname "Deerfoot" for his speed...
and Doc Gessler
Doc Gessler
Henry Homer "Doc" Gessler was a Major League Baseball player born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania who began his eight season career, at the age of 22, with the Detroit Tigers in . He played mainly as a right fielder in a career that totaled 880 games played, 2969 at bats, 831 hits, 363 RBIs and 14...
; Joe Cronin
Joe Cronin
Joseph Edward Cronin was a Major League Baseball shortstop and manager.During a 20-year playing career, he played from 1926–45 for three different teams, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. Cronin was a major league manager from 1933–47...
broke his record with 95 in .
On July 1, , Judge preserved the only no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
of Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
's career by snaring Harry Hooper
Harry Hooper
Harry Bartholomew Hooper was a Major League Baseball player in the early 20th century. Hooper batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Hooper was born in Bell Station, California. A graduate in engineering at Saint Mary's College of California, he broke into the majors with the Red Sox in 1909,...
's line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
down the first base line, tossing the ball to Johnson for the final out of the 1-0 victory over the Red Sox. He ended the season with a career-high .333 batting average, and would hit over .300 every year through 1930 except 1922 and 1926. In he tied Ed Delahanty
Ed Delahanty
Edward James Delahanty , nicknamed "Big Ed", was a Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 for the Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators, and was known as one of the early great power hitters in the game.He was elected to the Baseball Hall of...
's club record of 10 home runs; Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
broke the record with 12 in . Judge also passed Howard Shanks to take over the team's career home run record with 27; Goslin moved ahead of him in . In addition, Judge collected 15 triples again along with 32 doubles, and finished eighth in the 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...
voting. His 131 double plays that year broke Earl Sheely
Earl Sheely
Earl Homer Sheely born in Bushnell, Illinois was a first baseman for the Chicago White Sox , Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Braves ....
's AL record of 121 and came within one of George Kelly
George Kelly (baseball player)
George Lange Kelly , nicknamed "Long George" and "High Pockets", was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He played most of his MLB career for the New York Giants , but also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs , and Brooklyn Dodgers...
's major league mark, both set in ; Joe Hauser
Joe Hauser
Joseph John "Unser Choe" Hauser is a former professional baseball player who played first baseman in the major leagues from 1922–1929, with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians...
tied the AL record in 1924 before Sheely broke it again with 136 in 1925.
The Senators had traditionally struggled, finishing higher than fourth place only four times in their first two decades, but now entered the strongest period in their history. Second baseman Bucky Harris
Bucky Harris
Stanley Raymond "Bucky" Harris was a Major League Baseball player, manager and executive. In 1975, the Veterans Committee elected Harris, as a manager, to the Baseball Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
had joined the starting lineup in 1920, and shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh
Roger Peckinpaugh
Roger Thorpe Peckinpaugh was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox...
had been acquired in 1922, with rookie third baseman Ossie Bluege
Ossie Bluege
Oswald Louis "Ossie" Bluege was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Washington Senators from 1922 through 1939...
also arriving briefly the same year. In 1922 Washington set a major league team record of 161 double plays, breaking the mark of 155 shared by the 1921 Giants and White Sox, and in – the first full season in which all four played together – the Senators shattered their own mark with 182; the record would be broken by the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, with 194. In 1923 the Senators also became only the fifth team in major league history – and the first since the Philadelphia 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....
with their "$100,000 infield" – to have all four infielders lead the league in double plays. Judge led the AL in fielding for the first time that year with a .993 average.
In 1924 the Senators won their first pennant, edging the three-time defending league champion 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...
by two games. Batting fifth in the World Series against the Giants, Judge scored on Peckinpaugh's double with one out in the ninth inning of Game 2 for a 4-3 victory; he also completed three double plays in the game, one of which ended an inning with the bases loaded. He got three hits each in the losses in Games 3 and 5; Washington took the Series in seven games, winning 4-3 in 12 innings in the last game. They repeated as league champions in 1925, with Judge again pacing the AL with a .993 fielding average, and met the 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...
in the World Series
1925 World Series
In the 1925 World Series, the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the defending champion Washington Senators in seven games.In a reversal of fortune on all counts from the previous 1924 World Series, when Washington's Walter Johnson had come back from two losses to win the seventh and deciding game, Johnson...
. Batting cleanup, Judge hit a home run in the second inning of Game 2 at Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
for a 1-0 lead, though Pittsburgh won 3-2. In Game 3 he doubled to drive in the tying run in the third inning, and had a sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
with the bases loaded in the seventh to again tie the game 3-3; Washington went on to win 4-3. In Game 7 he drew a bases-loaded walk and later scored in a 4-run first inning, but Pittsburgh came back to win 9-7 and take the championship.
Despite his small frame for a first baseman – 5 feet 8½ inches and 155 pounds – Judge led the AL in fielding average five times, an AL record for first basemen until Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
did so six times between 1984 and 1993. (Some sources credit Judge with leading the AL six times, but they count 1924 as a tie when he actually lost the title to Wally Pipp
Wally Pipp
Walter Clement Pipp was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball, now best remembered as the man who lost his starting role to Lou Gehrig at the beginning of Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games....
by a fraction of a point.) He led the AL in (.996), 1929 (.996) and (.998), committing only two 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 ...
in the latter season. In 1926 he broke Clyde Milan's team record of 105 career triples, though Sam Rice passed him the next year. In 1927, Judge also tied Milan's team record of 685 career walks. His career .993 fielding average set an AL mark that stood for more than three decades. In Judge collected a career-best 93 runs batted in
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...
and finished third in the MVP balloting. That year he passed George Burns
George Burns (first baseman)
George Henry Burns , nicknamed "Tioga George," was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from to...
to take over the league record for career games at first base, and he broke Burns' AL mark of 16,892 career putouts in 1929 and his record of 18,231 total chances in 1930. Judge broke George Sisler
George Sisler
George Harold Sisler , nicknamed "Gentleman George" and "Gorgeous George," was an American professional baseball player for 15 seasons, primarily as first baseman with the St. Louis Browns...
's AL record of 1134 career double plays in 1928, and his mark of 1251 career assists in . In 1930 he enjoyed his last strong season, again reaching double figures in doubles (29), triples (11) and home runs (10). By the time he left the Senators after the 1932 season he was among the AL's top ten players in career 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...
and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
, though he was edged out of the top ten by the time he retired.
Judge was disappointed over not being named manager
Manager (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...
of the Senators in , being passed over in favor of 26-year-old shortstop Cronin, who led the team to the pennant in his first year. Although Judge had no hard feelings about the decision, respecting owner Clark Griffith
Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...
's hunch and remembering that 27-year-old Harris had managed the Senators to the 1924 championship in his first year, he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers
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...
for the 1933 season. After hitting .214 in 42 games in his first 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...
experience, he switched to the Red Sox in midseason and batted .296 in 35 games for them. He finished his career with 10 games for the Red Sox in early , batting .333, and then briefly managed the minor league Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
for several weeks.
In a 20-season career, Judge hit .298 with 1034 RBI in 2171 games; he also collected 2,352 hits and 213 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 with a .378 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...
. He ranked second to Sam Rice in Washington history in games (2084), at bats (7663), hits (2291), runs (1154), RBI (1004), doubles (421), triples (157) and total bases (3239). His 71 career home runs, all with Washington, were second in club history to Goslin's 125. His 249 sacrifice hit
Sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s for the team remain the record for the Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise. His 2084 career games at first base then trailed only Jake Beckley
Jake Beckley
Jacob Peter Beckley , nicknamed "Eagle Eye", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri.-Professional career:...
(2377) and Charlie Grimm
Charlie Grimm
Charles John Grimm , nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was a first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Chicago Cubs; he was also a sometime radio broadcaster, and a popular goodwill ambassador for baseball...
(2094) in major league history, and his 1500 double plays trailed only Grimm's 1698. Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
broke his AL records for career games, putouts, total chances and double plays at first base in ; Mickey Vernon
Mickey Vernon
James Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...
broke his league record for career assists in . Eddie Yost
Eddie Yost
Edward Frederick Joseph Yost is a former professional baseball player and coach. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a third baseman for the Washington Senators, before ending his career with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Angels. Yost batted and threw right-handed...
broke his franchise record of 943 career walks in 1955 as well.
Following his retirement as a player, Judge coached the Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
baseball team between 1936 and 1958, except for two seasons of service as a Senators coach in -46
1946 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox *All-Star Game, July 9 at Fenway Park: American League, 12–0-Other champions:*Negro League World Series: Newark Eagles over Kansas City Monarchs...
under Ossie Bluege
Ossie Bluege
Oswald Louis "Ossie" Bluege was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Washington Senators from 1922 through 1939...
, who was now the manager. With his 1946 service, Judge barely qualified for the newly established pension system; his initial $250 investment qualified him for a $510 monthly pension after he turned 63. He was offered the Senators' managing job after the 1947 season, but declined due to his desire to not travel heavily.
Judge's son Joseph Judge
Joseph Judge
was a writer and editor for National Geographic Magazine, retiring as Senior Associate Editor in 1990 after 25 years of service.-Early life:...
became a writer and editor, most notably at National Geographic.
Judge died at 68 years of age after suffering a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while shoveling snow outside his home in the Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C.
Chevy Chase is a neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C. It borders Chevy Chase, Maryland, a collection of similarly affluent neighborhoods.-Geography:...
neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and was buried in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
.
Trivia
- Walter Johnson's roommate, Judge virtually ended Johnson's career in 1927 spring training when a batting practice line drive broke his ankle.
- The character of Joe Hardy in Damn YankeesDamn YankeesDamn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League...
may have been based on Joe Judge. The author, Douglass WallopDouglass WallopJohn Douglass Wallop III was an American novelist and playwright.-Early life:John Douglass Wallop III was born on March 8, 1920 to John Douglass, Jr., an insurance agent, and Marjorie Wallop ....
, dated Judge's daughter Dorothy in the 1940s.
See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- Murderers' RowMurderers' RowMurderers’ Row was the nickname given to the New York Yankees baseball team of the late 1920s, in particular the first six hitters in the 1927 team lineup: Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bob Meusel and Tony Lazzeri....
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball triples records