Mickey Cochrane
Encyclopedia
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane (April 6, 1903 – June 28, 1962) was a professional
baseball
player and manager
. He played in Major League Baseball
as a catcher
for the Philadelphia Athletics
and Detroit Tigers
. Cochrane was considered one of the best catchers in baseball history and is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
to Northern Irish immigrant John Cochrane, whose father had immigrated to Ulster from Scotland
and Scottish
immigrant Sadie Campbell. He was also known as "Black Mike", because of his fiery, competitive nature. Cochrane was educated at Boston University
where he played five sports, excelling at football and basketball. Although he considered himself better as a football player than as a baseball player, professional football wasn't as established as Major League Baseball at the time so, Cochrane signed a contract to play for the Portland Beavers
of the Pacific Coast League
in .
After just one season in the minor leagues
, Cochrane was promoted to the major leagues, making his debut with the Philadelphia Athletics on April 14, 1925
at the age of 22. He made an immediate impact by earning the starting catcher's assignment over Cy Perkins
, who was considered one of the best catchers in the major leagues at the time. A left-handed batter, Cochrane ran well enough that manager Connie Mack
would occasionally insert him into the leadoff spot in the batting order. Most frequently, Cochrane would bat third, but wherever he hit, his primary job was to get on base so that hard-hitting Al Simmons
and Jimmie Foxx
could drive him in. In May, he tied a major league record by hitting three home run
s in a game. He ended his rookie season with a .331 batting average
and a .397 on base percentage
, helping the Athletics to a second place finish.
By the start of the 1926
season, Cochrane was already considered the best catcher in the major leagues. Cochrane won the Most Valuable Player Award mostly due to his leadership and defensive skills, when he led the American League in putout
s and hit for a .293 batting average
along with 10 home run
s and 58 runs batted in. Cochrane was a catalyst in the pennant
-winning years of 1929
, 1930
and 1931
when he hit .331, .357 and .349 respectively. He played in three World Series
with the Athletics, and was sometimes blamed for the loss of the 1931 World Series
, when the St. Louis Cardinals
led by Pepper Martin
, stole eight bases in the series, although, in his book, The Life of a Baseball Hall of Fame Catcher, author Charlie Bevis cites the Philadelphia pitching staff's carelessness at holding baserunners close to their bases as a contributing factor. Regardless, the blame for the World Series loss would dog Cochrane for the rest of his life.
, Connie Mack started to disassemble his dynasty for financial reasons and sold Cochrane to the Detroit Tigers, who made him player-manager. It was with the Tigers that Cochrane cemented his reputation as a team leader. His competitive nature drove the Tigers, who had been picked to finish in fourth or fifth place, to the American League championship, their first pennant in twenty-five years. Cochrane's leadership skills won him the 1934
Most Valuable Player Award, remarkable considering that Lou Gehrig
won the Triple Crown and also finished with a much higher W.A.R.
(10.7 versus 4.3). He followed this by leading the Tigers to another American League pennant in and a victory over the Chicago Cubs
in the 1935 World Series
. Due in part to his high strung nature, he suffered a nervous breakdown during the 1936
season.
Cochrane's playing career came to a sudden end on May 25, 1937
when he was hit in the head by a pitch by Yankees
pitcher
Bump Hadley
. Hospitalized for seven days, the injury nearly killed him. His accident generated a call for batter helmets, but tradition won out. Ordered by doctors not to play baseball again (he was just 34 years old), Cochrane returned to the dugout but had lost his competitive fire. He managed for the remainder of the 1937 season and was replaced midway through the 1938
season. Cochrane's all-time managerial record was 348-250, for a .582 winning percentage.
Despite his head injury, Cochrane served in the United States Navy
during World War II
, as did Bill Dickey
of the Yankees, giving the Navy the two greatest catchers baseball had yet seen; with Yogi Berra
also serving but not yet having reached the major leagues, there were actually three possible "greatest catchers ever" in the WWII-era Navy. Having been a heavy smoker, Cochrane died in 1962 in Lake Forest, Illinois
of lymphatic cancer, at the age of 59.
in . His .419 on-base percentage is among the best in baseball history, and is the highest all-time among catchers. In , Cochrane became the first catcher in Major League Baseball history to score 100 runs
and have 100 RBI in the same season. He hit for the cycle
twice in his career, on July 22, 1932
and on August 2, 1933
. In his first 11 years, he never caught fewer than 110 games. Cochrane led American League catchers six times in putouts, and twice each in double play
s, assists
and fielding percentage
.
In 1947
, Cochrane became the second catcher enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame, after Roger Bresnahan
. With the Athletics having moved out of Philadelphia in 1954
, and never retiring the uniform number 2 he wore with them, the Philadelphia Phillies
honored Cochrane by electing him to the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame
at Veterans Stadium
. The Athletics' plaques from that display have been moved to the Philadelphia Athletics Museum in Hatboro, Pennsylvania
. The Tigers honored him by renaming National Avenue, behind the third-base stands at Tiger Stadium, Cochrane Avenue, but have never retired the uniform number 3 he wore with them.
In 1999
, he ranked number 65 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
. New York Yankees
Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle
was named after Cochrane.
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 and 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...
. He played 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...
as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
for 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....
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Cochrane was considered one of the best catchers in baseball history and is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Philadelphia Athletics
Cochrane was born in Bridgewater, MassachusettsBridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
to Northern Irish immigrant John Cochrane, whose father had immigrated to Ulster from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrant Sadie Campbell. He was also known as "Black Mike", because of his fiery, competitive nature. Cochrane was educated at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
where he played five sports, excelling at football and basketball. Although he considered himself better as a football player than as a baseball player, professional football wasn't as established as Major League Baseball at the time so, Cochrane signed a contract to play for the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
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 .
After just one season in the minor leagues
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...
, Cochrane was promoted to the major leagues, making his debut with the Philadelphia Athletics on April 14, 1925
1925 Philadelphia Athletics season
The 1925 Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing second in the American League with a record of 88 wins and 64 losses.- Offseason :* October 8, 1924: Lefty Grove was purchased by the Athletics from the Baltimore Orioles for $100,600....
at the age of 22. He made an immediate impact by earning the starting catcher's assignment over Cy Perkins
Cy Perkins
Ralph Foster "Cy" Perkins was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Perkins batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts....
, who was considered one of the best catchers in the major leagues at the time. A left-handed batter, Cochrane ran well enough that manager Connie Mack
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...
would occasionally insert him into the leadoff spot in the batting order. Most frequently, Cochrane would bat third, but wherever he hit, his primary job was to get on base so that hard-hitting Al Simmons
Al Simmons
Aloysius Harry Simmons , born Aloisius Szymanski in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was an American baseball player. He played for two decades in the major leagues as an outfielder, and had his best years as a member of Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics during the 1930's...
and Jimmie Foxx
Jimmie Foxx
James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
could drive him in. In May, he tied a major league record by hitting three 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 in a game. He ended his rookie season with a .331 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 :...
and a .397 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...
, helping the Athletics to a second place finish.
By the start of the 1926
1926 Philadelphia Athletics season
The 1926 Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing third in the American League with a record of 83 wins and 67 losses.- Regular season :...
season, Cochrane was already considered the best catcher in the major leagues. Cochrane won the Most Valuable Player Award mostly due to his leadership and defensive skills, when he led the American League 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 hit for a .293 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 :...
along with 10 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 58 runs batted in. Cochrane was a catalyst in the pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
-winning years of 1929
1929 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 1st in the American League with a record of 104 wins and 46 losses. After finishing in second place to the New York Yankees in and , the club won the 1929 pennant by a large 18-game margin...
, 1930
1930 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing first in the American League with a record of 102 wins and 52 losses. It was their second of three consecutive pennants. In the 1930 World Series, they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in six games. This was the A's final World Series...
and 1931
1931 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing first in the American League with a record of 107 wins and 45 losses. It was the team's third consecutive pennant-winning season and its third consecutive season with over 100 wins. However, in a major upset, the A's lost the 1931 World...
when he hit .331, .357 and .349 respectively. He played in three World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
with the Athletics, and was sometimes blamed for the loss of the 1931 World Series
1931 World Series
In the 1931 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Athletics in seven games, a rematch and reversal of fortunes of the 1930 World Series.The same two teams faced off during the 1930 World Series and the Athletics were victorious...
, when the St. Louis Cardinals
1931 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 50th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 40th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-53 during the season and finished first in the National League...
led by Pepper Martin
Pepper Martin
Johnny Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin was an American professional baseball player and minor league manager. He was known as the Wild Horse of the Osage because of his daring, aggressive baserunning abilities. Martin played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman and an outfielder for the St...
, stole eight bases in the series, although, in his book, The Life of a Baseball Hall of Fame Catcher, author Charlie Bevis cites the Philadelphia pitching staff's carelessness at holding baserunners close to their bases as a contributing factor. Regardless, the blame for the World Series loss would dog Cochrane for the rest of his life.
Detroit Tigers
In 19341934 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 10 at Polo Grounds: American League, 9-7-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player:**American League: Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers, C...
, Connie Mack started to disassemble his dynasty for financial reasons and sold Cochrane to the Detroit Tigers, who made him player-manager. It was with the Tigers that Cochrane cemented his reputation as a team leader. His competitive nature drove the Tigers, who had been picked to finish in fourth or fifth place, to the American League championship, their first pennant in twenty-five years. Cochrane's leadership skills won him the 1934
1934 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The season was the team's 34th since entering the American League in . The Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 101-53, the best winning percentage in team history. The team made its fourth World Series appearance, but...
Most Valuable Player Award, remarkable considering that 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...
won the Triple Crown and also finished with a much higher W.A.R.
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
(10.7 versus 4.3). He followed this by leading the Tigers to another American League pennant in and a victory over the Chicago Cubs
1935 Chicago Cubs season
- Regular season :Gabby Hartnett was the first National League catcher to win the MVP Award.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
in the 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
. Due in part to his high strung nature, he suffered a nervous breakdown during the 1936
1936 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The team finished second in the American League with a record of 83-71, 19½ games behind the New York Yankees.- Offseason :...
season.
Cochrane's playing career came to a sudden end on May 25, 1937
1937 Detroit Tigers season
The 1937 Detroit Tigers finished in second place in the American League with a record of 89-65. The team finished 13 games behind the New York Yankees. Their winning percentage of .578 ranks as the 15th best season in Detroit Tigers history....
when he was hit in the head by a pitch by 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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Bump Hadley
Bump Hadley
Irving Darius Hadley was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he played the major leagues for the Washington Senators , Chicago White Sox , St...
. Hospitalized for seven days, the injury nearly killed him. His accident generated a call for batter helmets, but tradition won out. Ordered by doctors not to play baseball again (he was just 34 years old), Cochrane returned to the dugout but had lost his competitive fire. He managed for the remainder of the 1937 season and was replaced midway through the 1938
1938 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The Detroit Tigers compiled a record of 84 wins and 70 losses, good enough for fourth place in the American League...
season. Cochrane's all-time managerial record was 348-250, for a .582 winning percentage.
Despite his head injury, Cochrane served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as did Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey
William Malcolm Dickey was a Major League Baseball catcher and manager.He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the New York Yankees . During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships...
of the Yankees, giving the Navy the two greatest catchers baseball had yet seen; with Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
also serving but not yet having reached the major leagues, there were actually three possible "greatest catchers ever" in the WWII-era Navy. Having been a heavy smoker, Cochrane died in 1962 in Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
of lymphatic cancer, at the age of 59.
Career statistics and honors
Cochrane compiled a .320 batting average while hitting 119 home runs over a 13 year playing career. His .320 batting average was the highest career total for catchers until being surpassed by Joe MauerJoe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles...
in . His .419 on-base percentage is among the best in baseball history, and is the highest all-time among catchers. In , Cochrane became the first catcher in Major League Baseball history to score 100 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 have 100 RBI in the same season. He hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In 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...
twice in his career, on July 22, 1932
1932 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing second in the American League with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses. The team finished 13 games behind the New York Yankees, breaking their streak of three straight AL championships....
and on August 2, 1933
1933 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 79 wins and 72 losses. Jimmie Foxx became the first player to win two American League MVP Awards.- Regular season :...
. In his first 11 years, he never caught fewer than 110 games. Cochrane led American League catchers six times in putouts, and twice each in 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, 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 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 1947
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1947
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1947 followed yet another round of reform. The Baseball Writers Association of America continued to vote by mail but the Hall of Fame Committee had revised the procedures for that election and reduced its historical jurisdiction relative to the Old-Timers...
, Cochrane became the second catcher enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame, after Roger Bresnahan
Roger Bresnahan
Roger Philip Bresnahan , nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee" for his Irish roots, was an American player in Major League Baseball who starred primarily as a catcher and a player-manager...
. With the Athletics having moved out of Philadelphia in 1954
1954 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* World Series: New York Giants over Cleveland Indians * All-Star Game, July 13 at Municipal Stadium: American League, 11-9-Other champions:* Caribbean World Series: Caguas Creoles [Criollos de Caguas]...
, and never retiring the uniform number 2 he wore with them, 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...
honored Cochrane by electing him to the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame
Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame
The Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame is a collection of plaques, mounted on a brick wall in the Ashburn Alley section of Citizens Bank Park, the ballpark of the Philadelphia Phillies...
at 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...
. The Athletics' plaques from that display have been moved to the Philadelphia Athletics Museum in Hatboro, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The Tigers honored him by renaming National Avenue, behind the third-base stands at Tiger Stadium, Cochrane Avenue, but have never retired the uniform number 3 he wore with them.
In 1999
1999 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; Mariano Rivera, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Orlando Hernández**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Eddie Pérez...
, he ranked number 65 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 All-Century Team
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century...
. 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...
Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
was named after Cochrane.
See also
- 1935 Detroit Tigers season1935 Detroit Tigers seasonThe Detroit Tigers won the 1935 World Series, defeating the Chicago Cubs 4 games to 2. The season was their 35th since they entered the American League in 1901...
- 1937 Detroit Tigers season1937 Detroit Tigers seasonThe 1937 Detroit Tigers finished in second place in the American League with a record of 89-65. The team finished 13 games behind the New York Yankees. Their winning percentage of .578 ranks as the 15th best season in Detroit Tigers history....
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- 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...