Bill Dickey
⭐ Hall of Fame 1954
Born: 6/6/1907 in Bastrop, LA, USA
Died: 11/12/1993 in Little Rock, AR, USA
MLB Debut: 1928-08-15 | Final Game: 1946-09-08
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: William Malcolm Dickey
Biography
Bill Dickey, born in 1907, was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1928 to 1946. As a key figure in the New York Yankees dynasty during the 1930s and early 1940s, Dickey established himself as one of the premier catchers of his era. Over his 18-year career, he played in 1,789 games, accumulating 1,969 hits, 202 home runs, and 1,209 RBIs, while boasting an impressive batting average of .313. In addition to his offensive prowess, Dickey was known for his defensive skills behind the plate, contributing to his team's success in an era marked by intense competition.
Dickey was selected as an All-Star 11 times and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954, solidifying his legacy in the sport. His contributions were especially significant during a time when the Yankees were redefining excellence in Major League Baseball, and he played a crucial role in helping the team secure several championships. Beyond his individual accolades, Dickey's influence extended to future generations of catchers, as he was known for his ability to handle pitchers and manage the game from behind the plate, making him a vital component of the Yankees' storied history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 6300 | 930 | 1969 | 343 | 72 | 202 | 1209 | 37 | 678 | 289 | 0.313 | 0.382 | 0.486 | 0.868 | 23513.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | NYY | AL | 10 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1929 | NYY | AL | 130 | 447 | 60 | 145 | 30 | 6 | 10 | 65 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 0.324 | 583.2 |
| 1930 | NYY | AL | 109 | 366 | 55 | 124 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 65 | 7 | 21 | 14 | 0.339 | 618.7 |
| 1931 | NYY | AL | 130 | 477 | 65 | 156 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 78 | 2 | 39 | 20 | 0.327 | 1179.4 |
| 1932 | NYY | AL | 108 | 423 | 66 | 131 | 20 | 4 | 15 | 84 | 2 | 34 | 13 | 0.310 | 1159.6 |
| 1933 | NYY | AL | 130 | 478 | 58 | 152 | 24 | 8 | 14 | 97 | 3 | 47 | 14 | 0.318 | 2171.1 |
| 1934 | NYY | AL | 104 | 395 | 56 | 127 | 24 | 4 | 12 | 72 | 0 | 38 | 18 | 0.322 | 1449.9 |
| 1935 | NYY | AL | 120 | 448 | 54 | 125 | 26 | 6 | 14 | 81 | 1 | 35 | 11 | 0.279 | 635.5 |
| 1936 | NYY | AL | 112 | 423 | 99 | 153 | 26 | 8 | 22 | 107 | 0 | 46 | 16 | 0.362 | 3269.2 |
| 1937 | NYY | AL | 140 | 530 | 87 | 176 | 35 | 2 | 29 | 133 | 3 | 73 | 22 | 0.332 | 3753.2 |
| 1938 | NYY | AL | 132 | 454 | 84 | 142 | 27 | 4 | 27 | 115 | 3 | 75 | 22 | 0.313 | 3162.2 |
| 1939 | NYY | AL | 128 | 480 | 98 | 145 | 23 | 3 | 24 | 105 | 5 | 77 | 37 | 0.302 | 2500.9 |
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 106 | 372 | 45 | 92 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 54 | 0 | 48 | 32 | 0.247 | -224.1 |
| 1941 | NYY | AL | 109 | 348 | 35 | 99 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 71 | 2 | 45 | 17 | 0.284 | 812.3 |
| 1942 | NYY | AL | 82 | 268 | 28 | 79 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 37 | 2 | 26 | 11 | 0.295 | 438.9 |
| 1943 | NYY | AL | 85 | 242 | 29 | 85 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 33 | 2 | 41 | 12 | 0.351 | 1844.8 |
| 1946 | NYY | AL | 54 | 134 | 10 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 19 | 12 | 0.261 | 158.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 145 | 19 | 37 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 15 | 12 | 0.255 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | WS | NYA | 5 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0.278 |
| 1942 | WS | NYA | 5 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.263 |
| 1941 | WS | NYA | 5 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0.167 |
| 1939 | WS | NYA | 4 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0.267 |
| 1938 | WS | NYA | 4 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.400 |
| 1937 | WS | NYA | 5 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0.211 |
| 1936 | WS | NYA | 6 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0.120 |
| 1932 | WS | NYA | 4 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0.438 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 1708 | 0 | 7965 | 954 | 108 | 137 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | NYA | C | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929 | NYA | C | 127 | 0 | 476 | 95 | 12 | 13 |
| 1930 | NYA | C | 101 | 0 | 418 | 51 | 11 | 5 |
| 1931 | NYA | C | 125 | 0 | 670 | 78 | 3 | 6 |
| 1932 | NYA | C | 108 | 0 | 639 | 53 | 9 | 6 |
| 1933 | NYA | C | 127 | 0 | 721 | 82 | 6 | 15 |
| 1934 | NYA | C | 104 | 0 | 527 | 49 | 8 | 13 |
| 1935 | NYA | C | 118 | 0 | 536 | 62 | 3 | 7 |
| 1936 | NYA | C | 107 | 0 | 499 | 61 | 14 | 10 |
| 1937 | NYA | C | 137 | 0 | 692 | 80 | 7 | 11 |
| 1938 | NYA | C | 126 | 0 | 518 | 74 | 8 | 7 |
| 1939 | NYA | C | 126 | 0 | 571 | 57 | 7 | 8 |
| 1940 | NYA | C | 102 | 0 | 425 | 55 | 3 | 9 |
| 1941 | NYA | C | 104 | 0 | 422 | 45 | 3 | 11 |
| 1942 | NYA | C | 80 | 0 | 322 | 44 | 9 | 7 |
| 1943 | NYA | C | 71 | 0 | 322 | 37 | 2 | 5 |
| 1946 | NYA | C | 39 | 0 | 201 | 29 | 3 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1704 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 58.0 | 336 | 2 |
| 1942 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 12.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 13th | 18.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 110.0 | 336 | 3 |
| 1938 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 196.0 | 336 | 3 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 22.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 29.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 9.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 14th | 8.0 | 80 | 0 |