Ray Fosse
Born: 4/4/1947 in Marion, IL, USA
Died: 10/13/2021 in Diablo, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1967-09-08 | Final Game: 1979-09-30
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 215 lbs
Full name: Raymond Earl Fosse
Biography
Ray Fosse, born in 1947, was a notable American professional baseball player who played as a position player in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1967 to 1979. Over the course of his career, which spanned more than a decade, Fosse participated in 924 games, accumulating 758 hits, 61 home runs, and 324 runs batted in (RBIs), while maintaining a batting average of .256. Known for his defensive prowess and ability behind the plate, he was selected as an All-Star twice, marking his significance in an era that valued both offensive contributions and defensive skills.
Fosse's career coincided with a transformative period in baseball, as the game was evolving with the emergence of power hitters and a focus on athleticism. He was particularly recognized for his aggressive playing style, which was exemplified in his famous collision with Pete Rose during the 1970 All-Star Game, a moment that intensified the discussion around player safety. Fosse's contributions to the teams he played for, including the Cleveland Indians and the Oakland Athletics, left a lasting impact, and he is remembered not only for his statistics but also for his competitive spirit and dedication to the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 924 | 2957 | 299 | 758 | 117 | 13 | 61 | 324 | 15 | 203 | 363 | 0.256 | 0.306 | 0.367 | 0.673 | -1726.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | CLE | AL | 7 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.062 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | CLE | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1969 | CLE | AL | 37 | 116 | 11 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 29 | 0.172 | -591.2 |
| 1970 | CLE | AL | 120 | 450 | 62 | 138 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 61 | 1 | 39 | 55 | 0.307 | 1415.5 |
| 1971 | CLE | AL | 133 | 486 | 53 | 134 | 21 | 1 | 12 | 62 | 4 | 36 | 62 | 0.276 | 556.9 |
| 1972 | CLE | AL | 134 | 457 | 42 | 110 | 20 | 1 | 10 | 41 | 5 | 45 | 46 | 0.241 | 49.8 |
| 1973 | OAK | AL | 143 | 492 | 37 | 126 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 52 | 2 | 25 | 62 | 0.256 | -966.3 |
| 1974 | OAK | AL | 69 | 204 | 20 | 40 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 23 | 1 | 11 | 31 | 0.196 | -754.9 |
| 1975 | OAK | AL | 82 | 136 | 14 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 19 | 0.140 | -1138.7 |
| 1976 | CLE | AL | 90 | 276 | 26 | 83 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 1 | 20 | 20 | 0.301 | 225.1 |
| 1977 | CLE | AL | 78 | 238 | 25 | 63 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 0.265 | -383.1 |
| 1977 | SEA | AL | 11 | 34 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.353 | -383.1 |
| 1979 | ATL | AL | 19 | 52 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.231 | -139.1 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 58 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 0.172 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | ALCS | OAK | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 1974 | WS | OAK | 5 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0.143 |
| 1974 | ALCS | OAK | 4 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 |
| 1973 | WS | OAK | 7 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.158 |
| 1973 | ALCS | OAK | 5 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0.091 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 13 | 9 | 69 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 889 | 796 | 4831 | 438 | 78 | 61 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | CLE | C | 7 | 5 | 46 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | CLE | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | CLE | C | 37 | 32 | 237 | 18 | 6 | 2 |
| 1970 | CLE | C | 120 | 120 | 854 | 70 | 10 | 7 |
| 1971 | CLE | C | 126 | 119 | 748 | 73 | 10 | 16 |
| 1971 | CLE | 1B | 4 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1972 | CLE | C | 124 | 121 | 713 | 70 | 12 | 9 |
| 1972 | CLE | 1B | 3 | 2 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1973 | OAK | C | 141 | 137 | 713 | 63 | 10 | 5 |
| 1974 | OAK | C | 68 | 64 | 299 | 28 | 9 | 6 |
| 1975 | OAK | C | 82 | 41 | 250 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| 1975 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | OAK | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | CLE | C | 85 | 78 | 483 | 42 | 7 | 9 |
| 1976 | CLE | 1B | 3 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977 | CLE | C | 77 | 67 | 426 | 48 | 8 | 4 |
| 1977 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | SEA | C | 8 | 7 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1979 | ML4 | C | 13 | 5 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1979 | ML4 | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 889 |
| First Base | 15 |
| Designated Hitter | 12 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1970 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1970 | TSN All-Star | C |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 7.0 | 336 | 0 |