Bob Meusel
Born: 7/19/1896 in San Jose, CA, USA
Died: 11/28/1977 in Downey, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1920-04-14 | Final Game: 1930-09-26
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Robert William Meusel
Biography
Bob Meusel, born in 1896, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1920 until his retirement in 1930. Renowned for his power-hitting capabilities and consistent offensive performance, Meusel spent the majority of his career with the New York Yankees, where he was an integral part of the team's success during the roaring twenties. Over the course of 1,407 games, he amassed a remarkable 1,693 hits, 156 home runs, and an impressive 1,068 RBIs, culminating in a career batting average of .309. His ability to drive in runs and perform in clutch situations solidified his reputation as one of the era's standout players.
Meusel's playing style was characterized by a combination of strength and speed, as evidenced by his 142 stolen bases. He thrived in an era marked by the emergence of the live-ball game, where offensive production saw a significant increase compared to the deadball era that preceded it. His contributions helped the Yankees secure multiple pennants and establish their dominance in baseball during the 1920s. Bob Meusel’s legacy endures as one of the key figures in a transformative period of the sport, reflecting the dynamic changes in baseball that would shape its future.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38.0 | 36.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0.250 | 0.270 | 0.306 | 0.576 |
Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.500 |
| 1927 | 16.0 | 15.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0.133 | 0.188 | 0.200 | 0.388 |
| 1928 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 1.000 |
| 1929 | 14.0 | 13.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.308 | 0.308 | 0.385 | 0.693 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching
| Season | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1407 | 5475 | 826 | 1693 | 368 | 95 | 156 | 1068 | 142 | 375 | 619 | 0.309 | 0.356 | 0.497 | 0.852 | 14105.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | NYY | AL | 119 | 460 | 75 | 151 | 40 | 7 | 11 | 83 | 4 | 20 | 72 | 0.328 | 1872.8 |
| 1921 | NYY | AL | 149 | 598 | 104 | 190 | 40 | 16 | 24 | 136 | 17 | 34 | 88 | 0.318 | 2443.5 |
| 1922 | NYY | AL | 121 | 473 | 61 | 151 | 26 | 11 | 16 | 84 | 13 | 40 | 58 | 0.319 | 1797.8 |
| 1923 | NYY | AL | 132 | 460 | 59 | 144 | 29 | 10 | 9 | 91 | 13 | 31 | 52 | 0.313 | 1099.4 |
| 1924 | NYY | AL | 143 | 579 | 93 | 188 | 40 | 11 | 12 | 120 | 26 | 32 | 43 | 0.325 | 1699.9 |
| 1925 | NYY | AL | 156 | 624 | 101 | 181 | 34 | 12 | 33 | 138 | 13 | 54 | 55 | 0.290 | 1934.5 |
| 1926 | NYY | AL | 108 | 413 | 73 | 130 | 22 | 3 | 12 | 81 | 16 | 37 | 32 | 0.315 | 1180.6 |
| 1927 | NYY | AL | 135 | 516 | 75 | 174 | 47 | 9 | 8 | 103 | 24 | 45 | 58 | 0.337 | 2256.7 |
| 1928 | NYY | AL | 131 | 518 | 77 | 154 | 45 | 5 | 11 | 113 | 6 | 39 | 56 | 0.297 | 935.6 |
| 1929 | NYY | AL | 100 | 391 | 46 | 102 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 57 | 1 | 17 | 42 | 0.261 | -982.2 |
| 1930 | CIN | NL | 113 | 443 | 62 | 128 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 62 | 9 | 26 | 63 | 0.289 | -133.1 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 129 | 15 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 12 | 24 | 0.225 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | WS | NYA | 4 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0.200 |
| 1927 | WS | NYA | 4 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0.118 |
| 1926 | WS | NYA | 7 | 21 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0.238 |
| 1923 | WS | NYA | 6 | 26 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0.269 |
| 1922 | WS | NYA | 5 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.300 |
| 1921 | WS | NYA | 8 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0.200 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3B | 74 | 0 | 58 | 117 | 15 | 5 |
| OF | 1304 | 0 | 2426 | 157 | 114 | 36 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | NYA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1920 | NYA | 3B | 45 | 0 | 34 | 75 | 13 | 3 |
| 1920 | NYA | OF | 64 | 0 | 116 | 10 | 7 | 3 |
| 1921 | NYA | OF | 147 | 0 | 253 | 28 | 20 | 8 |
| 1922 | NYA | OF | 121 | 0 | 202 | 24 | 12 | 0 |
| 1923 | NYA | OF | 121 | 0 | 206 | 17 | 11 | 2 |
| 1924 | NYA | 3B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | NYA | OF | 143 | 0 | 252 | 17 | 14 | 4 |
| 1925 | NYA | 3B | 27 | 0 | 22 | 42 | 2 | 2 |
| 1925 | NYA | OF | 131 | 0 | 249 | 9 | 4 | 6 |
| 1926 | NYA | OF | 107 | 0 | 211 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| 1927 | NYA | OF | 131 | 0 | 249 | 15 | 14 | 1 |
| 1928 | NYA | OF | 131 | 0 | 259 | 16 | 7 | 6 |
| 1929 | NYA | OF | 96 | 0 | 206 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| 1930 | CIN | OF | 112 | 0 | 223 | 8 | 9 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2 |
| Third Base | 72 |
| Left Field | 695 |
| Center Field | 44 |
| Right Field | 575 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 3.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1925 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 6.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1922 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 6.0 | 64 | 0 |