Irish Meusel
Born: 6/9/1893 in Oakland, CA, USA
Died: 3/1/1963 in Long Beach, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1914-10-01 | Final Game: 1927-07-22
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 178 lbs
Full name: Emil Frederick Meusel
Biography
Irish Meusel, born in 1893, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1914 to 1927. Renowned for his powerful batting and consistent performance, Meusel played in a total of 1,289 games, accumulating 1,521 hits and achieving a remarkable batting average of .31. His offensive prowess was underscored by 106 home runs and 819 runs batted in, showcasing his ability to drive in runs and contribute significantly to his team's success. Additionally, Meusel demonstrated speed on the bases, finishing his career with 113 stolen bases, a notable feat for a player of his era.
Meusel’s career unfolded during a transformative time in baseball, transitioning from the deadball era to a period that increasingly embraced offensive strategies. His contributions were instrumental in the success of the New York Giants, where he played a key role in the team’s competitiveness during the 1920s. An accomplished hitter with a keen eye for the strike zone, Meusel was known for his patience and ability to hit for both average and power, making him a valuable asset on the field. His legacy in baseball is marked by his impressive statistics and his role in shaping the game during a pivotal era.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39.0 | 37.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0.270 | 0.308 | 0.378 | 0.686 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 30.0 | 29.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.276 | 0.300 | 0.379 | 0.679 |
| 1929 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.250 | 0.333 | 0.375 | 0.708 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1289 | 4900 | 701 | 1521 | 250 | 93 | 106 | 819 | 113 | 269 | 199 | 0.310 | 0.348 | 0.464 | 0.813 | 10339.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | WSN | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1918 | PHI | NL | 124 | 473 | 48 | 132 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 62 | 18 | 30 | 21 | 0.279 | 705.1 |
| 1919 | PHI | NL | 135 | 521 | 65 | 159 | 26 | 7 | 5 | 59 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 0.305 | 789.9 |
| 1920 | PHI | NL | 138 | 518 | 75 | 160 | 27 | 8 | 14 | 69 | 17 | 32 | 27 | 0.309 | 1497.0 |
| 1921 | NY1 | NL | 62 | 243 | 37 | 80 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 36 | 5 | 15 | 12 | 0.329 | 424.0 |
| 1921 | PHI | NL | 84 | 343 | 59 | 121 | 21 | 7 | 12 | 51 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 0.353 | 424.0 |
| 1922 | NY1 | NL | 154 | 617 | 100 | 204 | 28 | 17 | 16 | 132 | 12 | 35 | 33 | 0.331 | 2015.9 |
| 1923 | NY1 | NL | 146 | 595 | 102 | 177 | 22 | 14 | 19 | 125 | 8 | 38 | 16 | 0.297 | 1095.0 |
| 1924 | NY1 | NL | 139 | 549 | 75 | 170 | 26 | 9 | 6 | 102 | 11 | 33 | 18 | 0.310 | 388.3 |
| 1925 | NY1 | NL | 135 | 516 | 82 | 169 | 35 | 8 | 21 | 111 | 5 | 26 | 19 | 0.328 | 1860.2 |
| 1926 | NY1 | NL | 129 | 449 | 51 | 131 | 25 | 10 | 6 | 65 | 5 | 16 | 18 | 0.292 | 55.7 |
| 1927 | BRO | NL | 42 | 74 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 0.243 | -63.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 87 | 10 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 0.276 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | WS | NY1 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.154 |
| 1923 | WS | NY1 | 6 | 25 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.280 |
| 1922 | WS | NY1 | 5 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 |
| 1921 | WS | NY1 | 8 | 29 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0.345 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2B | 4 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| OF | 1216 | 0 | 2391 | 129 | 107 | 23 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | WS1 | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1918 | PHI | 2B | 4 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| 1918 | PHI | OF | 120 | 0 | 296 | 14 | 9 | 2 |
| 1919 | PHI | OF | 128 | 0 | 256 | 14 | 9 | 4 |
| 1920 | PHI | 1B | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1920 | PHI | OF | 129 | 0 | 260 | 16 | 21 | 6 |
| 1921 | NY1 | OF | 62 | 0 | 122 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| 1921 | PHI | OF | 84 | 0 | 153 | 18 | 13 | 4 |
| 1922 | NY1 | OF | 154 | 0 | 279 | 15 | 6 | 1 |
| 1923 | NY1 | OF | 145 | 0 | 268 | 10 | 15 | 2 |
| 1924 | NY1 | OF | 138 | 0 | 287 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 1925 | NY1 | OF | 126 | 0 | 244 | 16 | 11 | 2 |
| 1926 | NY1 | OF | 112 | 0 | 197 | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1927 | BRO | OF | 17 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Second Base | 4 |
| Left Field | 1016 |
| Center Field | 49 |
| Right Field | 157 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 6.0 | 80 | 0 |