Rick Monday
Born: 11/20/1945 in Batesville, AR, USA
MLB Debut: 1966-09-03 | Final Game: 1984-06-20
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 193 lbs
Full name: Robert James Monday
Biography
Rick Monday, born in 1945, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who enjoyed a career spanning from 1966 to 1984. Over the course of 1,986 games, he established himself as a formidable presence at the plate, accumulating 1,619 hits, 241 home runs, and 775 RBIs, while posting a batting average of .264. Known for his speed and tenacity, Monday also recorded 98 stolen bases during his career, showcasing his ability to impact games not just with his bat but also with his base-running acumen.
Monday was a two-time All-Star, earning recognition for his contributions to the teams he played for, including the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played during a transformative era in baseball, which saw the game evolve in terms of player athleticism and strategy. His legacy is marked not only by his on-field achievements but also by his notable involvement in a historic moment in baseball history when he famously rescued an American flag from being burned during a game in 1976. This act solidified his status as a player of character and integrity, making him a respected figure both on and off the field.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 6136 | 950 | 1619 | 248 | 64 | 241 | 775 | 98 | 924 | 1513 | 0.264 | 0.361 | 0.443 | 0.804 | 21054.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 17 | 41 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 0.098 | 0.0 |
| 1967 | KC1 | AL | 124 | 406 | 52 | 102 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 58 | 3 | 42 | 107 | 0.251 | 804.1 |
| 1968 | OAK | AL | 148 | 482 | 56 | 132 | 24 | 7 | 8 | 49 | 14 | 72 | 143 | 0.274 | 2099.8 |
| 1969 | OAK | AL | 122 | 399 | 57 | 108 | 17 | 4 | 12 | 54 | 12 | 72 | 100 | 0.271 | 1608.5 |
| 1970 | OAK | AL | 112 | 376 | 63 | 109 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 37 | 17 | 58 | 99 | 0.290 | 1461.0 |
| 1971 | OAK | AL | 116 | 355 | 53 | 87 | 9 | 3 | 18 | 56 | 6 | 49 | 93 | 0.245 | 908.5 |
| 1972 | CHC | NL | 138 | 434 | 68 | 108 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 42 | 12 | 78 | 102 | 0.249 | 1385.3 |
| 1973 | CHC | NL | 149 | 554 | 93 | 148 | 24 | 5 | 26 | 56 | 5 | 92 | 124 | 0.267 | 2344.5 |
| 1974 | CHC | NL | 142 | 538 | 84 | 158 | 19 | 7 | 20 | 58 | 7 | 70 | 94 | 0.294 | 2320.9 |
| 1975 | CHC | NL | 136 | 491 | 89 | 131 | 29 | 4 | 17 | 60 | 8 | 83 | 95 | 0.267 | 1791.4 |
| 1976 | CHC | NL | 137 | 534 | 107 | 145 | 20 | 5 | 32 | 77 | 5 | 60 | 125 | 0.272 | 2465.6 |
| 1977 | LAD | NL | 118 | 392 | 47 | 90 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 48 | 1 | 60 | 109 | 0.230 | -63.2 |
| 1978 | LAD | NL | 119 | 342 | 54 | 87 | 14 | 1 | 19 | 57 | 2 | 49 | 100 | 0.254 | 1098.8 |
| 1979 | LAD | NL | 12 | 33 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0.303 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | LAD | NL | 96 | 194 | 35 | 52 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 25 | 2 | 28 | 49 | 0.268 | 659.7 |
| 1981 | LAD | NL | 66 | 130 | 24 | 41 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 25 | 1 | 24 | 42 | 0.315 | 1176.2 |
| 1982 | LAD | NL | 104 | 210 | 37 | 54 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 42 | 2 | 39 | 51 | 0.257 | 846.1 |
| 1983 | LAD | NL | 99 | 178 | 21 | 44 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 0 | 29 | 42 | 0.247 | 237.6 |
| 1984 | LAD | NL | 31 | 47 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 0.191 | -90.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 81 | 9 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 28 | 0.210 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | NLCS | LAN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1981 | NLCS | LAN | 3 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.333 |
| 1981 | WS | LAN | 5 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.231 |
| 1981 | NWDIV | LAN | 5 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0.214 |
| 1978 | NLCS | LAN | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.200 |
| 1978 | WS | LAN | 5 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0.154 |
| 1977 | NLCS | LAN | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.286 |
| 1977 | WS | LAN | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.167 |
| 1971 | ALCS | OAK | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 54 | 42 | 444 | 32 | 5 | 24 |
| OF | 1688 | 1574 | 3534 | 86 | 76 | 21 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | KC1 | OF | 15 | 11 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | KC1 | OF | 113 | 107 | 260 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| 1968 | OAK | OF | 144 | 134 | 299 | 11 | 7 | 3 |
| 1969 | OAK | OF | 119 | 111 | 262 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| 1970 | OAK | OF | 109 | 99 | 257 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 1971 | OAK | OF | 111 | 95 | 238 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 1972 | CHN | OF | 134 | 123 | 268 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 1973 | CHN | OF | 148 | 144 | 317 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
| 1974 | CHN | OF | 139 | 135 | 302 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| 1975 | CHN | OF | 131 | 131 | 315 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| 1976 | CHN | 1B | 32 | 31 | 309 | 22 | 3 | 17 |
| 1976 | CHN | OF | 103 | 100 | 278 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | LAN | 1B | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | LAN | OF | 115 | 112 | 208 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | LAN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978 | LAN | OF | 103 | 96 | 209 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | LAN | OF | 10 | 10 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | LAN | OF | 50 | 45 | 92 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | LAN | OF | 41 | 31 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | LAN | 1B | 4 | 3 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982 | LAN | OF | 57 | 49 | 62 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1983 | LAN | 1B | 4 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 | LAN | OF | 44 | 39 | 62 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | LAN | 1B | 10 | 7 | 72 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 1984 | LAN | OF | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 54 |
| Left Field | 60 |
| Center Field | 1489 |
| Right Field | 173 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Player of the Month | April |
| 1978 | Player of the Week | Week of 1978-04-21 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | Tempe | AZ | 1965 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 11.0 | 336 | 0 |