Ron Northey
Born: 4/26/1920 in Mahanoy City, PA, USA
Died: 4/16/1971 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1942-04-14 | Final Game: 1957-09-28
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Ronald James Northey
Biography
Ron Northey was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1942 to 1957. Born in 1920, Northey emerged as a notable position player during a transformative period in Major League Baseball, which saw the sport evolving through World War II and into the post-war era. Over his career, he played in 1,084 games, amassing 874 hits and demonstrating his offensive prowess with a career batting average of .276. Northey's power at the plate was evident, as he hit 108 home runs and drove in 513 runs, making him a significant contributor to the teams he played for.
Northey's playing style was characterized by a solid combination of hitting ability and consistency, making him a valuable asset in the outfield. Despite the challenges of competing in an era marked by both the war and the subsequent integration of baseball, he maintained a competitive edge, which was reflected in his career totals, including 7 stolen bases. His legacy is remembered as part of the fabric of Major League Baseball during a time of great change, and he remains a respected figure among baseball historians and enthusiasts.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1084 | 3172 | 385 | 874 | 172 | 28 | 108 | 513 | 7 | 361 | 297 | 0.276 | 0.352 | 0.450 | 0.801 | 8602.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | PHI | NL | 127 | 402 | 31 | 101 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 31 | 2 | 28 | 33 | 0.251 | -534.7 |
| 1943 | PHI | NL | 147 | 586 | 72 | 163 | 31 | 5 | 16 | 68 | 2 | 51 | 52 | 0.278 | 1570.4 |
| 1944 | PHI | NL | 152 | 570 | 72 | 164 | 35 | 9 | 22 | 104 | 1 | 67 | 51 | 0.288 | 2875.5 |
| 1946 | PHI | NL | 128 | 438 | 55 | 109 | 24 | 6 | 16 | 62 | 1 | 39 | 59 | 0.249 | 616.2 |
| 1947 | PHI | NL | 13 | 47 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0.255 | -48.6 |
| 1947 | STL | NL | 110 | 311 | 52 | 91 | 19 | 3 | 15 | 63 | 0 | 48 | 29 | 0.293 | -48.6 |
| 1948 | STL | NL | 96 | 246 | 40 | 79 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 64 | 0 | 38 | 25 | 0.321 | 1561.2 |
| 1949 | STL | NL | 90 | 265 | 28 | 69 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 50 | 0 | 31 | 15 | 0.260 | 172.0 |
| 1950 | CHC | NL | 53 | 114 | 11 | 32 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0.281 | 121.8 |
| 1950 | CIN | NL | 27 | 77 | 11 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 0.260 | 121.8 |
| 1952 | CHC | NL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | CHW | AL | 14 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.357 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 53 | 48 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0.354 | 309.5 |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 40 | 27 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 0.185 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | PHI | NL | 33 | 26 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.269 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| OF | 820 | 3 | 1361 | 81 | 42 | 24 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | PHI | OF | 109 | 0 | 206 | 12 | 11 | 2 |
| 1943 | PHI | OF | 145 | 0 | 292 | 19 | 7 | 6 |
| 1944 | PHI | OF | 151 | 0 | 286 | 24 | 6 | 7 |
| 1946 | PHI | OF | 111 | 0 | 194 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| 1947 | PHI | OF | 13 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1947 | SLN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1947 | SLN | OF | 94 | 0 | 122 | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| 1948 | SLN | OF | 67 | 0 | 85 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949 | SLN | OF | 73 | 0 | 93 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 1950 | CHN | OF | 27 | 0 | 38 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 1950 | CIN | OF | 24 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | CHA | OF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | CHA | OF | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 18 |
| Right Field | 803 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 10.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1943 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 29th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |