Rudy York
Born: 8/17/1913 in Ragland, AL, USA
Died: 2/5/1970 in Rome, GA, USA
MLB Debut: 1934-08-22 | Final Game: 1948-09-20
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 209 lbs
Full name: Preston Rudolph York
Biography
Rudy York was a prominent American baseball player born in 1913, whose career spanned from 1934 to 1948. Known primarily as a first baseman and catcher, York played in a total of 1,603 games during his time in Major League Baseball. He recorded 1,621 hits, showcasing a solid batting average of .275, while also hitting 277 home runs and driving in 1,152 runs batted in (RBIs). His offensive prowess earned him seven All-Star selections, marking him as one of the standout players of his era.
York's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, which included the Great Depression and the early years of World War II. He was recognized for his powerful hitting and ability to drive in runs, making significant contributions to the teams he played for, including the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox. Additionally, York's career included 38 stolen bases, reflecting a blend of power and speed that was less common for players of his size during that time. His legacy remains significant in the history of the game, as he helped to define the role of the slugger in an evolving sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1603 | 5891 | 876 | 1621 | 291 | 52 | 277 | 1152 | 38 | 792 | 867 | 0.275 | 0.362 | 0.483 | 0.845 | 23877.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | DET | AL | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1937 | DET | AL | 104 | 375 | 72 | 115 | 18 | 3 | 35 | 103 | 3 | 41 | 52 | 0.307 | 2668.2 |
| 1938 | DET | AL | 135 | 463 | 85 | 138 | 27 | 2 | 33 | 127 | 1 | 92 | 74 | 0.298 | 3530.2 |
| 1939 | DET | AL | 102 | 329 | 66 | 101 | 16 | 1 | 20 | 68 | 5 | 41 | 50 | 0.307 | 1672.5 |
| 1940 | DET | AL | 155 | 588 | 105 | 186 | 46 | 6 | 33 | 134 | 3 | 89 | 88 | 0.316 | 4607.1 |
| 1941 | DET | AL | 155 | 590 | 91 | 153 | 29 | 3 | 27 | 111 | 3 | 92 | 88 | 0.259 | 1925.8 |
| 1942 | DET | AL | 153 | 577 | 81 | 150 | 26 | 4 | 21 | 90 | 3 | 73 | 71 | 0.260 | 1618.2 |
| 1943 | DET | AL | 155 | 571 | 90 | 155 | 22 | 11 | 34 | 118 | 5 | 84 | 88 | 0.271 | 3665.5 |
| 1944 | DET | AL | 151 | 583 | 77 | 161 | 27 | 7 | 18 | 98 | 5 | 68 | 73 | 0.276 | 1804.7 |
| 1945 | DET | AL | 155 | 595 | 71 | 157 | 25 | 5 | 18 | 87 | 6 | 60 | 85 | 0.264 | 946.0 |
| 1946 | BOS | AL | 154 | 579 | 78 | 160 | 30 | 6 | 17 | 119 | 3 | 86 | 93 | 0.276 | 2124.9 |
| 1947 | BOS | AL | 48 | 184 | 16 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 27 | 0 | 22 | 32 | 0.212 | -317.1 |
| 1947 | CHW | AL | 102 | 400 | 40 | 97 | 18 | 4 | 15 | 64 | 1 | 36 | 55 | 0.242 | -317.1 |
| 1948 | PHA | AL | 31 | 51 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 0.157 | -355.1 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 77 | 10 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 0.221 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | WS | BOS | 7 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 0.261 |
| 1945 | WS | DET | 7 | 28 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0.179 |
| 1940 | WS | DET | 7 | 26 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0.231 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1263 | 0 | 11359 | 963 | 122 | 1072 |
| 3B | 41 | 0 | 45 | 66 | 9 | 5 |
| C | 239 | 0 | 883 | 137 | 19 | 21 |
| OF | 14 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | DET | C | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | DET | C | 54 | 0 | 190 | 27 | 9 | 6 |
| 1937 | DET | 1B | 2 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | DET | 3B | 41 | 0 | 45 | 66 | 9 | 5 |
| 1938 | DET | C | 116 | 0 | 406 | 70 | 5 | 10 |
| 1938 | DET | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938 | DET | OF | 14 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 1939 | DET | C | 67 | 0 | 283 | 38 | 5 | 5 |
| 1939 | DET | 1B | 19 | 0 | 151 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| 1940 | DET | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1390 | 107 | 15 | 101 |
| 1941 | DET | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1393 | 110 | 21 | 111 |
| 1942 | DET | 1B | 152 | 0 | 1413 | 146 | 19 | 117 |
| 1943 | DET | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1349 | 149 | 15 | 105 |
| 1944 | DET | 1B | 151 | 0 | 1453 | 107 | 17 | 163 |
| 1945 | DET | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1464 | 113 | 19 | 142 |
| 1946 | BOS | 1B | 154 | 0 | 1327 | 116 | 8 | 154 |
| 1947 | BOS | 1B | 48 | 0 | 395 | 36 | 2 | 45 |
| 1947 | CHA | 1B | 102 | 0 | 932 | 71 | 5 | 106 |
| 1948 | PHA | 1B | 14 | 0 | 77 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 238 |
| First Base | 1264 |
| Third Base | 41 |
| Left Field | 14 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 1B |
| 1944 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 1B |
| 1943 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 1B |
| 1943 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 1B |
| 1943 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 28.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1945 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 32th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1944 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 5.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1943 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 152.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1942 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 27th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 61.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 33th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 1.0 | 80 | 0 |