By his 25th birthday third baseman Lindstrom had 1,000+ hits & a .327 avg.
Freddie Lindstrom broke into the big leagues in 1924 at age 18. His New York Giants won the pennant and faced off against Walter Johnson’s Washington Senators in the World Series.
The matchup against the Senators great could’ve left the wide-eyed Lindstrom overmatched. Johnson was twice
By his 25th birthday third baseman Lindstrom had 1,000+ hits & a .327 avg.
Freddie Lindstrom broke into the big leagues in 1924 at age 18. His New York Giants won the pennant and faced off against Walter Johnson’s Washington Senators in the World Series.
The matchup against the Senators great could’ve left the wide-eyed Lindstrom overmatched. Johnson was twice his age and coming off of an MVP season in which he led the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Lindstrom was anything but awestruck.
In Game 1 Lindstrom became the youngest position player in the history of the Fall Classic. Though he went 0-for-5, the Giants claimed the victory. The rest of the Series the 18-year old went 10-for-25. As Johnson captured the only title of his 21-year career; Lindstrom’s career took off.
The following season, the 19-year old established himself as John McGraw’s regular third baseman. Over the next five years, Lindstrom hit .334 averaging 195 hits, 105 runs per season. In 1928 he led the league with 231 hits, a total he matched two years later. In 1930, Lindy became the first third baseman of the twentieth century to slug 20 homes in a season. Before his 25th birthday, Lindstrom had over 1,000 hits and a .327 average.
A broken ankle and back problems slowed Lindstrom in 1931. Over the final five seasons of his career from 1932-1936, his production declined. In his last three years, Lindstrom averaged just 71 games, never appearing in as many as 100 contests. Lindstrom retired at age 30.
In the collection is this vintage 1933 Goudey Freddie Lindstrom baseball card signed by the Hall of Fame third baseman. The Goudey Gum Company was the first to issue baseball cards with a stick of gum in each pack. Previously cards were sold with cigarettes or candy. The 1933 edition was the most iconic of the Goudey productions.
Fred Lindstrom played nine of his 13 seasons for John McGraw's Giants
The New York Giants signed Freddie Lindstrom after a scout saw the 16-year old tally four extra-base hits in a high school game. Two years later the Giants made him a big leaguer by purchasing his contract in September of 1923.
For the next 8 years Lindstrom held down the hot corner for Hall of Fame
Fred Lindstrom played nine of his 13 seasons for John McGraw's Giants
The New York Giants signed Freddie Lindstrom after a scout saw the 16-year old tally four extra-base hits in a high school game. Two years later the Giants made him a big leaguer by purchasing his contract in September of 1923.
For the next 8 years Lindstrom held down the hot corner for Hall of Fame manager John McGraw. An outstanding player early in his career, Lindstrom helped make up what Sabrmetrician Bill James called the greatest infield of the decade. The ’27 Giants boasted a Hall of Fame player at every position in the infield.
In the collection is this brief note from Lindstrom. The infielder writes, “John McGraw was one of baseball’s greatest managers because brainy, fearless, + courageous.” Lindstrom has added his signature to the bottom of the note.
Freddie Lindstrom's career year came in 1930 when he slashed .379/.424/.575
Hall of Fame infielder Freddie Lindstrom had his finest season in 1930. The Chicago native established or tied career-bests in walks, hits, doubles, homers, runs, total bases, and steals. Each of the Giant third baseman’s slash-line numbers – .379/.425/.575 – were also career hig
Freddie Lindstrom's career year came in 1930 when he slashed .379/.424/.575
Hall of Fame infielder Freddie Lindstrom had his finest season in 1930. The Chicago native established or tied career-bests in walks, hits, doubles, homers, runs, total bases, and steals. Each of the Giant third baseman’s slash-line numbers – .379/.425/.575 – were also career highs.
Shown here is a postcard to sportswriter Ken Smith of the New York Evening Graphic. Notice the Miami postmark of January 22, 1930. Lindstrom dropped this in the mail three months before the start of his epic season.
An interesting aside is the recipient, Smith. For 19 years Smith was the secretary-treasurer of the of the Baseball Writers Association of America. After his writing career ended, Smith became Director of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963. Twenty years later he received the prestigious BBWAA Career Excellence Award in 1983.
Freddie's son Charlie Lindstrom had a triple and a walk in his only two MLB plate appearances
Chuck Linsdstrom’s debut included a walk, a triple, a run and an RBI in two at bats in the last game of the 1958 season. He never made it back to the Major Leagues. Shown here is a questionnaire filled out and signed by the younger Lindstrom.
On the subject of his Hall of Fame father, the youn
Freddie's son Charlie Lindstrom had a triple and a walk in his only two MLB plate appearances
Chuck Linsdstrom’s debut included a walk, a triple, a run and an RBI in two at bats in the last game of the 1958 season. He never made it back to the Major Leagues. Shown here is a questionnaire filled out and signed by the younger Lindstrom.
On the subject of his Hall of Fame father, the younger Lindstrom writes that he, “…shared my disappointment that the Sox didn’t do much for me but we both realized I probably didn’t have the thing it takes to make it.”
Charlie Lindstrom also reveals something else about his father. “He was my college coach. However when I graduated from high school I wanted to sign but he blocked offers so I had to go to college.”
Chuck was born four months after his dad retired though he did see him in uniform. Asked what he remembers about his dad’s playing days, he writes, “I only saw him (father Fred) play in the last Old Timers game in the Polo Grounds.”
In 1976 the Veterans Committee selected Fred Lindstrom for the Hall of Fame
Fred Lindstrom received baseball’s ultimate honor in 1976 when the Veterans Committee selected him for induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Committee also selected 19th-century slugger Roger Connor, Negro League standout Oscar Charleston, and umpire Cal Hubbard. On the writers’ ba
The year after his induction Fred Lindstrom joined the Babe Ruth Advisory board
In 1977 Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson worked hard to expand the Babe Ruth Advisory Board. He mailed current and former stars of the game requesting their consent to lend their name to it.
Just a year after his induction into the Hall of Fame, Lindstrom responds by writing, “I am h
Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, and Cy Young are in everyone’s Hall of Fame. Marginal players like the ones selected on Frankie Frisch’s watch on the Veterans Committee have helped define and damage the Hall of Fame.
His five most glaring selections — George Kelly, Jesse Haines, Dave Bancroft, Ross Youngs, and Chick Hafey have ignited many arguments. Here’s a big reason why: Imagine if your favorite player is Keith Hernandez and you think he should be in Cooperstown. He’s flat out a better first baseman than George Kelly. Hernandez was in fact a better player than any of the five Frisch selections. There are likely hundreds of players better than the Frisch Five.
