Joe Medwick
| Birthdate | 11/24/1911 |
| Death Date | 3/21/1975 |
| Debut Year | 1932 |
| Year of Induction | 1968 |
| Teams | Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Giants |
| Position | Left Field |
Joe Medwick won the Triple Crown when he hit .374 with 31 homers and 154 RBI in 1937. He remains the last NL player to accomplish the feat.
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Joe Medwick is one of 19 men in big league history to record 400+ total bases in a season
Joe Medwick is one of 19 men in big league history to record 400+ total bases in a season
Joe Medwick’s big league debut came as a 20-year old for St. Louis’ Gas House Gang on September 4, 1932. In the Cardinals final 26 games of the season Medwick produced prolifically. The outfielder hit .349 with a .538 slugging percentage a 136 OPS+.
In ’33 he became the team’s everyday left fielder. Medwick again topped the .300 mark and led St. Louis in homers, RBI, and total bases. He was just getting started.
A ten-time All Star overall, Joe Medwick reeled off seven consecutive appearances in the Mid-Summer Classic from 1934-1942. His finest year came in 1937 when earned the Triple Crown. That season he led the league in runs, hits, doubles, homers, RBI, batting average, slugging percentage, OPS+, and WAR. His 406 total bases were more than all but 7 men in baseball history.
In addition to the Cardinals, the career National Leaguer also suited up for the Dodgers, Giants, and Braves. His career numbers include 2,471 hits, a .324 average, a .505 slugging percentage, and a 134 OPS+.
Medwick received baseball’s highest honor when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1968.
Shown here is an autograph from 1939. That year the World’s Fair in New York was attended by over 44 million people with countries from around the world participating. Among the exhibits was Academy of Sport and specifically the School of Baseball.
Hall of Famer Joe Medwick was among the big leaguers who taught baseball at the Fair. A young man named Lee Sluiter attended Medwick’s lecture and received this Laurel Card upon completion.
Joe Medwick was ejected for his own safety in Game 7 of the 1934 World Series
Joe Medwick was ejected for his own safety in Game 7 of the 1934 World Series
Nineteen-thirty-four was a momentous season for Joe Medwick. Just 22-years old, he made the first of seven consecutive All Star appearances. His 198 hits, 40 doubles, 18 homers, and league-leading 18 triples resulted in 328 total bases, good for fourth in the NL. Behind Medwick at the plate and 30-game winner Dizzy Dean on the hill, the Cardinals won the pennant.
In the World Series against the Tigers, Medwick hit .379. The mark was tops among St. Louis players with more than 5 at bats. The Cardinals jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the third inning of deciding Game 7 at Detroit.
With Pepper Martin on second and two out, Medwick slammed a triple to right field. His hard slide into Tigers third baseman Marv Owen sent Detroit fans into a frenzy. They relentlessly pelted Medwick with fruits and vegetables.
Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis ordered Medwick removed from the game. Order was restored and St. Louis won the game 11-0 to claim the title. The Cardinals slugger remains the only player in World Series history to be ejected for his own safety.
Shown here is the back of the World’s Fair Laurel Card. It states in part, “A card similar to this one, is issue to every boy who registers and attends one or more class in sport. New York World’s Fair. Christy Walsh Director of Sports“.
