Mark Grace
| Birthdate | 6/28/1964 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1988 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Cubs, Diamondbacks |
| Position | First Base |
Mark Grace recorded 1,754 hits during the 1990s, the most of any player; all other decade hit leaders of the 20th century except Pete Rose are in the Hall of Fame.
Leave a commentIn the collection:
Four-time Gold Glover Mark Grace finished his career with 2,445 hits and a .303 lifetime average
Four-time Gold Glover Mark Grace finished his career with 2,445 hits and a .303 lifetime average
Mark Grace had quite a career. The runner up in 1988 Rookie of the Year balloting, he went on to play 16 years at baseball’s highest level.
The sweet-swinging left-handed first baseman spent his first 13 big league seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He hit .300 or better in 9 of those campaigns, highlighted by a .331 mark in 1996.
Between 1992-1997 Grace earned four Gold Gloves and played in three All Star Games. His six-year run featured a .318 average and a .391 on-base percentage. Grace received votes in MVP balloting three times.
For the decade of the 1990s Grace led all major leaguers in hits with 1,754. All other decade hit leaders of the 20th century except Pete Rose are in Cooperstown. Grace also led all of baseball with 364 doubles during the ’90s.
Before the start of the 2001 season, Grace signed a deal with the Diamondbacks. In his first year with Arizona, Grace helped his new club reach the World Series. Once there, Grace reached base 9 times in 19 at bats and smacked a three-run homer in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium.
In deciding Game 7, the Diamondbacks clinched the Series in an unlikely manner. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Grace led off with his third hit of the game, a single to center off of Mariano Rivera. Arizona sent six men to the plate, handing the Hall of Fame closer his only loss in 96 postseason appearances.
Grace retired after the 2003 season. His career totals include 2,445 hits, 1,075 walks, 511 doubles, 1,179 runs scored and 1,146 RBI. Grace’s lifetime average stands at .303 and his career on-base percentage is a strong .383.
In the postseason Grace was even better. He hit .329 with a .417 on-base percentage in 25 games covering 94 plate appearances. Grace played into October twice each with the Cubs and D-Backs. His .515 lifetime batting average in the League Championship Series is among the highest for men who played in at last ten LCS games.
When first eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2009, Grace received 4.1% of the vote. With less than the required 5% to stay on the ballot, Grace was one-and-done.
In the collection is the first regular-issue Topps card of Mark Grace. The man with the most hits of the 1990s has adorned it with his signature.
HOF. Led the decade in hits and doubles. .995 fielding percentage.