Rick Ferrell
| Birthdate | 10/12/1905 |
| Death Date | 7/27/1995 |
| Debut Year | 1929 |
| Year of Induction | 1984 |
| Teams | Browns, Red Sox, Senators, Tigers |
| Positions | Catcher, Executive |
A lifetime .281 hitter, Rick Ferrell struck out only 277 times while walking 931 times in more than 7,000 plate appearances in 18 seasons.
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Rick Ferrell's AL record for career games caught was passed by Carlton Fisk in 1988
Rick Ferrell's AL record for career games caught was passed by Carlton Fisk in 1988
An eight-time All Star catcher, Rick Ferrell set a Major League record by catching 1,806 games. The mark stood from 1944 until Carlton Fisk surpassed it in 1988. Fisk of course had the benefit of a 162-game schedule compared to Ferrell’s time when 154-game schedule was the standard.
Shown here is an original 1933 Goudey baseball card signed by Ferrell.
Ferrell coached for the Senators and Tigers and later became the Detroit GM
Ferrell coached for the Senators and Tigers and later became the Detroit GM
Rick Ferrell started his association with the Detroit Tigers in 1950 as an on-field coach. Their romance continued as Ferrell rose through the ranks as scout, scouting director, general manager, and vice president before retiring at age 87 in 1992 after 42 years with the Tigers organization. Shown here is a typed letter signed by Ferrell in his capacity of Vice President and General Manager. Ferrell responds to a fan’s suggestion about trading for the best players in the league.
Ferrell’s younger brother Wes Ferrell is perhaps the greatest hitting pitcher in the history of the game.
Rick may be in the Hall of Fame but his brother Wes was a more valuable player
Rick may be in the Hall of Fame but his brother Wes was a more valuable player
Rick Ferrell made his family proud. A big leaguer for 18 years, he reached the pinnacle of his profession when he was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Though Rick is better remembered today, his brother Wes was a more-productive player.
At the plate, Rick hit .281 for his career with 28 homers, and a .363 slugging percentage. Wes was just a tick below his brother in batting average at .280 but hit 39% more homers. Wes’ slugging percentage (.446) was 83 points higher.
And there’s this: Wes won 193 games as a pitcher.
Comparing the siblings using WAR, the contrast becomes more apparent. Cooperstown’s Rick has a 30.8 mark while Wes almost doubles it with 60.1.
This autograph above is from the Heilbroner Baseball Bureau. The statistical service was founded by the manager of the 1900 Cardinals, Louis Heilbroner.
The Bureau was the first commercial statistical bureau dedicated entirely to baseball and was founded in 1909. On the left side of the card Wes has noted his age as 19. That dates the piece to 1927.
Cooperstown's class of 1984 included Rick Ferrell and four others
Cooperstown's class of 1984 included Rick Ferrell and four others
The 1984 Hall of Fame induction featured five players – three writers’ selections and two Veteran Committee picks. Luis Aparicio, Don Drysdale, and Harmon Killebrew, got the BBWAA nod while Rick Ferrell and Pee Wee Reese came in via the Vets.
Slugger Killebrew was selected on his fourth year on the ballot. The doors opened for Aparcio in his sixth year and Drysdale in his tenth.
Shown here is a letter from Ferrell’s Cooperstown classmate Killebrew. The Twins great writes to Jack Lang, the secretary-treasurer of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) from 1966-1988. The role entrusted Lang with counting Hall of Fame votes and notifying those who made it.
The correspondence is dated January 16, 1984, just one week after Killebrew received the good news.
He writes in part, “What a thrill to hear these words from you last week…It is the greatest thrill of my life and we look forward to being with you and the rest of my friends along with Don Drysdale and Luis Aparicio on August 12.”
The slugger signs his name at the bottom of the letter.
