Rick Ferrell

Infobox MLB retired
name=Rick Ferrell
position=Catcher

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bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1905|10|12
city-state|Durham|North Carolina
deathdate=death date and age|1995|7|27|1905|10|12
city-state|Bloomfield Hills|Michigan
debutdate=April 19
debutyear=by|1929
debutteam=St. Louis Browns
finaldate=September 14
finalyear=by|1947
finalteam=Washington Senators
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.281
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=1,692
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=735
teams=
* St. Louis Browns (by|1929-by|1933, by|1941-by|1943)
* Boston Red Sox (by|1933-by|1937)
* Washington Senators (by|1937-by|1941, by|1944-by|1945, by|1947)
highlights=
* 8x All-Star selection (1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1944, 1945)
hofdate=by|1984
hofmethod=Veteran's Committee

Richard Benjamin Ferrell (October 12 1905 – July 27 1995) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball, and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Strong and durable, Ferrell was an outstanding catcher for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators between by|1929 and by|1947. He retired having caught 1,806 games, an American League record that stood until Carlton Fisk surpassed it in by|1988.

Rick Ferrell was born in Durham, North Carolina, and he attended Guilford College. Soon after college, he got his start in professional baseball with the Kinston Eagles of the Virginia League. His brother Wes is considered one of the best-hitting pitchers in baseball history, setting several major league records for hitting by a pitcher; he also hit more career home runs - 38, in 548 games - than Rick would (28, in 1,884 games).

In by|1933, the Ferrell brothers were members of the inaugural American League All-Star team in the first All-Star Game played, in which Rick caught all nine innings. The same year, and for the first time in baseball history, brothers on opposing teams homered in the same game. Later, the Ferrells would be reunited again.

On April 19, 1929, Ferrell played his first major league game with the Browns, posting a .290 batting average in four seasons. After batting .300 in 1931, Ferrell had a very good year in 1932. Demonstrating that catchers could hit and excel defensively, batting from the #7 spot in the St. Louis order, Ferrell hit .315 with 30 doubles and 65 runs batted in, while leading AL catchers with 78 assists. His performance caught the attention of Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, who was trying to rebuild his team. On May 9, 1933, Ferrell was traded to Boston.

Between 1933-36, Ferrell broke Red Sox catchers' records in batting, doubles, home runs and runs batted in. His .302 batting average with Boston is 12th on the club's all-time list. Rick's brother Wes joined him in 1934, and three years later the brothers were packaged in a trade to Washington.

Ferrell returned to St. Louis in 1941 and was sent again to Washington in 1944. In the 1945 season, he set a record hard to match when he regularly caught four knuckleball pitchers. At the age of 41, Ferrell batted .303 in his last season. He had a fine eye and was remarkably selective, receiving 931 walks while fanning only 277 times. Ferrell compiled a .281 batting average, 28 home runs and 734 runs batted in, with 687 runs scored, 324 doubles, 45 triples and 29 stolen bases. In 1884 games played, he achieved an impressive .378 career on base percentage, being selected an All-Star seven times (1933-38, 1944).

After retiring, Ferrell served as a Senators coach, followed by over 30 years in the Detroit Tigers organization as a coach, scout, general manager, and, at over 80 years of age, executive consultant. Selected by the Veterans Committee, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in by|1984. Keith Olbermann, in his book The Big Show, singled out Ferrell in his argument claiming Hall of Fame voting is fundamentally flawed, writing "If Rick Ferrell is in, put 'em all in."

Rick Ferrell died in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan at the age of 89.

ee also

* Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame

External links

*Bbhof|114086
*Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=f/ferreri01 |fangraphs=1004007 |cube=F/rick-ferrell
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/F/Ferrell_Rick.stm Baseball Library]

Bibliography

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