Up on the blog today, we're going to add "The Scooter", Phil Rizzuto to my long-running WTHBALLS "Classic Baseball set, celebrating the great game's rich history:
Simply put, the man was a voice of my youth, with a legendary New York Yankee broadcasting career for decades, including the 1970s and 1980s when I became a baseball nut.
And that broadcasting career is on TOP of a Hall of Fame playing career that saw him suit up for the Yankees 13 year, with three years lost to the military during World War II.
Originally up in 1941 at the age of 23, Rizzuto quickly became a cog in the World Championship teams of the 1940s and 1950s, putting in a Rookie of the Year-worthy campaign, hitting .307 while getting some MVP votes by season's end.
“Scooter” had a career-year in 1950, taking home the American League MVP Award with his .324 batting average and 200 hits, both career-highs.
He also scored 125 runs for the World Champion Yankees, while leading all A.L. shortstops in fielding percentage and putouts.
He also scored 125 runs for the World Champion Yankees, while leading all A.L. shortstops in fielding percentage and putouts.
By the time he hung up the cleats in 1956, he finished his career with 1588 hits and a .273 average, with 877 runs scored and 149 steals to go along with seven world championships!
Throw in his lost military years and he could have had over 2000 hits easy.
Loved by so many in New York City through the decades, the native-born legend became an icon of the city, forever a part of NYC sports lore.
