Ashburn was the team’s leadoff hitter for the “Whiz Kids” team and he did everything you want for someone who bats first. He got on base a lot both from a great Batting Average and solid plate discipline, which saw an excellent On Base Percentage. Three times, Ashburn led the NL in Hits and he was a two-time Batting Champion, going over the .300 mark eight times. Three times as a Phillie he was a league leader in OBP and how can any fan of the Phillies not be happy with his career numbers with the team of .311 and .394 in BA and OBP respectively?
The five-time All-Star (four with Philadelphia) had great speed in the Outfield and on the base paths. He was also a league leader in Stolen Bases in his rookie season and was a two-time leader in Triples. Ashburn would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995 through the Veteran’s Committee (though arguably should have been inducted much sooner) and he cemented his legacy in Philadelphia long after his on-field career ended, as he was a popular broadcaster for the team for decades afterward.WIth the Phillies, Ashburn batted .311 with 2,217 Hits. The team retired his number 1 in 1979, the year after he was one of two players to debut on the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame.
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