“Big Klu” debuted in the Majors in 1947 with the Cincinnati Reds, and the big First Baseman was a starter a couple of years later. From 1953 to 1956, Kluszewski was an All-Star, but was also one of the premier hitters of the National League. Winning the Home Run Title in 1954 with 49, Kluszewski also was first in RBIs with 141. That year was sandwiched by two other 40 HR years, and in that four-year All-Star run, he was also a three-digit 100 RBI player. Kluszewski’s offensive skills were not just his power, as he batted over .300 six times and had a career Batting Average of .302. Despite his big swing, he did not strike out much, fanning only 365 times in his career and only 35 times in his 49 HR year. That year he was also the runner-up for the National League MVP, and he was in the top ten in the year before and after.
Kluszewski’s offense fell off after 1956 when injuries took their toll on the big man’s body, and he bounced around the Majors before retiring in 1961 with 279 Home Runs and 1,028 RBIs.
Kluszewski would later win two World Series Rings as a Coach with Cincinnati in the 1970s.
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