gold star for USAHOF

5. Al Simmons

5. Al Simmons
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: May 22, 1902 in Milwaukee, WI USA
  • Weight: 190 lbs.
  • Height: 5'11"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: April 15, 1924
  • Final Game: July 01, 1944
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1925
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1925
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1927
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1927
  • TSN All-Star - 1927
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1928
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1929
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1929
  • TSN All-Star - 1929
  • TSN Guide MVP - 1929
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1930
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1930
  • TSN All-Star - 1930
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1931
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1931
  • TSN All-Star - 1931
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1932
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1933
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1933
  • TSN All-Star - 1933
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1934
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1934
  • TSN All-Star - 1934
  • MVP - 1924
  • MVP - 1925
  • MVP - 1926
  • MVP - 1927
  • MVP - 1931
  • MVP - 1932
  • MVP - 1933
  • MVP - 1934
 
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Al Simmons joined the Philadelphia Athletics when he was acquired from Milwaukee of the American Association before the 1924 Season.  He would have a great rookie season with 183 Hits and a .308 Batting Average, so it was clear that he was a good hitter, but what he would do afterward would make his first year in the Majors look, pedestrian.

In 1925, Simmons would lead the AL in Hits (253) with a .387 Batting Average.  The Outfielder would finish second in MVP voting that year, and he would finish fifth and fourth respectively in MVP voting in the two years that followed.  This stretch also contained a season (1927) where he had a career-high .392 Batting Average.

The Athletics were a very good team, and from 1929 to 1931, they win the American League Pennant, winning the '29 and '30 World Series.  In each World Series, Simmons had at least two Home Runs and batted .300.  Simmons would also finally break through and win the Batting Title in both 1930 and 1931.

Connie Mack, the Athletics owner, would sell his contract (along with Jimmy Dykes and Mule Haas) for $100,000 to the Chicago White Sox, and essentially Athletic ownership broke up the team.

As an Athletic, Simmons would collect 1,827 Hits and belted 209 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .356/.398/.584.

Simmons would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.  Years later, in 1981, Simmons was chosen for the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame and was also enshrined into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Outfield
  • Acquired: Traded from Milwaukee (American Association) for Wid Matthews, Beauty McGowan, Heinie Scheer, and $40,000 12/15/23.
  • Departed: Purchased by the Chicago White Sox with Jimmy Dykes and Mule Haas for $100,000 12/10/35.
  • Games Played: 1290
  • Notable Statistics: 969 Runs Scored
    1,827 Hits
    348 Doubles
    98 Triples
    209 Home Runs
    1,179 Runs Batted In
    65 Stolen Bases
    .356/.398/.584 Slash Line
    50.9 bWAR

    18 Playoff Games
    15 Runs Scored
    24 Hits
    6 Doubles
    0 Triples
    6 Home Runs
    17 Runs Batted In
    0 Stolen Bases
    .333/.387/.667 Slash Line
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Champion (1929 & 1930)
    Highest Batting Average (1930 & 1931)
    Most At Bats (1925 & 1932)
    Most Plate Appearances (1932)
    Most Runs Scored (1930)
    Most Hits (1925 & 1932)
    Most Total Bases (1925 & 1929)
    Highest Runs Batted In (1929)
    Most Extra Base Hits (1925 & 1929)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1929 & 1930)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (1925, 1930 & 1931)
    Most Putouts by a Leftfielder (1929)
    Most Assists by a Leftfielder (1929)
    Most Putouts by an Outfielder (1925)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Leftfielder (1929)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Leftfielder (1929, 1930 & 1931)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by an Outfielder (1930)

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