In honor of Father’s Day, I delved into the stats of some famous baseball fathers. Check back later in the week for a longer post about my short lived playing career. Enjoy your Sunday and cheers to the best father a guy could have!
Jose Cruz (father of Jose Cruz Jr.)
Jose Cruz spent 19 seasons in the majors between 1970 and 1988, mostly with the Houston Astros.
He finished third in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting after hitting .302 with 11 homeruns and 91 RBI. His best three seasons came between 1983 and 1985. He hit .318 in 1983 and led the league with 189 hits. He finished that year with 28 doubles, 8 triples and 92 RBI. In 1984, he finished with a .312 average with 187 hits. He drove in a career-high 95 runs and finished with 28 doubles and 13 triples. He only played 141 games in 1985, but still hit .300 and drove in 79 runs. He finished with 34 doubles and 163 hits.
He ended his career with a .284 batting average with 2,251 hits. He finished with 391 doubles, 94 triples and 1,077 RBI.
Bobby Bonds (father of Barry Bonds)
Bobby Bonds played 14 seasons in the majors for 8 different teams between 1968 and 1981.
In 1973 with the Giants, he finished third in the NL MVP voting after hitting 39 homeruns and driving in 96 RBI. He led the league with 141 runs scored, 341 total bases and 148 strikeouts. He also smacked 34 doubles and 182 hits. In 1975 playing for the Yankees, he hit 32 homeruns and drove in 85 RBI. One of his best seasons came in 1977 playing for the California Angels. He finished with 37 homeruns and 115 RBI.
He ended his career with an impressive 332 homeruns and 1,024 RBI. Less impressive are his 1,757 strikeouts, good for 11th most all-time.
Ray Boone (father of Bob Boone, grandfather of Aaron and Bret Boone)
Ray Boone is the original Boone who played 13 seasons between 1948 and 1960.
In 1953, Boone hit .296 with 26 homeruns and 114 RBI for the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers. In his first two full years with the Tigers (1954-1955), he smacked 40 homeruns and 201 RBI. He led the league in RBI in 1955, driving in 116. In 1956, He hit .308 with 25 homeruns and 81 RBI.
After bouncing around four teams the last years of his career, Boone finished with a .275 batting average 151 homeruns and 737 RBI.
Mel Stottlemyre (father of Todd Stottlemyre)
Mel Stottlemyre played 11 seasons between 1964 and 1974, all pitching for the New York Yankees.
He pitched for some pretty awful Yankee teams and led the league in losses in 1966 (20) and 1972 (18). He did win his fair share however, winning 14 game or more in all but three years of his career.
In 1968, Stottlemyre won 21 games with a 2.45 E.R.A. He completed 19 of his 36 starts and had 140 strikeouts. He continued his winning ways the next season, winning 20 games and leading the league with 24 complete games.
Stottlemyre finished his career with 164 wins with an E.R.A. of 2.97.
Vern Law (father of Vance Law)
Vern Law played in 16 seasons between 1950 and 1967, all pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
His best season came in 1960. He won the Cy Young Award after winning 20 games with an E.R.A. of 3.08. He completed 18 games and tossed three shutouts. More importantly, he won two games against the Yankees in the World Series. The Pirates upset the Yanks that year after Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off Game Seven homerun (sorry Dad).
Law finished his career with 162 wins and an E.R.A. of 3.77. He pitched 119 complete games and 28 shutouts
Thorton Lee (father of Don Lee)
Thorton Lee played in 16 seasons between 1933 and 1948, mostly with the Chicago White Sox.
His best season came in 1941. He won 22 games and led the league with a 2.37 E.R.A. He also led the league with 30 complete games. He tossed three shutouts and struck out 130 batters. In 1945, he won 15 games with a low E.R.A. of 2.44.
Law finished his career with 117 wins and a 3.56 E.R.A. He pitched 155 complete games and 14 shutouts.
Jose Cruz (father of Jose Cruz Jr.)
Jose Cruz spent 19 seasons in the majors between 1970 and 1988, mostly with the Houston Astros.
He finished third in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting after hitting .302 with 11 homeruns and 91 RBI. His best three seasons came between 1983 and 1985. He hit .318 in 1983 and led the league with 189 hits. He finished that year with 28 doubles, 8 triples and 92 RBI. In 1984, he finished with a .312 average with 187 hits. He drove in a career-high 95 runs and finished with 28 doubles and 13 triples. He only played 141 games in 1985, but still hit .300 and drove in 79 runs. He finished with 34 doubles and 163 hits.
He ended his career with a .284 batting average with 2,251 hits. He finished with 391 doubles, 94 triples and 1,077 RBI.
Bobby Bonds (father of Barry Bonds)
Bobby Bonds played 14 seasons in the majors for 8 different teams between 1968 and 1981.
In 1973 with the Giants, he finished third in the NL MVP voting after hitting 39 homeruns and driving in 96 RBI. He led the league with 141 runs scored, 341 total bases and 148 strikeouts. He also smacked 34 doubles and 182 hits. In 1975 playing for the Yankees, he hit 32 homeruns and drove in 85 RBI. One of his best seasons came in 1977 playing for the California Angels. He finished with 37 homeruns and 115 RBI.
He ended his career with an impressive 332 homeruns and 1,024 RBI. Less impressive are his 1,757 strikeouts, good for 11th most all-time.
Ray Boone (father of Bob Boone, grandfather of Aaron and Bret Boone)
Ray Boone is the original Boone who played 13 seasons between 1948 and 1960.
In 1953, Boone hit .296 with 26 homeruns and 114 RBI for the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers. In his first two full years with the Tigers (1954-1955), he smacked 40 homeruns and 201 RBI. He led the league in RBI in 1955, driving in 116. In 1956, He hit .308 with 25 homeruns and 81 RBI.
After bouncing around four teams the last years of his career, Boone finished with a .275 batting average 151 homeruns and 737 RBI.
Mel Stottlemyre (father of Todd Stottlemyre)
Mel Stottlemyre played 11 seasons between 1964 and 1974, all pitching for the New York Yankees.
He pitched for some pretty awful Yankee teams and led the league in losses in 1966 (20) and 1972 (18). He did win his fair share however, winning 14 game or more in all but three years of his career.
In 1968, Stottlemyre won 21 games with a 2.45 E.R.A. He completed 19 of his 36 starts and had 140 strikeouts. He continued his winning ways the next season, winning 20 games and leading the league with 24 complete games.
Stottlemyre finished his career with 164 wins with an E.R.A. of 2.97.
Vern Law (father of Vance Law)
Vern Law played in 16 seasons between 1950 and 1967, all pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
His best season came in 1960. He won the Cy Young Award after winning 20 games with an E.R.A. of 3.08. He completed 18 games and tossed three shutouts. More importantly, he won two games against the Yankees in the World Series. The Pirates upset the Yanks that year after Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off Game Seven homerun (sorry Dad).
Law finished his career with 162 wins and an E.R.A. of 3.77. He pitched 119 complete games and 28 shutouts
Thorton Lee (father of Don Lee)
Thorton Lee played in 16 seasons between 1933 and 1948, mostly with the Chicago White Sox.
His best season came in 1941. He won 22 games and led the league with a 2.37 E.R.A. He also led the league with 30 complete games. He tossed three shutouts and struck out 130 batters. In 1945, he won 15 games with a low E.R.A. of 2.44.
Law finished his career with 117 wins and a 3.56 E.R.A. He pitched 155 complete games and 14 shutouts.
What a great idea, awesome! And cheers to our fathers!
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