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The Big Cat – Johnny Mize

March 10th, 2025

March 11, 1981, the Veterans Committee elects slugger Johnny Mize to the Hall of Fame. Mize won four National League home run titles, a batting title and three RBI crowns. He was revered by fans in St. Louis and New York, where he ended his career by playing on five World Series champions in his last seasons as a Yankee. In the 1952 Fall Classic against the Dodgers he belted homer sin games three, four and five, batting .400 with six RBI. Like many others from his era Mize lost 3 years to WWII service, yet he totaled 359 home runs and batted .312 during a 15-year major league career.

Feats: When he retired, Mize had hit three homers in one game more times (six) than any other player in the National League. When he retires, 359 homeruns were 6th all time.

Surprisingly, despite his notoriety as a slugger he averaged only 38.5 strikeouts over 12 seasons in which he made at least 400 plate appearances. Even more impressive, he once hit 51 home runs while striking out just 42 times, the highest total with the fewest strikeouts in baseball history.

Best Season: 1939
In 1938, 1939 and 1940, Mize led the NL in slugging percentage, with marks of .614, .626 and .636. In ’39 he won the batting title (.349) and in ’39 and ’40 he garnered the home run crown as well. In 1940 he netted the RBI title, leaving him one category shy of the triple crown. Mize’s OBP for the three years were .422, .444 and .404. You could select any of these three season as his best.

Mize was the first to smear mud under his eyes to reduce glare, and was so focused and comfortable as a hitter he never stepped out of the batter’s box between pitches.

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1936
Johnny Mize
Joe DiMaggio
Bill Nicholson
Eddie Joost
George McQuinn
Jeff Heath
Bob Feller
Nels Potter
Birdie Tebbetts

The Johnny Mize
Teammate Team
C: Yogi Berra
1B: Joe Collins
2B: Billy Martin
3B: Sid Gordon
SS: Phil Rizzuto
LF: Stan Musial
CF: Joe DiMaggio
RF: Enos Slaughter
SP: Dizzy Dean
SP: Mort Cooper
SP: Larry Jansen
SP: Allie Reynolds
SP: Eddie Lopat
RP: Max Lanier
M: Casey Stengel

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