WHY I THINK WALLY SCHANG SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK WALLY SCHANG SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Wally Schang was one of the greatest catchers of all time. Switch hitting Schang was so good an offensive catcher that he was often penciled in at other positions to keep him in the lineup without the wear and tear that comes with catching every day. He was also regarded as an outstanding defensive catcher with an arm as powerful as a rifle. Wally Schang started his career in 1913 with the Philadelphia A’s and although he came up to bat only 254 times, he finished in the top ten in the AL MVP Award voting. He again finished in the top ten in 1914 when he batted .287 and caught 100 games for the first time. Schang didn’t top the .300 mark until 1919, but he was quite patient at the plate, routinely putting up impressive on base percentages all the while. He also stole a lot of bases, as he ranks eighth all time in stolen bases by a catcher. In 1919, he hit his peak with a .306 average for the Red Sox, and as the live ball era began, he put together four straight .300 seasons. In 1921, Schang played his first season with the Yankees, and he led them to three straight AL pennants. He hit .292 in 1924 at the age of 34 and was still going strong in 1928 with the St. Louis Browns, having batted .312 over the last three seasons. After that, he began to decline as a hitter, but in 1929, he walked 74 times in 94 games and led the league in hit by pitch for an astronomical .424 on base percentage. The A’s got him back for a time in 1930 and the Tigers played him in 30 games in 1931, but he was through as a hitter. He played his last game in June of 1931, and was released. Wally Schang was one of the best offensive catchers of all time. The Hall of Fame should induct more catchers, in my (pretty darn well educated) opinion, and Schang is among the catchers who makes the cut. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,842 season high: 134 in 1921 

At Bats career: 5,307 season high: 424 in 1921 

Hits career: 1,506 season high: 134 in 1921 

Doubles career: 264 season high: 30 in 1920 and 1921 

Triples career: 90 season high: 11 in 1915 

Home Runs career: 59 season high: 8 in 1926 

Runs career: 769 season high: 77 in 1921 

Runs Batted In career: 705 season high: 53 in 1921 

Stolen Bases career: 121 season high: 18 in 1915 

Walks career: 849 season high: 78 in 1921 

Strikeouts career: 573 season high: 47 in 1915 

Batting Average career: .284 season high: .330 in 1926 

On Base Percentage career: .393 season high: .448 in 1928 

Slugging Percentage career: .401 season high: .516 in 1926 

Total Bases career: 2,127 season high: 192 in 1921 

Sacrifice Hits career: 160 season high: 23 in 1922 

Fielding Percentage career: .964 season high: .988 in 1929 led AL C: .988 in 1929 

Double Plays career: 169 season high: 16 in 1919 led AL C: 16 in 1919 

Putouts career: 5,622 season high: 500 in 1921 

Assists career: 1,565 season high: 154 in 1914 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .458 season high: .569 in 1926 led AL C: .569 in 1926 

Pickoffs career: 53 season high: 11 in 1922 (Schang’s pickoff totals prior to 1916 are unavailable) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-brother of Bobby Schang 

-was Bill Dickey’s predecessor as the Yankee catcher
-finished eighth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1913, tenth in 1914, 11th in 1924, 13th in 1922, and 18th in 1927 

-also led the AL in hit by pitch in 1917 (9)

-drove in over 50 runs in a season six times 

-batted .287/.362/.404 in 32 career World Series games, winning rings in 1913, 1918, and 1923 (he was a member of the World Champion Philadelphia Athletics in 1930, but didn’t play in the Series) 

-had a 20 game hitting streak in 1916 

-was the first player ever to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game (September 8, 1916) 

-holds AL records among catchers for the most caught stealing in a game (six; May 12, 1915) and for the most assists in a game (eight; May 12, 1920) 

-hit four home runs off of Hall of Famer Red Faber and one each off of Eddie Plank, Urban Shocker, Carl Mays, and Hubert Leonard 

-among MLB catchers, ranks 41st in career games caught, seventh in double plays, eleventh in assists, and 22nd in runners thrown out stealing