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Phil Rizzuto Stats & Facts

 

VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA

Vintage Baseball Memorabilia

Phil Rizzuto

Position: Shortstop
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
5-6, 150lb (168cm, 68kg)
Born: September 25, 1917 in Brooklyn, NY
Died: August 13, 2007 in West Orange, NJ
Buried: Cremated
High School: Richmond Hill HS (Queens, NY)
Debut: April 14, 1941 (9,029th in major league history)
vs. WSH 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: August 16, 1956 
vs. BOS 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1994. (Voted by Veteran’s Committee)
View Phil Rizzuto’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).
Nicknames: Scooter
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1941

Stan Musial
Phil Rizzuto
Bob Lemon
Vern Stephens
Dave Philley
Jim Hegan
Danny Murtaugh
Dick Wakefield
Virgil Trucks

 

The Phil Rizzuto Teammate Team

C:   Yogi Berra
1B: Johnny Mize
2B: Joe Gordon
3B: Red Rolfe
SS: Mickey Mantle
LF: Tommy Henrich
CF: Joe DiMaggio
RF: Charlie Keller
SP: Red Ruffing
SP: Lefty Gomez
SP: Allie Reynolds
SP: Vic Raschi
SP: Whitey Ford
RP: Johnny Murphy
M:   Casey Stengel

 

Notable Events and Chronology for Phil Rizzuto Career

Biography

 
Phil Rizzuto was in the right place at the right time. The New York native was with the powerhouse Yankees in the period of their greatest domination, and as a result is among the all-time leaders in many World Series statistics: 52 games (6th), 183 at-bats and 45 hits (7th), 21 runs (10th), 30 walks (4th), and 10 steals (3rd). One of the best shortstops in the AL in his time, he led three times each in double plays and total chances per game, twice each in fielding and putouts, and once in assists.

Rizzuto was a fair hitter for a shortstop and a superb bunter. He moved Frankie Crosetti aside in 1941 and 1942, but spent 1943-45 in the military. On an all-star service team, coach Bill Dickey played Pee Wee Reese at shortstop and Rizzuto at third base. The peak of Rizzuto’s career came in back-to-back standout seasons in 1949 and 1950. Though he had previously been the Yankees’ number-seven or number-eight batter, his hot 1949 moved him to the leadoff spot, and he produced 110 runs while batting .275 and walking 72 times. He finished second in the MVP voting (behind Ted Williams, who missed his third Triple Crown by a fraction of a point). Rizzuto’s 1950 season earned him the MVP award by over a hundred points: he had career highs with a .324 batting average (sixth in the AL), 125 runs (tied for second), 91 walks, 36 doubles (third), and a .439 slugging average, the only time he topped .400.

Rizzuto continued at the top of the lineup (first or second in the order) until he slumped badly in 1954, hitting just .195. Thereafter he was a backup used mostly for his defense. He moved into the Yankee broadcast booth immediately following his last season and remained a popular fixture there until 1996. While in the booth, Rizzuto became known for advocating the bunt in most situations, reading countless birthday, wedding and aniversary announcements and for his expressions “holy cow” (whenever something astonishes him, which is frequently) and “that huckleberry” (an unserious putdown). He is the inventor of the scoring symbol “WW,” for “wasn’t watching.” The Yankees retired his number 10 in 1985. Mr. Rizzuto died on August 14, 2007 at the age of 89. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Played For
New York Yankees (1941-1956)

Similar: Omar Vizquel

Linked: Pee Wee Reese, Jerry Priddy, Yogi Berra

Best Season, 1950
Rizzuto’s .324 average was more than 50 points over his career mark. A mature ballplayer at the age of 32, he collected 200 hits and scored 125 runs while winning the MVP Award. During the season he strings together a ML record 238 chances without an error.

Awards and Honors
1950 AL MVP

All-Star Selections

Post-Season Appearances
1941 World Series
1942 World Series
1947 World Series
1949 World Series
1950 World Series
1951 World Series
1952 World Series
1953 World Series
1955 World Series

Factoid
When the TV show What’s My Line premiered on February 2, 1950, Phil Rizzuto was the very first “mystery guest.”

Factoid
On August 4, 1985, when the Yankees held “Phil Rizzuto Day,” the White Sox’ Tom Seaver notched his 300th career win. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Rod Carew collected his 3,000th hit.

Quotes About Rizzuto
“He does everything right. He gives you good throws, and he takes your bad ones with ease, nonchalance.” — Gil McDougald

All-Star Selections
1942 AL
1950 AL
1951 AL
1952 AL
1953 AL

Replaced
Frankie Crosetti

Replaced By
Billy Hunter, briefly, and then Gil McDougald.

Best Strength as a Player
His baseball instincts.

Largest Weakness as a Player
Extra-base power.

 

Other Resources & Links