Frank Malzone
Encyclopedia
Frank James Malzone is a former Major League Baseball
third baseman
and right-handed slugger who played for the Boston Red Sox
(1955–65) and California Angels (1966).
Malzone spent 11 seasons with Boston and is among the all-time Red Sox leaders in several categories. He batted
.276 with 131 home run
s and 716 runs batted in in 1359 games. A free agent at the end of 1965, he finished up with the Angels playing 82 games in 1966.
Malzone made his Boston debut in 1955, going 6-for-10 in a doubleheader against Baltimore
. In 1957, in his first full season with the Red Sox, he had a season-high 103 RBI and tied an American League
record for a third baseman with 10 assists in a game. He became the first player to lead the league at his position in games played
, putout
s, error
s, assists, double play
s and fielding percentage
.
Malzone led the league with 627 at-bats and hit a career-high .295 in 1958. Through 1961, he tied a record by leading AL third basemen in double plays five straight seasons. He enjoyed his best season in 1962, batting .283 with 21 home runs and 95 RBI. He was an All-Star
eight times (1957,1958,1959*,1960*,1963–64; the MLB had All-Star games twice a season from 1959–1962) and won three straight Gold Glove Award
s (1957–59); including the first Gold Glove for a third basemen in MLB history . He was the last American League third baseman to win a Gold Glove prior to Brooks Robinson
's 16-year run.
In his career Malzone compiled a record of .274 BA
, 133 home runs, 728 RBI, 647 runs, 239 doubles
, 21 triples
, and 14 stolen base
s in 1441 games. After 35 years as a Boston scout, Malzone now serves as a player development consultant for the Red Sox.
Malzone resides in Needham
, Massachusetts
Frank Malzone was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
in 1995.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and right-handed slugger who played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1955–65) and California Angels (1966).
Malzone spent 11 seasons with Boston and is among the all-time Red Sox leaders in several categories. He batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.276 with 131 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 716 runs batted in in 1359 games. A free agent at the end of 1965, he finished up with the Angels playing 82 games in 1966.
Malzone made his Boston debut in 1955, going 6-for-10 in a doubleheader against Baltimore
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. In 1957, in his first full season with the Red Sox, he had a season-high 103 RBI and tied an American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
record for a third baseman with 10 assists in a game. He became the first player to lead the league at his position in games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, error
Error
The word error entails different meanings and usages relative to how it is conceptually applied. The concrete meaning of the Latin word "error" is "wandering" or "straying". Unlike an illusion, an error or a mistake can sometimes be dispelled through knowledge...
s, assists, double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s and fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
.
Malzone led the league with 627 at-bats and hit a career-high .295 in 1958. Through 1961, he tied a record by leading AL third basemen in double plays five straight seasons. He enjoyed his best season in 1962, batting .283 with 21 home runs and 95 RBI. He was an All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
eight times (1957,1958,1959*,1960*,1963–64; the MLB had All-Star games twice a season from 1959–1962) and won three straight Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s (1957–59); including the first Gold Glove for a third basemen in MLB history . He was the last American League third baseman to win a Gold Glove prior to Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
's 16-year run.
In his career Malzone compiled a record of .274 BA
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 133 home runs, 728 RBI, 647 runs, 239 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 21 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 14 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 1441 games. After 35 years as a Boston scout, Malzone now serves as a player development consultant for the Red Sox.
Malzone resides in Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, Massachusetts
Frank Malzone was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of former Boston Red Sox baseball players. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the...
in 1995.