Hank Sauer
Encyclopedia
Henry John "Hank" Sauer (March 17, 1917 - August 24, 2001) was a left fielder
in Major League Baseball
. From 1941 through 1959, Sauer played for the Cincinnati Reds
(1941–42, 1945, 1948–49), Chicago Cubs
(1949–55), St. Louis Cardinals
(1956), New York Giants
(1957) and San Francisco Giants
(1958–59). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a 15-season career, Sauer was a .266 hitter with 288 home run
s and 876 RBIs
in 1399 games
.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, Sauer started his majors career with the Reds in 1941, and was traded to the Cubs midway through the 1949 season.
A two-time All-Star
, Sauer was a feared slugger for the Cubs in the early 1950s, hitting over 30 home runs in six seasons, with a career-high 41 in 1954. His most productive season came in 1952, when he led the National League
in home runs (37) and RBIs (121), and was named the Most Valuable Player
.
During a time when the Cubs were especially moribund, Sauer provided some joy for the team's fans with his power hitting, earning him the nickname "The Mayor of Wrigley Field
". He was well-known for using smokeless tobacco, and it has often been reported that after he hit a home run, when he returned to his left field position, bleacher fans might shower him with packets of his favorite chew, Beech Nut tobacco.
Sauer was not especially fleet afoot. In contrast to radio's "Quiz Kids
" or the 1950 Phillies "Whiz Kids
", according to Chicago columnist Mike Royko
the 1950s Cubs had an outfield "that was so slow they were known as the Quicksand
Kids." Sauer, Frank Baumholtz
and Ralph Kiner
played left, center and right fields respectively. (One More Time: The Best of Mike Royko, University of Chicago, 1999, p. 29-31)
In 1955, Sauer tried to hold out for a bigger contract for the Cubs, but was released. A year later, he played with the Cardinals and finished with the Giants in 1959.
Sauer died in Burlingame, California
at age of 84.
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
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...
. From 1941 through 1959, Sauer played for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1941–42, 1945, 1948–49), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1949–55), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1956), New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1957) and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1958–59). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a 15-season career, Sauer was a .266 hitter with 288 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 876 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1399 games
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,...
.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Sauer started his majors career with the Reds in 1941, and was traded to the Cubs midway through the 1949 season.
A two-time 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...
, Sauer was a feared slugger for the Cubs in the early 1950s, hitting over 30 home runs in six seasons, with a career-high 41 in 1954. His most productive season came in 1952, when he led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in home runs (37) and RBIs (121), and was named the Most Valuable Player
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
.
During a time when the Cubs were especially moribund, Sauer provided some joy for the team's fans with his power hitting, earning him the nickname "The Mayor of Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
". He was well-known for using smokeless tobacco, and it has often been reported that after he hit a home run, when he returned to his left field position, bleacher fans might shower him with packets of his favorite chew, Beech Nut tobacco.
Sauer was not especially fleet afoot. In contrast to radio's "Quiz Kids
Quiz Kids
Quiz Kids, a popular radio-TV series of the 1940s and 1950s, was created by Chicago public relations and advertising man Louis G. Cowan . Originally sponsored by Alka-Seltzer, the series was first broadcast on NBC from Chicago, June 28, 1940, airing as a summer replacement show for Alec Templeton...
" or the 1950 Phillies "Whiz Kids
Whiz Kids (baseball)
The Whiz Kids was a nickname given to the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. This team, averaging only 26.4 years of age, won the National League pennant during that season.After owner R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr...
", according to Chicago columnist Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
the 1950s Cubs had an outfield "that was so slow they were known as the Quicksand
Quicksand
Quicksand is a colloid hydrogel consisting of fine granular matter , clay, and water.Water circulation underground can focus in an area with the optimal mixture of fine sands and other materials such as clay. The water moves up and then down slowly in a convection-like manner throughout a column...
Kids." Sauer, Frank Baumholtz
Frank Baumholtz
Frank Conrad Baumholtz was an American outfielder for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies...
and Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner
Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...
played left, center and right fields respectively. (One More Time: The Best of Mike Royko, University of Chicago, 1999, p. 29-31)
In 1955, Sauer tried to hold out for a bigger contract for the Cubs, but was released. A year later, he played with the Cardinals and finished with the Giants in 1959.
Sauer died in Burlingame, California
Burlingame, California
Burlingame is a city in San Mateo County, California. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame. It is renowned for its many surviving examples of Victorian architecture, its affluence, and...
at age of 84.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
External links
- Baseball Reference - Career statistics
- The Deadball Era
- Hank Sauer at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...