Nellie Fox
Encyclopedia
Jacob Nelson Fox was a Major League Baseball
second baseman
for the Chicago White Sox
. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania
. He was selected as the MVP
of the American League
in . He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
.
With the White Sox, Fox played next to a pair of slick-fielding shortstops, Venezuela
ns Chico Carrasquel
(1950–55) and Luis Aparicio
(1956–62), and was, year after year, a member of the best defensive infield
in the League. Fox won Gold Gloves in , and .
Only 5-foot-9, he made up for his modest size and minimal power — he hit only 35 home run
s in his career, and never more than six in a single season — with his good batting eye, excellent fielding, and baserunning speed. Fox was perennially one of the toughest batters to strike out
, fanning just 216 times in his career, an average of once every 42.7 at-bats which ranks him 3rd all-time. He led the league in most at-bats per strikeouts a phenomenal 13 times in his career. Although not known as a great hitter (lifetime .288 batting average
), he batted over .300 six times, with 2,663 hits, 355 doubles, and 112 triples. He also led the league in singles
for seven straight years, in triples once, and in hits four times.
After his playing career, Fox was a coach
for the Astros (1965–67) and the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers
(1968–72).
Fox died of skin cancer
in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1975. He was not selected to the Hall of Fame in his initial period of eligibility. In his final opportunity, 1985, he gained 74.7 percent of the vote, just shy of the 75 percent required for election by the Baseball Writers Association of America
. However, in , the Veterans Committee
elected him to membership in the Hall.
of .380 and won his second Gold Glove. The Al Lopez
-managed White Sox had the best record in baseball, going 94-60 to finish five games ahead of the Cleveland Indians
and a surprising 15 ahead of the New York Yankees
. It was one of just two seasons the Yankees would not win the pennant between - (the Indians won it in ).
In the World Series
, Fox batted a team-high .375 with 3 doubles, but the Sox lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in six games. In Game 5 Fox scored the only run when Sherm Lollar hit into a double play in the fourth inning. (This was only the second time that a World Series game did not have an RBI.)
It was Fox's only postseason experience, and the White Sox would not make it back to the World Series until 2005
.
Al Lopez
.
Nellie was the toughest out for me. In 12 years I struck him out once, and I think the umpire blew the call. - New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford
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...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania
St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania
St. Thomas Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,775 at the 2000 census.It is the birthplace of Baseball Hall of Fame member Nellie Fox.-Geography:...
. He was selected as the MVP
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...
of the 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...
in . He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
Career
Fox began his career with the Philadelphia Athletics in , though he was never a full-time starter during his three seasons with the team. Traded to the White Sox October 29, , Fox's career took off. He spent 14 seasons with Chicago, making 10 All-Star teams. He played his final two seasons (1964–65) with the Houston Colt .45s and AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
.
With the White Sox, Fox played next to a pair of slick-fielding shortstops, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
ns Chico Carrasquel
Chico Carrasquel
Alfonso Carrasquel Colón, better known as Chico Carrasquel was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Kansas City Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles...
(1950–55) and Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
(1956–62), and was, year after year, a member of the best defensive infield
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in the League. Fox won Gold Gloves in , and .
Only 5-foot-9, he made up for his modest size and minimal power — he hit only 35 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 in his career, and never more than six in a single season — with his good batting eye, excellent fielding, and baserunning speed. Fox was perennially one of the toughest batters to strike out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
, fanning just 216 times in his career, an average of once every 42.7 at-bats which ranks him 3rd all-time. He led the league in most at-bats per strikeouts a phenomenal 13 times in his career. Although not known as a great hitter (lifetime .288 batting average
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 :...
), he batted over .300 six times, with 2,663 hits, 355 doubles, and 112 triples. He also led the league in singles
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
for seven straight years, in triples once, and in hits four times.
After his playing career, Fox was a coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Astros (1965–67) and the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1968–72).
Fox died of skin cancer
Skin cancer
Skin neoplasms are skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. The three most common malignant skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises...
in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1975. He was not selected to the Hall of Fame in his initial period of eligibility. In his final opportunity, 1985, he gained 74.7 percent of the vote, just shy of the 75 percent required for election by the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
. However, in , the Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
elected him to membership in the Hall.
1959
Fox's best season came in 1959, when the White Sox won their first pennant in 40 years. He batted .306, had an on base percentageOn base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .380 and won his second Gold Glove. The Al Lopez
Al Lopez
Alfonso Ramon "Al" Lopez was an American catcher and manager in Major League Baseball, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977....
-managed White Sox had the best record in baseball, going 94-60 to finish five games ahead of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and a surprising 15 ahead of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. It was one of just two seasons the Yankees would not win the pennant between - (the Indians won it in ).
In the World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
, Fox batted a team-high .375 with 3 doubles, but the Sox lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in six games. In Game 5 Fox scored the only run when Sherm Lollar hit into a double play in the fourth inning. (This was only the second time that a World Series game did not have an RBI.)
It was Fox's only postseason experience, and the White Sox would not make it back to the World Series until 2005
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
.
Achievements
- He was the first White Sox player to be elected MVP of the American League.
- He had only 216 career strikeoutStrikeoutIn baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in more than 9,200 at-batsAt batIn baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
: the 4th best percentage in MLBMajor League BaseballMajor 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...
history. - Fox set the record for consecutive games playedGames playedGames 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,...
at second base, with 798 (August 7, 1956, through September 3, 1960). - He was a 12–time All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe 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...
. - Nellie Fox collected 3 Gold Glove AwardGold Glove AwardThe 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 for excellent defensive play at second base. - Upon his retirement, he held the American League record for being involved in the most double playDouble playIn 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 by a second baseman; the second highest Major League total after Bill MazeroskiBill MazeroskiWilliam Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
. - Between 1959 and 1960 the Aparicio-Fox middle infield duo each won the Gold Glove Award for their respective position, starting a select list of eight shortstop-second baseman combinations who have won the honor in the same season while playing together.
- His uniform number 2 was retired by the White Sox.
- In 2006, two bronze statues, one depicting him, the other depicting his teammate and fellow infielder Luis AparicioLuis AparicioLuis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
, were unveiled on the outfield concourse of U.S. Cellular FieldU.S. Cellular FieldU.S. Cellular Field is a baseball ballpark in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, it is the home of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball's American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park...
. Fox's statue depicts him flipping a baseball toward Aparicio, while Aparicio is depicted as preparing to receive the ball from Fox.
Trivia
- Nellie Fox was well-known for using a thick-handled bat for more control at the plate, giving him an edge in spraying hits to all areas of the field. An entire generation of Little Leaguers and older youth-league players in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were familiar with the thick-handled wooden Louisville Slugger bat bearing the Nellie Fox facsimile signature.
- Fox also continued to use the smallest fielder's gloves available throughout his career, during the era when gloves were increasing in size and complexity. He modified his gloves by removing excessive or ill-placed padding, to better 'feel' the ball. This served to facilitate smoother transitions to throwing for the completion of double plays at second base. Hall of Famer Joe MorganJoe MorganJoe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
, who was mentored as a rookie by Fox during their concurrent stints with the Astros, details Fox' approach to fielding in his various autobiographies.
See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
- MLB consecutive games played streaksMLB consecutive games played streaksListed below are the 15 longest consecutive games played streaks in Major League Baseball history. To compile such a streak, a player must appear in every game played by his team...
- Chicago White Sox all-time roster
Quotation
Fox is what you'd call a manager's ballplayer. He does his job expertly and he does it every day. He's the type of player you can count on. He's an old pro. A great many times, he is hurting pretty badly from the dumpings he's taken on the field, but he's always ready to play. - managerManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Al Lopez
Al Lopez
Alfonso Ramon "Al" Lopez was an American catcher and manager in Major League Baseball, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977....
.
Nellie was the toughest out for me. In 12 years I struck him out once, and I think the umpire blew the call. - New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
External links
- Nellie Fox 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:...
- Baseball Library
- Bigelow, Robert W. and Zminda, Don “Nellie Fox” in Don Zminda, ed. Go-Go to Glory: The 1959 Chicago White Sox, (Skokie, IL: ACTA Publishing, 2009) reprinted at SABRSociety for American Baseball ResearchThe Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
Bio Project