Rick Ferrell
Encyclopedia
Richard Benjamin Ferrell (October 12, 1905 – July 27, 1995) was an American
professional
baseball
player, coach
, scout and executive
. He played as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
from to for the St. Louis Browns
, Boston Red Sox
and Washington Senators
. Ferrell was regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball during the 1930s and early 1940s. His 1,806 games played as a catcher set an American League longevity record which stood for more than 40 years. An eight-time All-Star
, Ferrell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984
.
, Ferrell was the fourth of seven brothers. His brother, Wes Ferrell
, reached the major leagues as a pitcher
while another brother, George Ferrell, played as an outfielder
in minor league baseball
. Ferrell attended Guilford College
in Greensboro, North Carolina
where he played both baseball and basketball
. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1926
and was assigned to play for the Kinston Eagles of the Virginia League
. While playing for the Columbus Senators
of the American Association
in 1928, he posted a .333 batting average
but, failed to get called to the major league club. Ferrell suspected that he was being unfairly held in the minor leagues, a common practice at the time and, at the end of the season, he requested free agency from the Commissioner of Baseball
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
. Landis agreed that Ferrell was being illegally held back and granted him free agency, allowing him to sign a contract with the St. Louis Browns.
Ferrell made his major league debut with the Browns on April 19, 1929
. He spent the 1929 season as a reserve catcher backing up veteran Wally Schang
, hitting for a .229 batting average in 64 games. New Browns manager
and former catcher, Bill Killefer
, made Ferrell his starting catcher for the 1930
season and, for the next three seasons he would catch in more than 100 games. His batting average rose to a .306 in 1931
making him one of the best hitting
catchers in the American League and, although he led the league's catchers in errors
and passed ball
s, he also led the league in assists
. In 1932
, Ferrell hit .315, the best among American League catchers, with 30 doubles
and 65 runs batted in. He ended the season ranked thirteenth in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
On May 10, 1933
, the Boston Red Sox purchased Ferrell from the financially-strapped Browns. Two months later, Ferrell was selected along with his brother to play for the American League team in the inaugural Major League Baseball All-Star Game
held on July 6, 1933
. American League manager Connie Mack
used Ferrell to catch the entire game in a 4-2 American League victory, even though future Hall of Fame members Mickey Cochrane
and Bill Dickey
were also on the team. When the Red Sox played the Cleveland Indians
two weeks later on July 19, , Ferrell hit a home run
against his brother Wes, who later hit a home run off Boston pitcher Hank Johnson
, marking the first time in major league history that brothers on opposing teams had hit home runs in the same game. Ferrel ended the year with a .290 batting average along with a career-high 77 runs batted in. Although Ferrell once again led American League catchers in errors, he also led in assists and in baserunners caught stealing
. Despite the Red Sox' seventh place finish, Ferrell ranked twelfth in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1934
, the Red Sox signed Ferrell's brother Wes, creating one of the few brother-batteries
in Major League history. He ended the year with a .297 batting average and led the league's catchers in fielding percentage
and in putout
s and, finished second in assists. With Ferrell calling the pitches in 1935
, his brother pitched to an impressive 25-14 won-loss record to finish as runner-up to Hank Greenberg
in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award. Ferrell posted a .301 batting average for the year and led the league in baserunners caught stealing.
Ferrel had another good year in 1936
, leading the league with a .439 batting average at the beginning of May to earn the starting catcher's berth for the American League team in the 1936 All-Star Game
. He ended the season with a .312 batting average along with career-highs in home runs (8) and in on base percentage
(.406). He also led the league's catchers in putouts and finished second in fielding percentage In June 1937
, Ferrell was hitting for a .308 average when he was traded to the Washington Senators along with his brother and Mel Almada
for pitcher Bobo Newsom
and outfielder Ben Chapman. Between and , Ferrell broke Red Sox catchers' records in batting, doubles, home runs and runs batted in. His .302 batting average with Boston is 12th on the club's all-time list.
Playing with a partially broken right hand, he ended the year with the Senators batting .244. Ferrell rebounded in 1938
with a .298 batting average and led the league in baserunners caught stealing. The Senators would release his brother Wes in August . In May 1941
, Ferrell was traded back to the St. Louis Browns where he caught 100 games for the sixth-place Browns. In 1942
, the 36 year old Ferrell shared catching duties with Frankie Hayes
as the Browns improved to a 82-69 won-loss record to finish the year in third place.
Ferrell was once again traded back to the Senators in March 1944
. He earned a reputation as one of the best knuckleball
catchers in baseball when, he had the arduous task of catching for a Senators' starting pitching staff made up entirely of knuckleball pitchers. Dutch Leonard
, Johnny Niggeling
, Roger Wolff
, and Mickey Haefner
all threw the notoriously difficult to catch knuckleball, making Ferrell the only catcher in major league history to accomplish the feat. Although Ferrell led the league in passed balls due to the unpredictability of the knuckleball, he was still named to his seventh All-Star Game
. The Senators ended the season in last place while, Ferrell's former team, the St. Louis Browns
won the American League pennant. Ferrell missed his only opportunity to play in the World Series
by one year.
Ferrell shared catching duties with Al Evans
in 1945
as the Senators started to win regularly. In July , Ferrell broke Ray Schalk
’s American League record for most games caught (1,721). He was selected to be a reserve catcher for the American League in the 1945 All-Star Game
however, the game was cancelled due to wartime travel restrictions. In the final week of the 1945 season, the Senators come within one and a half games of winning the American League pennant, ultimately clinched by the Detroit Tigers
. Ferrell retired as a player to become a Senators coach for the 1946
season however, he returned to play as a catcher for 37 games in 1947
, hitting for a .303 batting average. He played his final major league game on September 14, at the age of 41.
, accumulating 1,692 hits
in 6,028 at bats for a .281 career batting average along with 28 home runs, 734 runs batted in and an impressive on base percentage of .378. He hit over .300 four times during his career and, his .378 career on base percentage is eighth, all-time, among 50 catchers with 3000 at bats. A patient hitter, Ferrell logged just 277 strikeouts in his 6,028 at-bats, along with 931 career base on balls
. He ended his career with a .984 fielding percentage. An eight-time All-Star with a strong throwing arm, he led American League catchers four times in baserunners caught stealing, and twice in assists and putouts.
Ferrell retired having caught 1,806 games, an American League
record that stood until Carlton Fisk
surpassed it in . He currently ranks 12th all-time in games played as a catcher. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
, baseball historian Bill James
ranked Ferrell as the third best catcher in the American League during his career, behind only Mickey Cochrane
and Bill Dickey
.
and 1949
, returning to his original team, the Detroit Tigers, to coach from 1950
to 1954
before retiring from the field altogether. Afterwards, he served as a scout then as the scouting director for the Tigers before becoming the general manager
and vice president in 1959
. During his tenure as a Tigers executive, the team won two World Series in 1968
and in 1984
and won two American League Eastern Division
titles in 1972
and in 1987
.
In , Ferrell was elected along with Pee Wee Reese
to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee
. He retired in at the age of 87 after 42 years with the Tigers organization.
Ferrell died in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
in .
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, 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...
, scout and executive
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
. He played as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
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 to for the St. Louis Browns
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...
, 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"...
and Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Ferrell was regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball during the 1930s and early 1940s. His 1,806 games played as a catcher set an American League longevity record which stood for more than 40 years. An eight-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...
, Ferrell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1984
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1984 followed the system in place since 1978.The Baseball Writers Association of America voted by mail to select from recent major league players and...
.
Baseball playing career
Born in Durham, North CarolinaDurham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, Ferrell was the fourth of seven brothers. His brother, Wes Ferrell
Wes Ferrell
Wesley Cheek Ferrell was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1927 through 1941. Primarily a starting pitcher, Ferrell played for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , New York Yankees , Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves...
, reached the major leagues as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
while another brother, George Ferrell, played as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. Ferrell attended Guilford College
Guilford College
Guilford College, founded in 1837 by members of the Religious Society of Friends , is an independent college whose stated mission is to: provide a transformative, practical and excellent liberal arts education that produces critical thinkers in an inclusive, diverse environment, guided by Quaker...
in Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
where he played both baseball and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1926
1926 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The team finished sixth in the American League with a record of 79-75, 12 games behind the New York Yankees.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
and was assigned to play for the Kinston Eagles of the Virginia League
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928....
. While playing for the Columbus Senators
Columbus Senators
The Columbus Senators Minor league baseball team was born in as a founding member of the Tri-State League. After that, the Senators played in the Western League , Interstate League Western Association and American Association...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in 1928, he posted a .333 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 :...
but, failed to get called to the major league club. Ferrell suspected that he was being unfairly held in the minor leagues, a common practice at the time and, at the end of the season, he requested free agency from the Commissioner of Baseball
Commissioner of Baseball
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
. Landis agreed that Ferrell was being illegally held back and granted him free agency, allowing him to sign a contract with the St. Louis Browns.
Ferrell made his major league debut with the Browns on April 19, 1929
1929 St. Louis Browns season
The 1929 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 4th in the American League with a record of 79 wins and 73 losses.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
. He spent the 1929 season as a reserve catcher backing up veteran Wally Schang
Wally Schang
Walter Henry Schang was a catcher in Major League Baseball. From 1913 through 1931, he played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers . Schang was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
, hitting for a .229 batting average in 64 games. New Browns manager
Manager (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...
and former catcher, Bill Killefer
Bill Killefer
William Killefer , was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager who had a 48-year career in Major League Baseball. Killefer, who was nicknamed "Reindeer Bill" due to his speed afoot, played as a catcher for the St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs...
, made Ferrell his starting catcher for the 1930
1930 St. Louis Browns season
The 1930 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 64 wins and 90 losses.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
season and, for the next three seasons he would catch in more than 100 games. His batting average rose to a .306 in 1931
1931 St. Louis Browns season
The 1931 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 5th in the American League with a record of 63 wins and 91 losses.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
making him one of the best hitting
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
catchers in the American League and, although he led the league's catchers in errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
and passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s, he also led the league in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
. In 1932
1932 St. Louis Browns season
The 1932 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 63 wins and 91 losses.- Notable transactions :...
, Ferrell hit .315, the best among American League catchers, with 30 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....
and 65 runs batted in. He ended the season ranked thirteenth in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
On May 10, 1933
1933 Boston Red Sox season
The 1933 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 63 wins and 86 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, the Boston Red Sox purchased Ferrell from the financially-strapped Browns. Two months later, Ferrell was selected along with his brother to play for the American League team in the inaugural Major League Baseball All-Star Game
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...
held on July 6, 1933
1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the first playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 6, 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the home...
. American League manager Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
used Ferrell to catch the entire game in a 4-2 American League victory, even though future Hall of Fame members Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
and Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey
William Malcolm Dickey was a Major League Baseball catcher and manager.He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the New York Yankees . During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships...
were also on the team. When the Red Sox played the Cleveland Indians
1933 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the American League with a record of 75-76, 23½ games behind the Washington Senators.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
two weeks later on July 19, , Ferrell hit a 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...
against his brother Wes, who later hit a home run off Boston pitcher Hank Johnson
Hank Johnson (baseball)
Henry Ward Johnson was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball between the 1925 and 1939 seasons. Listed at 5 ft 11 in, 175 lb, Johnson batted and threw right-handed...
, marking the first time in major league history that brothers on opposing teams had hit home runs in the same game. Ferrel ended the year with a .290 batting average along with a career-high 77 runs batted in. Although Ferrell once again led American League catchers in errors, he also led in assists and in baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
. Despite the Red Sox' seventh place finish, Ferrell ranked twelfth in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1934
1934 Boston Red Sox season
The 1934 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 4th in the American League with a record of 76 wins and 76 losses.- Offseason :...
, the Red Sox signed Ferrell's brother Wes, creating one of the few brother-batteries
Battery (baseball)
In baseball, the term battery refers collectively to the pitcher and the catcher, who may also be called batterymen or batterymates of one another.- History :...
in Major League history. He ended the year with a .297 batting average and led the league's catchers in 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...
and in 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 and, finished second in assists. With Ferrell calling the pitches in 1935
1935 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing 4th in the American League with a record of 78 wins and 75 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, his brother pitched to an impressive 25-14 won-loss record to finish as runner-up to Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award. Ferrell posted a .301 batting average for the year and led the league in baserunners caught stealing.
Ferrel had another good year in 1936
1936 Boston Red Sox season
The 1936 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 74 wins and 80 losses.- Offseason :...
, leading the league with a .439 batting average at the beginning of May to earn the starting catcher's berth for the American League team in the 1936 All-Star Game
1936 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1936 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 4th playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 7, 1936 at Braves Field in Boston, Massachusetts, the home of...
. He ended the season with a .312 batting average along with career-highs in home runs (8) and in on base percentage
On 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...
(.406). He also led the league's catchers in putouts and finished second in fielding percentage In June 1937
1937 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 73 games, lost 80, and finished in sixth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Offseason :...
, Ferrell was hitting for a .308 average when he was traded to the Washington Senators along with his brother and Mel Almada
Mel Almada
Baldomero "Mel" Almada was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Dodgers...
for pitcher Bobo Newsom
Bobo Newsom
Louis Norman Newsom was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Also known as "Buck", Newsom played for a number of teams from 1929 through 1953...
and outfielder Ben Chapman. Between and , Ferrell broke Red Sox catchers' records in batting, doubles, home runs and runs batted in. His .302 batting average with Boston is 12th on the club's all-time list.
Playing with a partially broken right hand, he ended the year with the Senators batting .244. Ferrell rebounded in 1938
1938 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 75 games, lost 76, and finished in fifth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Offseason :* December 1, 1937: Ed Linke was traded by the Senators to the St...
with a .298 batting average and led the league in baserunners caught stealing. The Senators would release his brother Wes in August . In May 1941
1941 St. Louis Browns season
The St. Louis Browns season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Browns finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 70 wins and 84 losses.- Offseason :...
, Ferrell was traded back to the St. Louis Browns where he caught 100 games for the sixth-place Browns. In 1942
1942 St. Louis Browns season
The 1942 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 82 wins and 69 losses.- Notable transactions :...
, the 36 year old Ferrell shared catching duties with Frankie Hayes
Frankie Hayes
Frank Witman Hayes was an American professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to and, was highly regarded for his defensive abilities. He played most of his career for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics and also spent time with the St. Louis Browns,...
as the Browns improved to a 82-69 won-loss record to finish the year in third place.
Ferrell was once again traded back to the Senators in March 1944
1944 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 64 games, lost 90, and finished in eighth place in the American League. They were managed by Ossie Bluege and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
. He earned a reputation as one of the best knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
catchers in baseball when, he had the arduous task of catching for a Senators' starting pitching staff made up entirely of knuckleball pitchers. Dutch Leonard
Dutch Leonard (right-handed pitcher)
Emil John "Dutch" Leonard was an American professional baseball player. He played in in Major League Baseball as a right-handed knuckleball pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Washington Senators , Philadelphia Phillies , and Chicago Cubs...
, Johnny Niggeling
Johnny Niggeling
John Arnold Niggeling was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was a knuckleball specialist who pitched for nine seasons with the Boston Bees/Braves, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators.Born in Remsen, Iowa, Niggeling broke into the majors at the age...
, Roger Wolff
Roger Wolff
Roger Francis Wolff was a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for seven seasons from 1941-1947: three seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics, three seasons with the Washington Senators, and split the 1947 season between the Cleveland Indians and the Pittsburgh...
, and Mickey Haefner
Mickey Haefner
Milton Arnold "Mickey" Haefner was an American knuckleball-throwing left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eight seasons from 1943 to 1950, six and a half of them with the Washington Senators , later joining the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Braves...
all threw the notoriously difficult to catch knuckleball, making Ferrell the only catcher in major league history to accomplish the feat. Although Ferrell led the league in passed balls due to the unpredictability of the knuckleball, he was still named to his seventh All-Star Game
1944 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1944 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 12th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 1944, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania the home...
. The Senators ended the season in last place while, Ferrell's former team, the St. Louis Browns
1944 St. Louis Browns season
The St. Louis Browns season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Browns finishing first in the American League with a record of 89 wins and 65 losses...
won the American League pennant. Ferrell missed his only opportunity to play in the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
by one year.
Ferrell shared catching duties with Al Evans
Al Evans
Alfred Hubert Evans was an American Major League Baseball catcher and a Minor League manager. Listed at 5' 11", 190 lb., Evans batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Kenly, North Carolina....
in 1945
1945 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 87 games, lost 67, and finished in second place in the American League. They were managed by Ossie Bluege and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Regular season :...
as the Senators started to win regularly. In July , Ferrell broke Ray Schalk
Ray Schalk
Raymond William Schalk was a professional baseball player, coach, manager and scout. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox for the majority of his career. Known for his fine handling of pitchers and outstanding defensive ability, Schalk was considered the...
’s American League record for most games caught (1,721). He was selected to be a reserve catcher for the American League in the 1945 All-Star Game
1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was to have been the 13th annual playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League, the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
however, the game was cancelled due to wartime travel restrictions. In the final week of the 1945 season, the Senators come within one and a half games of winning the American League pennant, ultimately clinched by the Detroit Tigers
1945 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers was the team's 45th since they entered the American League in 1901. The team won the American League pennant, then went on to win the 1945 World Series, defeating the Chicago Cubs 4 games to 3. It was the second World Series championship for the Tigers...
. Ferrell retired as a player to become a Senators coach for the 1946
1946 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 76 games, lost 78, and finished in fourth place in the American League. They were managed by Ossie Bluege and played home games at Griffith Stadium.-Offseason:...
season however, he returned to play as a catcher for 37 games in 1947
1947 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 64 games, lost 90, and finished in seventh place in the American League. They were managed by Ossie Bluege and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Notable transactions :...
, hitting for a .303 batting average. He played his final major league game on September 14, at the age of 41.
Career statistics
In an 18 year career, Ferrell played in 1,884 gamesGames 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,...
, accumulating 1,692 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 6,028 at bats for a .281 career batting average along with 28 home runs, 734 runs batted in and an impressive on base percentage of .378. He hit over .300 four times during his career and, his .378 career on base percentage is eighth, all-time, among 50 catchers with 3000 at bats. A patient hitter, Ferrell logged just 277 strikeouts in his 6,028 at-bats, along with 931 career base on balls
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. He ended his career with a .984 fielding percentage. An eight-time All-Star with a strong throwing arm, he led American League catchers four times in baserunners caught stealing, and twice in assists and putouts.
Ferrell retired having caught 1,806 games, 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 that stood until Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
surpassed it in . He currently ranks 12th all-time in games played as a catcher. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
, baseball historian Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
ranked Ferrell as the third best catcher in the American League during his career, behind only Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
and Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey
William Malcolm Dickey was a Major League Baseball catcher and manager.He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the New York Yankees . During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships...
.
Coaching and executive career
Ferrell continued as a coach for the Senators in 19481948 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 56 games, lost 97, and finished in seventh place in the American League. They were managed by Joe Kuhel and played home games at Griffith Stadium.-Roster:- Starters by position:...
and 1949
1949 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 50 games, lost 104, and finished in eighth place in the American League. They were managed by Joe Kuhel and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Offseason :...
, returning to his original team, the Detroit Tigers, to coach from 1950
1950 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers had a record of 95-59 , the seventh-best winning percentage in the Tigers' 107-year history. After a tight back-and-forth pennant race, they finished in second place, three games behind a Yankees team that swept the Phillies in the 1950 World Series.- Regular season :The 1950...
to 1954
1954 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fifth in the American League with a record of 68-86, 43 games behind the Cleveland Indians.- Notable transactions :...
before retiring from the field altogether. Afterwards, he served as a scout then as the scouting director for the Tigers before becoming the general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
and vice president in 1959
1959 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers season was the 59th season for the American League franchise in Detroit. It involved the Tigers finishing in fourth place with a record of 76-78, eighteen games behind the AL Champion Chicago White Sox.- Offseason :...
. During his tenure as a Tigers executive, the team won two World Series in 1968
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
and in 1984
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
and won two American League Eastern Division
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
titles in 1972
1972 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won the American League East division championship with a record of 86-70 , finishing one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox. They played one more game than the Red Sox due to a scheduling quirk caused by the 1972 Major League Baseball strike -- a game which turned out to...
and in 1987
1987 Detroit Tigers season
The 1987 Detroit Tigers season saw the Tigers make a startling late-season comeback to win the American League Eastern Division. The Tigers finished with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, two games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays...
.
In , Ferrell was elected along with Pee Wee Reese
Pee Wee Reese
Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from to . A ten-time All Star, Reese contributed to seven National League championships for the Dodgers and, was inducted...
to the Baseball Hall of Fame by 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...
. He retired in at the age of 87 after 42 years with the Tigers organization.
Ferrell died in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
in .