Richie Ashburn, baseball player, 1948-1962

Richie Ashburn

⭐ Hall of Fame 1995

Born: 3/19/1927 in Tilden, NE, USA

Died: 9/9/1997 in New York, NY, USA

MLB Debut: 1948-04-20 | Final Game: 1962-09-30

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Don Richard Ashburn

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Biography

Richie Ashburn was an esteemed position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1948 to 1962. Born in 1927, Ashburn made a significant impact on the game during a time when baseball was evolving in the post-war era, marked by the emergence of new playing styles and strategies. Over the course of 2,189 games, he showcased his exceptional batting skills, finishing his career with a remarkable .308 batting average, 2,574 hits, and 586 RBIs. Known for his keen eye at the plate and speedy base-running ability, he also recorded 234 stolen bases and hit 29 home runs, contributing to his team's offensive efforts. A five-time All-Star, Ashburn was celebrated not only for his offensive prowess but also for his defensive acumen in the outfield. His ability to read the game and make crucial plays helped solidify his legacy as one of the great players of his era. Ashburn's career was characterized by a dedication to the fundamentals of the game, which endeared him to fans and teammates alike. His contributions to baseball extend beyond his playing days, as he later became a respected sports broadcaster, further influencing the sport he loved.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
2189 8365 1322 2574 317 109 29 586 234 1198 571 0.308 0.396 0.382 0.778 18429.8

Career AVG .308 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — +18.6% above league average.

Career OBP .396 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — +19.5% above league average.

Career SLG .382 vs. league average .390 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.778 vs. league average 0.722 across their career seasons — +7.8% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1948 PHI NL 117 463 78 154 17 4 2 40 32 60 22 0.333 .263 (+26%) .340 (+21%) .379 (+5%) .719 (+13%) 1352.3
1949 PHI NL 154 662 84 188 18 11 1 37 9 58 38 0.284 .262 (+8%) .343 (avg) .384 (-9%) .727 (-5%) -721.1
1950 PHI NL 151 594 84 180 25 14 2 41 14 63 32 0.303 .265 (+14%) .346 (+7%) .401 (avg) .747 (+4%) 447.3
1951 PHI NL 154 643 92 221 31 5 4 63 29 50 37 0.344 .260 (+32%) .336 (+17%) .385 (+11%) .721 (+13%) 1818.2
1952 PHI NL 154 613 93 173 31 6 1 42 16 75 30 0.282 .252 (+12%) .326 (+11%) .369 (-3%) .696 (+3%) 579.0
1953 PHI NL 156 622 110 205 25 9 2 57 14 61 35 0.330 .264 (+25%) .335 (+17%) .397 (+3%) .733 (+9%) 1399.2
1954 PHI NL 153 559 111 175 16 8 1 41 11 125 46 0.313 .261 (+20%) .333 (+32%) .390 (-4%) .723 (+13%) 2375.4
1955 PHI NL 140 533 91 180 32 9 3 42 12 105 36 0.338 .258 (+31%) .332 (+35%) .393 (+14%) .726 (+24%) 3145.9
1956 PHI NL 154 628 94 190 26 8 3 50 10 79 45 0.303 .258 (+17%) .331 (+16%) .397 (-3%) .728 (+5%) 1018.8
1957 PHI NL 156 626 93 186 26 8 0 33 13 94 44 0.297 .257 (+15%) .323 (+20%) .391 (-7%) .715 (+5%) 1163.3
1958 PHI NL 152 615 98 215 24 13 2 33 30 97 48 0.350 .257 (+36%) .324 (+35%) .394 (+12%) .719 (+22%) 3405.4
1959 PHI NL 153 564 86 150 16 2 1 20 9 79 42 0.266 .256 (+4%) .323 (+11%) .392 (-22%) .715 (-7%) -387.1
1960 CHC NL 151 547 99 159 16 5 0 40 16 116 50 0.291 .255 (+14%) .323 (+28%) .387 (-13%) .711 (+6%) 1427.5
1961 CHC NL 109 307 49 79 7 4 0 19 7 55 27 0.257 .258 (avg) .328 (+14%) .399 (-23%) .727 (-7%) -129.0
1962 NYN NL 135 389 60 119 7 3 7 28 12 81 39 0.306 .257 (+19%) .326 (+30%) .393 (avg) .719 (+14%) 1534.7

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
4 17 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 4 0.176

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1950 WS PHI 4 17 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 4 0.176

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 2 1 5 4 1 1
OF 2104 1203 6089 178 110 43

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1948 PHI OF 116 0 344 14 7 2
1949 PHI OF 154 0 514 13 11 3
1950 PHI OF 147 0 405 8 5 2
1951 PHI OF 154 0 538 15 7 6
1952 PHI OF 154 0 428 23 9 5
1953 PHI OF 156 0 496 18 5 4
1954 PHI OF 153 153 483 12 8 2
1955 PHI OF 140 139 387 10 7 3
1956 PHI OF 154 154 503 11 9 3
1957 PHI OF 156 156 502 18 7 7
1958 PHI OF 152 152 495 8 8 2
1959 PHI OF 149 144 359 4 11 1
1960 CHN OF 146 145 317 11 8 2
1961 CHN OF 76 69 131 4 3 0
1962 NYN 2B 2 1 5 4 1 1
1962 NYN OF 97 91 187 9 5 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 2
Left Field 96
Center Field 1980
Right Field 47

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1948 TSN Rookie of the Year

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1958 Most Valuable Player NL 7th 62.0 336 0
1956 Most Valuable Player NL 30th 1.0 336 0
1955 Most Valuable Player NL 14th 17.0 336 0
1954 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 5.0 336 0
1953 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 5.0 336 0
1951 Most Valuable Player NL 7th 69.0 336 0
1949 Most Valuable Player NL 23th 6.0 336 0
1948 Most Valuable Player NL 11th 48.0 336 0
1948 Rookie of the Year ML 3rd 7.0 48 7