Frank Malzone, baseball player, 133 home runs, 1955-1966

Frank Malzone

Born: 2/28/1930 in Bronx, NY, USA

Died: 12/29/2015 in Needham, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1955-09-17 | Final Game: 1966-10-01

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Frank James Malzone

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Biography

Frank Malzone was a prominent American baseball player, renowned for his contributions as a third baseman during a career that spanned from 1955 to 1966. Born in 1930, Malzone made a significant impact in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Boston Red Sox, where he showcased a mix of exceptional defensive skills and offensive prowess. Over his career, he played in 1,441 games, accumulating 1,486 hits, 133 home runs, and 728 RBIs, while maintaining a respectable batting average of .274. His ability to combine solid hitting with reliable fielding earned him recognition as an eight-time All-Star, reflecting his status as one of the top players of his era. Malzone’s playing style was characterized by a strong work ethic and a competitive spirit, which resonated well with fans and teammates alike. He emerged as a key figure in the Red Sox lineup during the late 1950s and early 1960s, a period marked by intense competition in the American League. Although he played during a time when the game was evolving, with power hitting becoming increasingly valued, Malzone's balanced approach at the plate and his defensive capabilities solidified his legacy as a skilled position player. After retiring from the game on October 1, 1966, he left behind a notable legacy, remembered not only for his statistics but also for his contributions to the teams he played for and the game of baseball itself.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1441 5428 647 1486 239 21 133 728 14 337 434 0.274 0.315 0.399 0.714 82.3

Career AVG .274 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — +7.9% above league average.

Career OBP .315 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .399 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.714 vs. league average 0.707 across their career seasons — near 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
1955 BOS AL 6 20 2 7 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 0.350 — — — — 0.0
1956 BOS AL 27 103 15 17 3 1 2 11 1 9 8 0.165 .258 (-36%) .331 (-31%) .397 (-32%) .728 (-31%) -569.0
1957 BOS AL 153 634 82 185 31 5 15 103 2 31 41 0.292 .257 (+13%) .323 (avg) .391 (+9%) .715 (+5%) 455.9
1958 BOS AL 155 627 76 185 30 2 15 87 1 33 53 0.295 .257 (+14%) .324 (+2%) .394 (+7%) .719 (+5%) 542.4
1959 BOS AL 154 604 90 169 34 2 19 92 6 42 58 0.280 .256 (+9%) .323 (avg) .392 (+11%) .715 (+6%) 549.2
1960 BOS AL 152 595 60 161 30 2 14 79 2 36 42 0.271 .255 (+6%) .323 (-3%) .387 (+3%) .711 (avg) -164.9
1961 BOS AL 151 590 74 157 21 4 14 87 1 44 49 0.266 .258 (+3%) .328 (-4%) .399 (-3%) .727 (-4%) -576.9
1962 BOS AL 156 619 74 175 20 3 21 95 0 35 43 0.283 .257 (+10%) .326 (-2%) .393 (+8%) .719 (+4%) 292.4
1963 BOS AL 151 580 66 169 25 2 15 71 0 31 45 0.291 .246 (+18%) .308 (+6%) .371 (+13%) .680 (+10%) 961.9
1964 BOS AL 148 537 62 142 19 0 13 56 0 37 43 0.264 .250 (+6%) .312 (avg) .377 (-1%) .690 (-1%) -98.0
1965 BOS AL 106 364 40 87 20 0 3 34 1 28 38 0.239 .245 (-3%) .310 (-6%) .371 (-14%) .682 (-10%) -692.6
1966 LAA AL 82 155 6 32 5 0 2 12 0 10 11 0.206 .248 (-17%) .309 (-18%) .376 (-26%) .685 (-23%) -618.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 1370 1353 1308 2884 196 289

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1955 BOS 3B 4 4 2 15 0 1
1956 BOS 3B 26 25 24 57 6 4
1957 BOS 3B 153 153 151 370 25 31
1958 BOS 3B 155 155 139 378 27 36
1959 BOS 3B 154 154 134 357 24 40
1960 BOS 3B 151 150 159 318 26 36
1961 BOS 3B 149 148 136 304 23 45
1962 BOS 3B 156 156 154 313 16 32
1963 BOS 3B 148 148 151 283 16 18
1964 BOS 3B 143 143 141 259 17 24
1965 BOS 3B 96 85 79 170 8 19
1966 CAL 3B 35 32 38 60 8 3

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Third Base 1370

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1963 TSN All-Star 3B
1959 Gold Glove 3B
1958 Gold Glove 3B
1957 Gold Glove 3B

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1962 Most Valuable Player AL 31th 3.0 280 0
1959 Most Valuable Player AL 14th 24.0 336 0
1958 Most Valuable Player AL 25th 1.0 336 0
1957 Most Valuable Player AL 7th 58.0 336 0
1957 Rookie of the Year AL 2nd 1.0 24 1