Bobby Richardson, baseball player, 1955-1966

Bobby Richardson

Born: 8/19/1935 in Sumter, SC, USA

MLB Debut: 1955-08-05 | Final Game: 1966-10-02

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Robert Clinton Richardson

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Biography

Bobby Richardson, born in 1935, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1955 until 1966. Primarily known for his exceptional defensive skills and clutch hitting, Richardson spent his entire career with the New York Yankees, becoming a key figure during one of the franchise's most successful eras. He participated in 1,412 games, recording 1,432 hits, 34 home runs, and 390 RBIs, while maintaining a career batting average of .266. His speed on the bases was notable, as he stole 73 bases throughout his career. Richardson's contributions to the Yankees were particularly highlighted during the postseason, where he earned the World Series MVP award. He was an 8-time All-Star, showcasing his consistent performance and popularity among fans and peers alike. Playing in the 1950s and 1960s, an era characterized by strong pitching and the emergence of power hitters, Richardson distinguished himself not only as a skilled infielder but also as a leader on the field. His legacy remains embedded in Yankees history, celebrated for both his individual achievements and his role in multiple World Series championships.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1412 5386 643 1432 196 37 34 390 73 262 243 0.266 0.299 0.335 0.634 -10544.9

Career AVG .266 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .299 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — 6.7% below league average.

Career SLG .335 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — 13.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.634 vs. league average 0.707 across their career seasons — 10.3% below 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 NYY AL 11 26 2 4 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 0.154 — — — — 0.0
1956 NYY AL 5 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.143 — — — — 0.0
1957 NYY AL 97 305 36 78 11 1 0 19 1 9 26 0.256 .257 (-1%) .323 (-15%) .391 (-24%) .715 (-20%) -1184.8
1958 NYY AL 73 182 18 45 6 2 0 14 1 8 5 0.247 .257 (-4%) .324 (-15%) .394 (-23%) .719 (-20%) -678.8
1959 NYY AL 134 469 53 141 18 6 2 33 5 26 20 0.301 .256 (+17%) .323 (+4%) .392 (-4%) .715 (avg) -91.3
1960 NYY AL 150 460 45 116 12 3 1 26 6 35 19 0.252 .255 (-1%) .323 (-6%) .387 (-23%) .711 (-16%) -1409.1
1961 NYY AL 162 662 80 173 17 5 3 49 9 30 23 0.261 .258 (+1%) .328 (-10%) .399 (-21%) .727 (-16%) -2237.1
1962 NYY AL 161 692 99 209 38 5 8 59 11 37 24 0.302 .257 (+17%) .326 (+3%) .393 (+3%) .719 (+3%) 332.3
1963 NYY AL 151 630 72 167 20 6 3 48 15 25 22 0.265 .246 (+8%) .308 (-5%) .371 (-11%) .680 (-8%) -1090.3
1964 NYY AL 159 679 90 181 25 4 4 50 11 28 36 0.267 .250 (+6%) .312 (-6%) .377 (-12%) .690 (-9%) -1347.7
1965 NYY AL 160 664 76 164 28 2 6 47 7 37 39 0.247 .245 (+1%) .310 (-8%) .371 (-13%) .682 (-11%) -1446.0
1966 NYY AL 149 610 71 153 21 3 7 42 6 25 28 0.251 .248 (+1%) .309 (-10%) .376 (-12%) .685 (-11%) -1392.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
36 131 16 40 6 2 1 15 5 7 0.305

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1964 WS NYA 7 32 3 13 2 0 0 3 0 2 0.406
1963 WS NYA 4 14 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 3 0.214
1962 WS NYA 7 27 3 4 0 0 0 0 3 1 0.148
1961 WS NYA 5 23 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.391
1960 WS NYA 7 30 8 11 2 2 1 12 1 1 0.367
1958 WS NYA 4 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000
1957 WS NYA 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 1339 1301 3125 3445 143 963
3B 38 15 16 45 1 3
SS 21 14 18 50 6 11

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1955 NYA 2B 6 6 12 7 3 1
1955 NYA SS 4 0 2 2 0 1
1956 NYA 2B 5 2 15 4 0 2
1957 NYA 2B 93 83 206 223 9 60
1958 NYA 2B 51 42 104 110 6 35
1958 NYA 3B 13 9 8 27 1 3
1958 NYA SS 2 1 3 4 1 0
1959 NYA 2B 109 107 256 292 17 85
1959 NYA 3B 12 0 2 3 0 0
1959 NYA SS 14 13 11 41 5 9
1960 NYA 2B 141 133 312 337 18 103
1960 NYA 3B 11 5 6 13 0 0
1961 NYA 2B 161 160 413 376 18 136
1962 NYA 2B 161 161 378 451 15 116
1963 NYA 2B 150 150 335 424 12 105
1964 NYA 2B 157 156 400 410 15 108
1964 NYA SS 1 0 2 3 0 1
1965 NYA 2B 158 157 372 403 15 121
1966 NYA 2B 147 144 322 408 15 91
1966 NYA 3B 2 1 0 2 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 1338
Third Base 39
Shortstop 21

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1966 TSN All-Star 2B
1965 Gold Glove 2B
1965 TSN All-Star 2B
1964 Gold Glove 2B
1964 TSN All-Star 2B
1963 Gold Glove 2B
1963 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
1963 TSN All-Star 2B
1962 Gold Glove 2B
1962 TSN All-Star 2B
1961 Gold Glove 2B
1961 TSN All-Star 2B
1960 World Series MVP

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1965 Most Valuable Player AL 20th 6.0 280 0
1964 Most Valuable Player AL 17th 9.0 280 0
1963 Most Valuable Player AL 10th 43.0 280 0
1962 Most Valuable Player AL 2nd 152.0 280 5
1961 Most Valuable Player AL 24th 1.0 280 0
1959 Most Valuable Player AL 18th 11.0 336 0