Topper Rigney, baseball player, 1922-1927

Topper Rigney

Born: 1/7/1897 in Groveton, TX, USA

Died: 6/7/1972 in San Antonio, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1922-04-12 | Final Game: 1927-08-26

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 150 lbs

Full name: Emory Elmo Rigney

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Biography

Topper Rigney, born in 1897, was a notable position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1922 until his retirement in 1927. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 694 games, amassing 669 hits and achieving a commendable batting average of .288. Rigney's offensive contributions included 13 home runs and 315 RBIs, showcasing his ability to drive in runs during crucial moments. He also demonstrated speed on the basepaths, recording 44 stolen bases, which was a valuable asset in the game’s evolving strategy during the 1920s. Rigney's playing style was characterized by his solid hitting and versatility on the field, which allowed him to adapt to various positions as needed. His career unfolded during a dynamic era in baseball, marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensively explosive style of play, influencing the game’s growing emphasis on power hitting and speed. With his contributions to several teams, Rigney left an indelible mark on the sport and remains a remembered figure from a transformative period in baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
694 2326 324 669 113 39 13 315 44 377 176 0.288 0.388 0.387 0.775 3820.8

Career AVG .288 vs. league average .284 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .388 vs. league average .346 across their career seasons — +12.2% above league average.

Career SLG .387 vs. league average .394 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.775 vs. league average 0.740 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
1922 DET AL 155 536 68 161 17 7 2 63 17 68 44 0.300 .285 (+5%) .345 (+10%) .397 (-7%) .743 (+1%) 340.1
1923 DET AL 129 470 63 148 24 11 1 74 7 55 35 0.315 .282 (+11%) .344 (+13%) .390 (+7%) .734 (+10%) 1042.2
1924 DET AL 147 499 81 144 29 9 4 94 11 102 39 0.289 .283 (+2%) .345 (+19%) .389 (+4%) .734 (+11%) 1581.6
1925 DET AL 62 146 21 36 5 2 2 18 2 21 15 0.247 .288 (-14%) .349 (-2%) .407 (-14%) .756 (-9%) -204.2
1926 BOS AL 148 525 71 142 32 6 4 53 6 108 31 0.270 .279 (-3%) .345 (+14%) .390 (-3%) .735 (+5%) 957.9
1927 BOS AL 8 18 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.111 — — — — 0.0
1927 WSN AL 45 132 20 36 5 4 0 13 1 22 10 0.273 .282 (-3%) .344 (+10%) .392 (-5%) .736 (+2%) 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 14 0 13 16 1 3
SS 660 0 1150 2017 157 301

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1922 DET SS 155 0 262 493 50 74
1923 DET SS 129 0 209 383 35 46
1924 DET SS 146 0 273 463 25 72
1925 DET 3B 4 0 5 4 0 1
1925 DET SS 51 0 51 91 10 7
1926 BOS SS 146 0 286 492 25 80
1927 BOS 3B 4 0 4 3 0 1
1927 BOS SS 1 0 4 2 0 1
1927 WS1 3B 6 0 4 9 1 1
1927 WS1 SS 32 0 65 93 12 21

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Third Base 15
Shortstop 659

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Texas A&M University College Station TX 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1926 Most Valuable Player AL 21th 3.0 64 0