Red Rolfe, baseball player, 1931-1942

Red Rolfe

Born: 10/17/1908 in Penacook, NH, USA

Died: 7/8/1969 in Gilford, NH, USA

MLB Debut: 1931-06-29 | Final Game: 1942-09-27

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Robert Abial Rolfe

📋 View Manager Career

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Red Rolfe, born in 1908, was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1931 to 1942. Known for his exceptional batting skills and versatility on the field, Rolfe played primarily as a third baseman and was a crucial member of the New York Yankees during one of the franchise's most successful eras. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,175 games, accumulating 1,394 hits, 69 home runs, and 497 RBIs, while maintaining an impressive batting average of .289. His ability to contribute both offensively and defensively helped solidify his reputation in the game, and he was recognized for his talents with four All-Star selections. Rolfe's playing style was characterized by a keen eye at the plate and solid defensive capabilities, which made him a valuable asset to the Yankees' lineup. He also demonstrated speed on the bases, swiping 44 stolen bases throughout his career. Competing during the late 1930s and early 1940s, Rolfe's contributions came during a transitional period in baseball, as the sport began to emerge from the Great Depression and into the complexities of World War II. His legacy remains significant not only for his individual accomplishments but also for his role in a Yankees dynasty that dominated the era.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1175 4827 942 1394 257 67 69 497 44 526 335 0.289 0.360 0.413 0.773 6064.9

Career AVG .289 vs. league average .272 across their career seasons — +6.0% above league average.

Career OBP .360 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — +6.2% above league average.

Career SLG .413 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — +6.4% above league average.

Career OPS 0.773 vs. league average 0.727 across their career seasons — +6.3% 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
1931 NYY AL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1934 NYY AL 89 279 54 80 13 2 0 18 2 26 16 0.287 .278 (+3%) .340 (+2%) .392 (-12%) .733 (-5%) -229.3
1935 NYY AL 149 639 108 192 33 9 5 67 7 57 39 0.300 .279 (+7%) .342 (+5%) .399 (+1%) .742 (+3%) 436.3
1936 NYY AL 135 568 116 181 39 15 10 70 3 68 38 0.319 .283 (+12%) .349 (+12%) .404 (+22%) .753 (+17%) 2015.6
1937 NYY AL 154 648 143 179 34 10 4 62 4 90 53 0.276 .276 (avg) .342 (+7%) .398 (-5%) .740 (avg) 247.7
1938 NYY AL 151 631 132 196 36 8 10 80 13 74 44 0.311 .272 (+14%) .341 (+13%) .392 (+12%) .734 (+12%) 1761.8
1939 NYY AL 152 648 139 213 46 10 14 80 7 81 41 0.329 .274 (+20%) .342 (+18%) .393 (+26%) .735 (+22%) 3113.1
1940 NYY AL 139 588 102 147 26 6 10 53 4 50 48 0.250 .267 (-6%) .335 (-7%) .387 (-6%) .722 (-6%) -826.0
1941 NYY AL 136 561 106 148 22 5 8 42 3 57 38 0.264 .262 (+1%) .332 (avg) .373 (-3%) .705 (-1%) -146.7
1942 NYY AL 69 265 42 58 8 2 8 25 1 23 18 0.219 .253 (-14%) .323 (-13%) .349 (+1%) .672 (-5%) -307.5

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
28 116 17 33 4 1 0 6 9 9 0.284

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1942 WS NYA 4 17 5 6 2 0 0 0 1 2 0.353
1941 WS NYA 5 20 2 6 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.300
1939 WS NYA 4 16 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.125
1938 WS NYA 4 18 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 3 0.167
1937 WS NYA 5 20 3 6 2 1 0 1 3 2 0.300
1936 WS NYA 6 25 5 10 0 0 0 4 3 1 0.400

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 1084 0 1220 2128 155 184
SS 64 0 116 147 15 32

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1931 NYA SS 1 0 1 0 0 0
1934 NYA 3B 26 0 37 56 8 5
1934 NYA SS 46 0 84 103 11 26
1935 NYA 3B 136 0 166 239 15 16
1935 NYA SS 17 0 31 44 4 6
1936 NYA 3B 133 0 162 265 19 20
1937 NYA 3B 154 0 195 309 20 27
1938 NYA 3B 151 0 151 294 19 26
1939 NYA 3B 152 0 151 282 19 22
1940 NYA 3B 138 0 161 288 24 24
1941 NYA 3B 134 0 140 263 23 28
1942 NYA 3B 60 0 57 132 8 16

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Third Base 1084
Shortstop 63

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1939 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1939 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1939 TSN All-Star 3B
1938 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1938 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1938 TSN All-Star 3B
1937 TSN All-Star 3B

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Dartmouth College Hanover NH 1929, 1930, 1931

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1939 Most Valuable Player AL 27th 6.0 336 0
1938 Most Valuable Player AL 24th 5.0 336 0