Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League Baseball as a first baseman for seven seasons (1934 to 1940) with the Chicago White Sox, Washington, Senators, New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. An outstanding track and field athlete while in high school, he had an above average Major League baseball career as a hitter, but lacked any defensive prowess. He made his debut for the White Sox in 1934 after Chicago purchased his rights from the minor leagues, and he immediately became the teams first legitimate power hitter after the end of the Dead Ball Era. He hit seventy-nine home runs for the White Sox over the next four seasons, and set a team record for most runs batted in in a season in 1936 when he knocked in 138 (the record stood until 1998, when it was broken by Albert Belle). In 1937 he hit for a .345 batting average, which was good for fourth behind future Hall of Fame players Charlie Gehringer of the Detroit Tigers, and Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees. His lack of defensive skills and a hold out for more money after the 1937 season made him expendable to team owner Charlie Comiskey, and he was traded in March 1938 to the Senators. He had a decent year with Washington, hitting 22 home runs and batting .289, but was trader to the New York Giants after the season. His power numbers dipped in New York, hitting only eleven home runs, but still knocking in 85 runs batted in and hitting .321. The Giants sold him back to the Senators in 1940, who them sold him in June 1940 to the Chicago Cubs, whom he finished out the season and his career with. His career totals were 971 games played, 1,099 hits, 119 home runs, 704 RBIs and a career .307 batting average. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army, and served as an athletic director for American troops in North Africa. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his service.
Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League Baseball as a first baseman for seven seasons (1934 to 1940) with the Chicago White Sox, Washington, Senators, New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. An outstanding track and field athlete while in high school, he had an above average Major League baseball career as a hitter, but lacked any defensive prowess. He made his debut for the White Sox in 1934 after Chicago purchased his rights from the minor leagues, and he immediately became the teams first legitimate power hitter after the end of the Dead Ball Era. He hit seventy-nine home runs for the White Sox over the next four seasons, and set a team record for most runs batted in in a season in 1936 when he knocked in 138 (the record stood until 1998, when it was broken by Albert Belle). In 1937 he hit for a .345 batting average, which was good for fourth behind future Hall of Fame players Charlie Gehringer of the Detroit Tigers, and Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees. His lack of defensive skills and a hold out for more money after the 1937 season made him expendable to team owner Charlie Comiskey, and he was traded in March 1938 to the Senators. He had a decent year with Washington, hitting 22 home runs and batting .289, but was trader to the New York Giants after the season. His power numbers dipped in New York, hitting only eleven home runs, but still knocking in 85 runs batted in and hitting .321. The Giants sold him back to the Senators in 1940, who them sold him in June 1940 to the Chicago Cubs, whom he finished out the season and his career with. His career totals were 971 games played, 1,099 hits, 119 home runs, 704 RBIs and a career .307 batting average. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army, and served as an athletic director for American troops in North Africa. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his service.
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