The Man of a Great Hitting Class from Grants Pass

Hey baseball fans!

The 1922 St. Louis Browns were one of the greatest teams in baseball history…. that didn’t make the playoffs. However, there were many bright spots on the team, one of them being the first player ever to hit over 30 homers and steal over 30 bases in the same season. I am talking about Mr.  Ken Williams .

Williams, who was born in Grants Pass, Oregon, played for the Reds, Red Sox and Browns (the present day Orioles) from 1915-1929. Although there wasn’t an All Star Game back then, he would have been a perennial All Star, having clubbed out 196 career homers, along with driving in 916 career RBIs. Next to  Frank “Home Run”  Baker , these stats made Ken one of the most feared hitters in the AL, but then a guy by the name of  Babe Ruth  came along and stole all of his swagger. Although Babe would continue to have an astounding career, Ken one-upped Babe during the 1922 season, leading the league in home runs (39), RBIs (155), and total bases (367). He also stole 37 bases in the same year, making him the first player ever to hit over 30 homers and steal over 30 bases in the same season. Some of his other career stats include 1,552 hits, a .319 batting average, and a slugging percentage of .530.

Although it is apparent that Ken will never reach the Hall of Fame, he is still remembered by me as one of the greatest power hitters of his time. Anyway, thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed it and check back in a couple of days for more of “all the buzz on what wuzz.”