Jigger Statz

Jigger Statz
Jigger Statz
	Statz in 1922
	Outfielder
	Born:October 20, 1897; Waukegan, Illinois,U.S.
	Died:March 16, 1988(aged 90); Corona del Mar, California,U.S.
	Batted:Right Threw:Right
MLB debut
	July 30, 1919, for the New York Giants
Last MLB appearance
	September 30, 1928, for the Brooklyn Robins
MLB statistics
Batting average	.285
Home runs	17
Runs batted in	215
Teams
	New York Giants(1919–1920); Boston Red Sox(1920); Chicago Cubs(1922–1925); Brooklyn Robins(1927–1928);

Arnold John"Jigger"Statz(October 20, 1897 – March 16, 1988) was an Americanprofessional baseball player,managerandscout.Anoutfielder,Statz appeared in 683games playedinMajor League Baseball,but had a lengthy and notableminor leaguecareer, playing in almost 2,800 games. He is one of only nine players known to have amassed at least 4,000 combinedhitsin the major and minor leagues. The native ofWaukegan, Illinois,threw and battedright-handed,and was listed as 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall and 150 pounds (68 kg).

Early life

Statz attended theCollege of the Holy CrossinWorcester, Massachusetts,where he moved from Illinois along with his parents at an early age. He played baseball for two years at Holy Cross before enlisting in the U. S. Navy during World War I. Though he signed with the Giants in 1919, Statz continued his studies at Holy Cross and graduated with his class in 1921.^[1]

Major league career

Statz played in the major leagues during eight seasons from 1919 to 1928 for theChicago Cubs,New York Giants,Boston Red Sox,andBrooklyn Robins.His best season was in 1923 with the Cubs, when he played in all 154 games, compiling a.319 batting average, with 10 home runs and 70 runs batted in.

Minor league career

Statz played 18 minor league seasons, all of them for theLos Angeles Angelsof the top-levelPacific Coast League.In an era when many players had lengthy minor league careers, Statz's statistics surpassed those of his contemporaries, e.g. a grand total of 4,093 major and minor league hits, and a total number of games played which was exceeded only byPete Rose.^[1]

Statz had a distinguished career in the Pacific Coast League. He holds the PCL records for games played (2,790), hits (3,356), doubles (597), triples (136), and runs scored (1,996). His career PCL batting average was.315.^{[citation needed]}The year after his playing career ended, he was a member of the first group of players elected to thePacific Coast League Hall of Fame.^{[citation needed]}

Total hits

Statz is one of only nine players (along withPete Rose,Ty Cobb,Ichiro Suzuki,Hank Aaron,Minnie Miñoso,Julio Franco,Derek Jeter,andStan Musial) known to have amassed at least 4,000 combined hits in the major leagues and minor leagues.^[2](Jake BeckleyandSam Crawfordmay also have hit 4,000, but data for some of their minor league seasons are missing.)^[3]

Post–playing career

Statz managed for five years in the minor leagues. He was the Angels' player-manager during 1940–1942, and managed theVisalia Cubsof theCalifornia Leaguein 1948–1949.

Jigger Statz played himself in the 1929Paramountfilm,Fast Company,and in 1952 served as a technical advisor forThe Winning Team,a fictionalizedWarner Bros.biography ofGrover Cleveland Alexanderwhich starredRonald Reagan.^[4]

References

^^a ^bJigger Statzat theSABR Baseball Biography Project,by Bill Nowlin, Retrieved 2011-11-01.
^Ichiro Suzuki, Minnie Minoso and 4,000 career ‘professional’ hits,Scott Simkus,SABR.org, accessed 2021-12-07
^Chasing 4000,Devon Young, Baseballmusings, accessed 2013-08-23
^Jigger StatzatIMDb

External links

Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orBaseball Reference (Minors),orRetrosheet
Media related toJigger Statzat Wikimedia Commons

[sabrbio-1] Jigger Statzat theSABR Baseball Biography Project,by Bill Nowlin, Retrieved 2011-11-01.

[sabr-2] Ichiro Suzuki, Minnie Minoso and 4,000 career ‘professional’ hits,Scott Simkus,SABR.org, accessed 2021-12-07

[3] Chasing 4000,Devon Young, Baseballmusings, accessed 2013-08-23

[4] Jigger StatzatIMDb

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