Frank Malzone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frank Malzone |
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| Third baseman | |||
| Born: February 28, 1930 Bronx, New York, U.S. |
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| Died: December 29, 2015 (aged 85) Needham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 17, 1955, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1966, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Home runs | 133 | ||
| Runs batted in | 728 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Frank James Malzone (February 28, 1930 – December 29, 2015) was a famous Major League Baseball player. He played as a third baseman for the Boston Red Sox from 1955 to 1965. Later, he also played for the California Angels in 1966.
Contents
Frank Malzone's Early Life
Frank Malzone was born in the Bronx, New York. He started his baseball journey early. In 1947, after finishing Samuel Gompers High School, he signed with the Boston Red Sox. He joined them as a free agent, which means he wasn't drafted but signed directly.
Frank Malzone's Baseball Career Highlights
Frank Malzone played for the Boston Red Sox for 11 seasons. He became one of the team's top players in many areas. During his time with the Red Sox, he had a batting average of .276. He hit 131 home runs and helped score 716 runs.
Frank made his first appearance for Boston in 1955. He had a great start, getting 6 hits in 10 tries during a game against Baltimore. In 1957, his first full season, he set a personal best with 103 runs batted in. He also tied an American League record for third basemen by making 10 assists in one game.
Malzone was the first player to lead his position in several important stats. These included games played, putouts, errors, assists, double plays, and fielding percentage. In 1958, he led the league with 627 at-bats and hit a career-high .295.
From 1957 to 1961, he led American League third basemen in double plays for five years in a row. His best season was in 1962. That year, he batted .283, hit 21 home runs, and had 95 runs batted in.
All-Star and Gold Glove Awards
Frank Malzone was chosen as an All-Star eight times. He earned this honor in 1957, 1958, 1959 (twice), 1960 (twice), 1963, and 1964. From 1959 to 1962, Major League Baseball had two All-Star games each season.
He also won three Gold Glove Awards in a row, from 1957 to 1959. He was the very first third baseman in MLB history to win a Gold Glove. He was also the last American League third baseman to win this award before Brooks Robinson started his amazing 16-year winning streak.
Career Statistics and Later Role
Throughout his entire career, Frank Malzone had a batting average of .274. He hit 133 home runs and had 728 runs batted in. He also scored 647 runs, hit 239 doubles, 21 triples, and stole 14 bases. He played in a total of 1,441 games.
After he stopped playing, Malzone worked for the Red Sox for 35 years as a scout. Later, he became a consultant to help develop new players for the team.
Legacy and Passing
Frank Malzone was honored by being inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. This happened in 1995, as part of the very first group of players to be included. He passed away on December 29, 2015.
See also
- List of Gold Glove Award winners at third base
