Frankie Crosetti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frankie Crosetti |
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Crosetti in 1969
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: October 4, 1910 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Died: February 11, 2002 (aged 91) Stockton, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 12, 1932, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1948, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .245 | ||
| Home runs | 98 | ||
| Runs batted in | 649 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Frank Peter Joseph Crosetti (born October 4, 1910 – died February 11, 2002) was an American baseball player. He played as a shortstop. People often called him "the Crow". He spent his whole 17-year playing career with the New York Yankees. After that, he became a coach for the Yankees for another 20 years.
As both a player and a third base coach for the Yankees, Crosetti was part of 17 teams that won the World Series. He also played in 23 World Series games in total. This is more than anyone else in baseball history!
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Growing Up in Baseball
Crosetti was born in San Francisco, California. He grew up in a neighborhood called North Beach. This area was famous for producing great Italian-American baseball players in the 1920s and 1930s. Other famous players from there included Tony Lazzeri and the three DiMaggio brothers.
Before joining the Yankees, Crosetti played four seasons. He played for the San Francisco Seals. This team was part of the Pacific Coast League.
Playing for the New York Yankees
Crosetti joined the New York Yankees in 1932. In his first year, he played 116 games. He had a batting average of .241. He also hit five home runs and had 57 runs batted in (RBI). He usually batted at the end of the Yankees' lineup.
In his first year, he helped the Yankees win the World Series. They beat the Chicago Cubs in four games in the 1932 World Series. This happened just two days before Crosetti's 22nd birthday.
His best year was in 1936. He played in 151 games that season. He batted .288, hit 15 home runs, and had 78 RBI. He also scored 137 runs, which were all his highest numbers ever. He batted first in the lineup. He was chosen as an American League All-Star for the first time.
He also reached the World Series for the second time. Crosetti batted .269 in the 1936 World Series. The Yankees won against the New York Giants in six games. In Game 3, he hit the winning run in a 2–1 victory. The 1936 season was the first of four World Series wins in a row for Crosetti and the Yankees.
After a tough 1940 season, he lost his starting shortstop spot. Phil Rizzuto took over in 1941. Crosetti got his starting job back when Rizzuto joined the Navy during World War II. However, he became a reserve player again when Rizzuto returned in 1946. Crosetti then became a player and a coach for the team until the 1948 season.
Career Highlights and Stats
Frankie Crosetti played in 1,683 games during his career. He had 1,541 hits and scored 1,006 runs. He hit 98 home runs and had 649 RBI. His career batting average was .245.
In 29 World Series games, Crosetti batted .174. He hit one home run and had 11 RBI. His only World Series home run was a two-run shot. It happened in Game 2 of the 1938 World Series against Dizzy Dean. This hit gave the Yankees a 4–3 lead over the Cubs.
In Game 3 of the 1942 World Series, Crosetti faced a penalty after an incident with umpire Bill Summers. He received a $250 fine from Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. He was also suspended for the first 30 games of the 1943 season.
Crosetti led the American League in plate appearances twice (1938 and 1939). He also led in stolen bases once (1938). He was known for being hit by pitches often, leading the league eight times. While sometimes seen as a weaker hitter, he was known as a great fielder. He was also good at the "hidden ball trick". Crosetti earned eight World Series rings as a player. He was also a two-time All-Star (1936 and 1939).
Coaching Career
Crosetti became the third base coach for the Yankees in 1947. After he stopped playing in 1948, he helped the team win nine more World Series as a coach. People said he was the "perfect coach". He never wanted to be a manager, even though he had many chances.
After 37 years with the Yankees, he wanted to be closer to his family. He left the team to join the new Seattle Pilots in 1969. He then moved to the Minnesota Twins from 1970 to 1971. It is said that Crosetti waved home 16,000 runners in his 25 years as a third-base coach.
Later Life and Legacy
Frankie Crosetti passed away in 2002 at age 91. He died from problems after a fall in Stockton, California. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. He was married to Norma for 63 years. He was survived by his wife, his son John, and his daughter Ellen. He was the last living member of the 1932, 1936, 1937, and 1939 World Champion New York Yankees teams.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
