Phil Cavarretta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phil Cavarretta |
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Cavarretta in about 1953
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| First baseman / Outfielder / Manager | |||
| Born: July 19, 1916 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Died: December 18, 2010 (aged 94) Lilburn, Georgia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 16, 1934, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 8, 1955, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .293 | ||
| Home runs | 95 | ||
| Runs batted in | 920 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Phil Cavarretta (born July 19, 1916 – died December 18, 2010) was a famous American baseball player and manager. His full name was Philip Joseph Cavarretta. Friends and family called him "Phil." His manager, Charlie Grimm, also gave him the nickname "Philibuck."
Phil played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 years. He spent 20 of those seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He then played his last two seasons with the Chicago White Sox. Only one other player, Cap Anson, played more seasons for the Cubs than Phil. In 1945, Phil was named the National League Most Valuable Player. He helped the Cubs win the pennant that year. He also won the batting title with a .355 batting average. For his last three seasons with the Cubs, he was a player-manager, meaning he played and managed the team at the same time.
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Phil Cavarretta's Baseball Career
Phil Cavarretta went to Lane Technical High School in Chicago. He played both baseball and basketball there. He signed a professional contract with the Cubs even before finishing high school. In his first professional game in 1934, at age 17, Phil showed his talent. He managed to hit for the cycle while playing as a right fielder. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game!
Later that year, he joined the Cubs. He played his first major league game on September 16, 1934. He was almost 18 years old. A week later, he hit a home run in his first start at Wrigley Field. This home run helped the Cubs win 1–0 against Cincinnati.
In his first full season in 1935, Phil batted .275. He also had 82 runs batted in (RBI). The Cubs won 21 games in a row that September. They won the pennant, which is like winning their league championship. However, they lost the World Series to the Detroit Tigers. Phil didn't hit well in that series.
For several years, Phil played well at first base. He usually batted between .270 and .291. He missed some playing time from 1938 to 1940. This was due to a hip injury and two broken ankles. In the 1938 World Series against the New York Yankees, he batted an amazing .462. But the Cubs still lost the series.
Becoming an All-Star and MVP
Phil was not required to serve in World War II. This was because of a perforated eardrum. In 1944, he batted .321 and had 197 hits. He also had career highs with 106 runs, 35 doubles, and 15 triples. He was chosen for his first of four straight All-Star teams. In the All-Star game, he reached base a record five times.
In 1945, the Cubs got much better. They won 23 more games than the year before. They beat the St. Louis Cardinals to win the pennant. Phil was named the National League Most Valuable Player. He won the National League batting title, hitting .355. He also had a career-high 97 RBI. He led the league in on-base percentage.
Phil batted .423 in the 1945 World Series against the Tigers. But the Cubs lost again, this time in seven games. In Game 1, he hit a single and scored. He singled and scored again later. He also hit a home run. He had three hits in Game 7, but the Cubs lost.
He was an All-Star again in 1946 and 1947. In 1947, he batted .314.
Managing the Cubs and Later Career
Phil became the manager of the Cubs in June 1951. He managed the team for two more years. His record as manager was 169 wins and 213 losses. In 1953, his last season with the Cubs, he played in his 1,953rd game. This was a team record at the time. Later, Ernie Banks broke this record in 1966.
Phil was fired as manager in 1954 during spring training. He had said the team probably wouldn't finish higher than fifth place. They ended up finishing seventh. In May, he signed with the Chicago White Sox. He finished his playing career there in 1955.
Phil Cavarretta's Legacy
In his 22-year major league career, Phil Cavarretta played 2,030 games. He had a .293 batting average. He collected 1,977 hits, 990 runs, 347 doubles, 99 triples, and 95 home runs. He also had 920 RBI and 65 stolen bases. He was very good at first base and also played in the outfield. His fielding percentage was .989.
In his three World Series appearances (1935, 1938, and 1945), he hit .317. He had 20 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 1 home run, and 5 RBI in those series.
After playing, Phil managed in the minor leagues from 1956 to 1958 and again from 1965 to 1972. He also worked as a coach and scout for the Tigers. He was a hitting instructor for the New York Mets organization.
Phil Cavarretta was the last living player to have played against the legendary Babe Ruth. This happened on May 12, 1935, when Phil played against the Boston Braves.
Death
Phil Cavarretta passed away on December 18, 2010. He died from problems related to a stroke. He was also battling leukemia at the time.
See also
- List of members of the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball player–managers
- Van Lingle Mungo (song)
