Jimmie Foxx | |||
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First baseman | |||
Born: Sudlersville, Maryland |
October 22, 1907|||
Died: July 21, 1967 Miami, Florida |
(aged 59)|||
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MLB debut | |||
May 1, 1925, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 23, 1945, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .325 | ||
Hits | 2,646 | ||
Home runs | 534 | ||
Runs batted in | 1,922 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Member of the National | |||
Baseball Hall of Fame | |||
Inducted | 1951 | ||
Vote | 79.2% (first ballot) |
James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx (October 22, 1907 – July 21, 1967), nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was an American baseball first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies. His most productive years were with the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, where he hit 30 or more home runs in 12 consecutive seasons and drove in more than 100 runs in 13 consecutive years.
Foxx became the second player in MLB history to hit 500 career home runs, after Babe Ruth. Attaining that plateau at age 32 years 336 days, he held the record for youngest to reach 500 for sixty-eight years, until superseded by Alex Rodriguez in 2007. His three career Most Valuable Player awards are tied for second all-time. Foxx was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951.
Foxx was born in Sudlersville, Maryland on October 22, 1907 to Dell and Mattie Foxx, who were farmers. Dell Foxx had played baseball for a town team when he was younger. Jimmie Foxx did well in school but excelled in sports, particularly soccer, track, and baseball. He played all three sports at Sudlersville High School.
Foxx dropped out of high school early to join a minor league team managed by former Philadelphia Athletics great Frank "Home Run" Baker. Foxx had hoped to pitch or play third base, but since the team was short on catchers, Foxx moved behind the plate. He immediately drew interest from the Athletics and New York Yankees. Foxx signed with the A's and made his major league debut in May 1925 at age 17. He was still in his junior year of high school at the time.