Joe Kuhel
| Joe Kuhel | |||
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| First baseman / Manager | |||
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Born: June 25, 1906 Cleveland, Ohio |
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Died: February 26, 1984 (aged 77) Kansas City, Kansas |
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| MLB debut | |||
| July 31, 1930, for the Washington Senators | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| May 11, 1947, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .277 | ||
| Hits | 2,212 | ||
| Home runs | 131 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,049 | ||
| Managerial record | 106–201 | ||
| Winning % | .345 | ||
| Teams | |||
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As player
As manager |
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As player
As manager
Joseph Anthony Kuhel (June 25, 1906 – February 26, 1984) was an American professional baseball player and manager. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he was a first baseman who played in the Major Leagues from 1930–46 for the Washington Senators (1930–37; 1944–46) and Chicago White Sox (1938–43; 1946–47). He batted and threw left-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg). Following his playing career, Kuhel managed the Senators (1948–49). In an 18-season career, Kuhel was a .277 hitter with 131 home runs and 1,049 RBI in 2,104 games played.
Kuhel was the best defensive first baseman in the American League during the 1930s, but also was an inconsistent player who struggled with injuries most of his career. Hampered by playing in Griffith Stadium most of his career, his power numbers were never as good as they may have been in a more favorable park for long-ball hitters.
Kuhel started his major league career with the Washington in 1930 and replaced Joe Judge on a regular basis a year later. He appeared in 139 games, batting .269 with eight home runs and 85 RBI. In the Senators' pennant year of 1933, Kuhel hit 11 home runs with 107 RBIs and posted career-highs in batting average (.322) and hits (194). He also led AL first basemen with 1,498 putouts.
Kuhel seemed headed to another solid season in 1934, hitting .289 with three homers in 63 games, but he suffered a broken ankle in July and was out for the remainder of the season. He was healthy in 1935, hitting .261 with 74 RBIs in 151 games. His most productive season came in 1936, when he hit .321 with 16 home runs and set career-highs in doubles (42), RBIs (118) and slugging percentage (.502), while swiped 15 bases and struck out just 30 times. He finished sixth in the American League MVP Award voting tied with Vern Kennedy, behind Lou Gehrig, Luke Appling, Earl Averill, Charlie Gehringer and Bill Dickey, and over Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Bridges, Hal Trosky and Jimmie Foxx.
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