Ferris Fain
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Ferris Roy Fain (March 29, 1921 – October 18, 2001) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1947 to 1955. A five-time All-Star, Fain won two American League batting championships and his career on-base percentage of .424 ranks 13th highest in Major League Baseball history.[1]
Fain played nine seasons with the
Early life
Fain was born in
Career
Connie Mack paid the Seals $6,500 for Fain's services in order for Fain to play for the Athletics in 1947.[4] Playing a full schedule, the left-handed hitter had 461 at bats in his rookie season. That year, he batted .291 with seven home runs and 71 RBIs in 136 games.[5] In the 1948 season, Fain played in 145 games, with an .288 batting average, seven home runs, and what would be a career high 88 runs batted in.[5] Fain was a member of the 1949 Philadelphia Athletics team that set a major league team record by turning 217 double plays, a record which still stood as of 2016; Fain himself took part in 194 double plays as a first baseman.[6][7][8] In 1950 Fain played in a career high 150 games, batting .282 with 10 home runs and 83 RBI as he was named to his first All-Star team.[5]
Fain broke through during the
According to former teammate Eddie Joost, Fain "had a lifestyle of his own and would do exactly what he wanted to do. There were many things the players didn't like about him. Occasionally he'd overdrink and wouldn't be attentive on the field."[9] Fain had an off-year in 1953 after getting into a brawl in a Maryland café with several White Sox fans.[9] He was fined $600 by the White Sox, then sued for $50,000. In the 1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Fain scored the only run for the American League in the ninth inning of a 5–1 loss.[11] After suffering a knee injury the following year, Fain never really got back on track. But on June 16, 1954, he hit an inside-the-park grand slam. He participated in his last All-Star Game as a starter alongside his White Sox infield teammates Nellie Fox, George Kell and Chico Carrasquel. It made the 1954 White Sox the first team ever to have four infield starters from the same team starting the All-Star Game.[9][12] In 1955, he played for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. He batted .260 with two home runs and 31 RBIs; however he was hobbled by knee issues and retired after the season.[9]
Fain finished with an on-base percentage of over .400 every full year that he played, and was in the top 10 in that category seven times in his career; he ranked in the top 10 in walks eight times.[5]
In a nine-season career, he hit .290 with 48 home runs, 570 RBIs, and 1139 career
Later life
Fain became a custom home builder in
Fain died October 18, 2001, at the age of 80, in Georgetown, California from complications from leukemia and diabetes.[9]
See also
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- Van Lingle Mungo (song)
References
- ^ "Career Leaders & Records for On-Base Percentage". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
- ^ Gold, Eddie (May 3, 1987). "Fans' guide to the Derby". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Goldstein, Richard (October 27, 2001). "Ferris Fain, A.L. Batting Champion in 1950's, Dies at 80". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d Murphy, Brian (October 20, 2001). "Ex-Seals star Fain dies / 2-time AL batting champ was 80". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Ferris Fain Statistics and History". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- ^ "Ferris Fain Fielding Stats".
- ^ Macht, Norman (December 1989). Old A's Were Masters of the Double Play.
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ignored (help) - ^ "A Record with Legs: Most Double Plays Turned in a Season". philadelphiaathletics.org. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Fitzpatrick, Frank (October 23, 2001). "An appreciation of Ferris Fain". Knight-Rider/Tribune News Service. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Sox Get Fain for Robinson". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. January 23, 1953. p. 24. Retrieved August 6, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Vanderberg, Bob (July 9, 2003). "Chicago a big-time contributor". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ Harris, Elliott (July 10, 2002). "Noteworthy". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ a b c Associated Press (March 23, 1988). "JURISPRUDENCE". Washington Post. via. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Ferris Fain at the SABR Baseball Biography Project
- Ferris Fain at Find a Grave