37 Facts About Jimmie Foxx

1.

Jimmie Foxx won two American League batting titles, led all of baseball in home runs four times, and batted over.

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2.

On September 24,1940, Jimmie Foxx became the second member of the 500 Home Run Club when he hit a sixth-inning home run off George Caster.

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3.

Jimmie Foxx was born in rural Sudlersville on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, on October 22,1907, to tenant farmers Dell and Mattie Jimmie Foxx.

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4.

Dell Jimmie Foxx had played baseball for a town team when he was younger.

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5.

Jimmie Foxx did well in school but excelled in sports, particularly soccer, track, and baseball.

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6.

Jimmie Foxx played all three sports at Sudlersville High School, and set the state record in both the 220 and 80 yard dash in 1923.

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7.

Jimmie Foxx had hoped to pitch or play third base, but since the team was short on catchers, Jimmie Foxx moved behind the plate, a position he had played in high school and on summer all-star teams.

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8.

Jimmie Foxx immediately drew interest from the Philadelphia Athletics and New York Yankees.

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9.

Jimmie Foxx traveled to Philadelphia later in the 1924 season and sat in the dugout during games, and never appeared in one.

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10.

Jimmie Foxx left high school during his senior year, in 1925, and joined the Athletics for spring training in Fort Myers, Florida.

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11.

In 1927, Jimmie Foxx signed a contract for $3,000 ; however, because future Baseball Hall of Fame member Mickey Cochrane was still the primary catcher, he remained in a backup role, but had started to transition to first base.

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12.

Jimmie Foxx recorded his first home run on May 31st, 1927, against Urban Shocker of the New York Yankees, and finished the season batting.

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13.

Jimmie Foxx still managed to hit 30 home runs, extending his streak to 3 straight seasons.

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14.

Jimmie Foxx would hit multiple home runs in seven games and collect four or more hits in five games.

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15.

Jimmie Foxx finished the season leading the American league in home runs, RBI, and batting average, which secured him the ninth Triple Crown in MLB history.

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16.

Jimmie Foxx finished with 403 total bases, leading the American League and making him the third player in history to record 400 total bases in back-to-back seasons, with Lou Gehrig and Chuck Klein being the others.

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17.

Jimmie Foxx finished in the top 10 in most offensive categories by the end of the season and hit over 40 home runs for the fourth time in his career.

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18.

Jimmie Foxx fell ill with the flu during spring training in 1937 and was admitted to the hospital with pain in his forehead and vision problems.

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19.

Jimmie Foxx missed the first handful of games in the season before returning with the club.

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20.

Jimmie Foxx still continued to hit home runs that would leave the ballpark, including one that left Fenway Park by the center field flagpole.

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21.

In 1938, Jimmie Foxx put on an offensive showcase during the months of May, June, and September, recording at least 10 home runs and 30 RBI in each of those three months, including over 40 in the final month of the season.

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22.

Jimmie Foxx was awarded his third and final MVP award at the end of the season, leading the AL in most categories, with only Hank Greenberg's 58 home runs surpassing Jimmie Foxx's own total of 50.

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23.

Jimmie Foxx hit 36 home runs in 1940, which marked his 12th straight season where he hit 30 or more.

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24.

Jimmie Foxx finished sixth in MVP balloting and he was an All Star in his final full season in 1941 where he hit.

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25.

Jimmie Foxx suffered a broken toe during spring training in 1942 and broke a rib during batting practice later in the season.

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26.

Jimmie Foxx sat out all of 1943 and returned as a pinch hitter in 1944, playing only 14 games.

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27.

Jimmie Foxx joined the Phillies in 1945 and was a two-way player.

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28.

Jimmie Foxx's 12 consecutive seasons with 30 or more home runs was a major league record until it was broken by Barry Bonds in 2004.

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29.

Jimmie Foxx retained these positions until Willie Mays passed Foxx for second place in 1966.

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30.

Jimmie Foxx set the record for the youngest player to reach 500 home runs at age 32 years and 338 days in the final week of the 1940 Major League Baseball season.

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31.

Jimmie Foxx worked as a minor league manager and coach after his playing days ended, including managing the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for one season in 1952.

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32.

Jimmie Foxx took the team to the playoffs where they lost in the first round 2 games to 1 against the Rockford Peaches.

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33.

The Red Sox responded by naming Jimmie Foxx hitting coach of their Triple-A affiliate, the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association, that season.

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34.

Jimmie Foxx eventually retired to suburban Cleveland in Lakewood and was employed by the Lakewood Recreation Department.

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35.

Jimmie Foxx became ill while eating dinner with his brother and was taken to a hospital where resuscitative efforts failed.

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36.

Statue of Jimmie Foxx was erected in his hometown of Sudlersville, Maryland, on October 25,1997.

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37.

Jimmie Foxx is mentioned in the poem "Line-Up for Yesterday" by Ogden Nash:.

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