So why have these catchers been placed into the National Baseball Hall of Fame? The following chart briefly illustrates the statistical accomplishments of each catcher currently enshrined in Cooperstown.
The chart is meant to serve as a quick compilation of lifetime statistics meant for easy comparison side-by-side comparison. Full stats for each catcher can be found by simply visiting the "back of their baseball card" on Baseball Almanac.
"It wastes time to straighten up (before throwing to second base)." - Hall of Fame catcher Buck Ewing
Stats for Hall of Fame CatchersBOLD Indicates Statistical Leader For HOF Catchers |
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HOF Catchers | AVG | OBP | SLG | HITS | HR | RBI | RUNS | SB |
Johnny Bench | .267 | .345 | .476 | 2,048 | 389 | 1,376 | 1,091 | 68 |
Yogi Berra | .285 | .350 | .482 | 2,150 | 358 | 1,430 | 1,175 | 30 |
Roger Bresnahan | .279 | .386 | .377 | 1,252 | 26 | 530 | 682 | 212 |
Roy Campanella | .276 | .362 | .500 | 1,161 | 242 | 856 | 627 | 25 |
Gary Carter | .262 | .335 | .439 | 2,092 | 324 | 1,225 | 1,025 | 39 |
Mickey Cochrane | .320 | .419 | .478 | 1,652 | 119 | 832 | 1,041 | 64 |
Bill Dickey | .313 | .382 | .486 | 1,969 | 202 | 1,209 | 930 | 36 |
Buck Ewing | .303 | .351 | .456 | 1,625 | 71 | 883 | 1,129 | 354 |
Rick Ferrell | .281 | .378 | .363 | 1,692 | 28 | 734 | 687 | 29 |
Carlton Fisk | .269 | .343 | .457 | 2,356 | 376 | 1,330 | 1,276 | 128 |
Josh Gibson * | .374 | .458 | .719 | 806 | 165 | 725 | 611 | 40 |
Gabby Hartnett | .297 | .370 | .489 | 1,912 | 236 | 1,179 | 867 | 28 |
Ernie Lombardi | .306 | .358 | .460 | 1,792 | 190 | 990 | 601 | 8 |
Joe Mauer | .306 | .388 | .439 | 2,123 | 143 | 923 | 1,018 | 52 |
Mike Piazza | .308 | .377 | .545 | 2,127 | 427 | 1,335 | 1,048 | 17 |
Ivan Rodriguez | .296 | .335 | .464 | 2,844 | 311 | 1,332 | 1,354 | 127 |
Ray Schalk | .253 | .340 | .316 | 1,345 | 11 | 594 | 579 | 177 |
Ted Simmons | .285 | .348 | .437 | 2,472 | 248 | 1,389 | 1,074 | 21 |
HOF Catchers | AVG | OBP | SLG | HITS | HR | RBI | RUNS | SB |
Stats for Hall of Fame Catchers | Research by Baseball Almanac |
Mickey Cochrane's offensive skill is obvious, but did you know that he also managed the Detroit Tigers to two American League pennants and a World Championship?
* Josh Gibson played in the Negro Leagues from 1930, through 1946, with the Memphis Red Sox, Pittsburgh Crawfords, and Homestead Greys. Baseball Almanac does not yet have an online database for Negro League players, but the data above is from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Negro Leagues Researchers and Authors Group.
Carlton Fisk did not play in the big leagues on a regular basis until he was twenty-four-years-old, yet he set the Major League record for most games caught.
Johnny Bench was truly a two edged sword: catching, throwing out runners, and calling pitches while still slugging it out with the rest of his teammates. This talent earned him two Most Valuable Player Awards and ten Gold Glove Awards.