Rick Ferrell was born on Thursday, October 12, 1905, in Durham, North Carolina. Ferrell was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 19, 1929, with the St. Louis Browns. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Rick Ferrell baseball stats page.
"Even if Rick hadn't been a good hitter and a durable catcher, clever with the glove, he would have deserved the Hall of Fame for catching four knuckleball pitchers (Mickey Haefner, Dutch Leonard, Johnny Niggeling, Roger Wolff) at one time." - Mathes, Joe. Major League Baseball Scout. National Baseball Hall of Fame. Rick Ferrell Biography.
Rick FerrellRick Ferrell Autograph on a 1992 Sporting News Baseball Card (#471) |
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Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rick FerrellRick Ferrell Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
- | - | Did Not Pitch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
Rick FerrellRick Ferrell Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1929 | 24 | Browns | 64 | 144 | 21 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 32 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .229 | .373 | .285 |
1930 | 25 | Browns | 101 | 314 | 43 | 84 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 46 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .268 | .363 | .360 |
1931 | 26 | Browns | 117 | 386 | 47 | 118 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 56 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .306 | .394 | .427 |
1932 | 27 | Browns | 126 | 438 | 67 | 138 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 65 | 66 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 9 | .315 | .406 | .420 |
1933 | 28 | Browns | 22 | 72 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .357 | .319 |
1933 | 28 | Red Sox | 118 | 421 | 50 | 125 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 72 | 58 | 0 | 19 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .297 | .385 | .382 |
1934 | 29 | Red Sox | 132 | 437 | 50 | 130 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 66 | 6 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | .297 | .390 | .389 |
1935 | 30 | Red Sox | 133 | 458 | 54 | 138 | 34 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 61 | 65 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .301 | .388 | .413 |
1936 | 31 | Red Sox | 121 | 410 | 59 | 128 | 27 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 55 | 65 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .312 | .406 | .461 |
1937 | 32 | Red Sox | 18 | 65 | 8 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .308 | .438 | .385 |
1937 | 32 | Senators | 86 | 279 | 31 | 64 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 50 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .229 | .348 | .262 |
1938 | 33 | Senators | 135 | 411 | 55 | 120 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 75 | 5 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .292 | .401 | .382 |
1939 | 34 | Senators | 87 | 274 | 32 | 77 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 41 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .281 | .377 | .336 |
1940 | 35 | Senators | 103 | 326 | 35 | 89 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 47 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .273 | .365 | .340 |
1941 | 36 | Senators | 21 | 66 | 8 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .273 | .407 | .348 |
1941 | 36 | Browns | 100 | 321 | 30 | 81 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 52 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .252 | .357 | .333 |
1942 | 37 | Browns | 99 | 273 | 20 | 61 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 33 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .223 | .307 | .253 |
1943 | 38 | Browns | 74 | 209 | 12 | 50 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 34 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .239 | .348 | .273 |
1944 | 39 | Senators | 99 | 339 | 14 | 94 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 46 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .277 | .364 | .316 |
1945 | 40 | Senators | 91 | 286 | 33 | 76 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 43 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .266 | .366 | .325 |
1947 | 42 | Senators | 37 | 99 | 10 | 30 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .303 | .389 | .414 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
18 Years | 1,884 | 6,028 | 687 | 1,692 | 324 | 45 | 28 | 0 | 734 | 931 | 68 | 277 | 103 | 0 | 10 | 123 | .281 | .378 | .363 |
Rick FerrellRick Ferrell Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1929 Browns | C | 45 | 39 | 996 | 182 | 4.0 | 175 | 140 | 35 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 19 | .962 | 4.74 |
1930 Browns | C | 101 | 91 | 2,346 | 409 | 4.0 | 402 | 336 | 66 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 35 | 39 | .983 | 4.63 |
1931 Browns | C | 108 | 105 | 2,751 | 512 | 4.7 | 498 | 412 | 86 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 41 | 30 | .973 | 4.89 |
1932 Browns | C | 120 | 119 | 2,799 | 572 | 4.8 | 564 | 486 | 78 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 39 | 42 | .986 | 5.44 |
1933 Browns | C | 21 | 21 | 557 | 108 | 5.1 | 107 | 91 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | .991 | 5.19 |
1933 Red Sox | C | 116 | 115 | 2,932 | 582 | 5.0 | 576 | 500 | 76 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 59 | 46 | .990 | 5.30 |
1934 Red Sox | C | 128 | 124 | 3,146 | 609 | 4.8 | 603 | 531 | 72 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 49 | 29 | .990 | 5.18 |
1935 Red Sox | C | 131 | 126 | 3,198 | 612 | 4.7 | 599 | 520 | 79 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 34 | 51 | .979 | 5.06 |
1936 Red Sox | C | 121 | 118 | 2,896 | 619 | 5.1 | 611 | 556 | 55 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 51 | 30 | .987 | 5.70 |
1937 Red Sox | C | 18 | 18 | 461 | 104 | 5.8 | 103 | 93 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | .990 | 6.03 |
1937 Senators | C | 84 | 83 | 2,153 | 388 | 4.6 | 383 | 341 | 42 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 41 | 25 | .987 | 4.80 |
1938 Senators | C | 131 | 123 | 3,094 | 592 | 4.5 | 581 | 512 | 69 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 52 | 34 | .981 | 5.07 |
1939 Senators | C | 83 | 81 | 2,039 | 382 | 4.6 | 373 | 327 | 46 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 18 | 23 | .976 | 4.94 |
1940 Senators | C | 99 | 97 | 2,412 | 504 | 5.1 | 494 | 427 | 67 | 10 | 5 | 17 | 29 | 31 | .980 | 5.53 |
1941 Senators | C | 21 | 21 | 486 | 100 | 4.8 | 98 | 85 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | .980 | 5.44 |
1941 Browns | C | 98 | 92 | 2,298 | 393 | 4.0 | 391 | 340 | 51 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 34 | 23 | .995 | 4.59 |
1942 Browns | C | 96 | 75 | 1,909 | 419 | 4.4 | 413 | 356 | 57 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 52 | 29 | .986 | 5.84 |
1943 Browns | C | 70 | 67 | 1,490 | 384 | 5.5 | 379 | 327 | 52 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 41 | 24 | .987 | 6.87 |
1944 Senators | C | 96 | 95 | 2,408 | 483 | 5.0 | 474 | 403 | 71 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 37 | 20 | .981 | 5.31 |
1945 Senators | C | 83 | 82 | 2,208 | 399 | 4.8 | 395 | 331 | 64 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 21 | 22 | .990 | 4.83 |
1947 Senators | C | 37 | 29 | 760 | 157 | 4.2 | 156 | 134 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 14 | .994 | 5.54 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
C Totals | 1,807 | 1,721 | 43,339 | 8,510 | 4.7 | 8,375 | 7,248 | 1,127 | 135 | 139 | 142 | 670 | 545 | .984 | 5.22 | |
18 Years | 1,807 | 1,721 | 43,339 | 8,510 | 4.7 | 8,375 | 7,248 | 1,127 | 135 | 139 | 142 | 670 | 545 | .984 | 5.22 |
Rick FerrellRick Ferrell Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1929 Browns | 1 | 2 | .333 | 19 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 14.4 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1930 Browns | 1 | 4 | .200 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 314.0 | 31.4 | 7.7 | - | - | - |
1931 Browns | 2 | 3 | .400 | 9 | 0 | n/a | 128.7 | 32.2 | 6.8 | - | - | - |
1932 Browns | 5 | 5 | .500 | 6 | 0 | n/a | 219.0 | 24.3 | 6.7 | - | - | - |
1933 Browns | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 72.0 | 18.0 | 14.4 | - | - | - |
1933 Red Sox | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2 | 0 | n/a | 140.3 | 22.2 | 5.8 | - | - | - |
1934 Red Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 437.0 | 21.9 | 9.1 | - | - | - |
1935 Red Sox | 5 | 8 | .385 | 4 | 1 | n/a | 152.7 | 30.5 | 7.5 | - | - | - |
1936 Red Sox | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 51.3 | 24.1 | 7.5 | - | - | - |
1937 Red Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 65.0 | 16.3 | 16.3 | - | - | - |
1937 Senators | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2 | 0 | n/a | 279.0 | 15.5 | 8.7 | - | - | - |
1938 Senators | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 411.0 | 24.2 | 7.1 | - | - | - |
1939 Senators | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 22.8 | 8.8 | - | - | - |
1940 Senators | 1 | 1 | .500 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 21.7 | 11.6 | - | - | - |
1941 Senators | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 16.5 | 5.1 | - | - | - |
1941 Browns | 2 | 1 | .667 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 160.5 | 14.6 | 14.0 | - | - | - |
1942 Browns | 0 | 1 | .000 | 3 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 21.0 | 10.5 | - | - | - |
1943 Browns | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 14.9 | 10.5 | - | - | - |
1944 Senators | 2 | 1 | .667 | 3 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 26.1 | 13.6 | - | - | - |
1945 Senators | 2 | 4 | .333 | 8 | 0 | n/a | 286.0 | 22.0 | 7.5 | - | - | - |
1947 Senators | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 14.1 | 8.3 | - | - | - |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
18 Years | 29 | 35 | .453 | 82 | 1 | n/a | 215.3 | 21.8 | 8.2 | - | - | - |
Rick Ferrell hit a home run on July 19, 1933, in the bottom of the fourth inning. During that same inning, Wes Ferrell — Rick's brother — had hit a home run off Hank Johnson making them the first brothers to each hit a home run in the same American League game — and they did it in the same inning! Another unique twist? The homer Rick hit was off a pitch thrown by Wes!
The 1933 All-Star Game was the first Midsummer Classic in baseball history and only two catchers were there representing the American League, Bill Dickey and Rick Ferrell. The only backstop from the junior circuit to step on the field that day was Rick, who caught all nine-innings of the first All-Star Game ever played. Seven more All-Star Games would follow and in 1984, induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. An honor that not all baseball historians believe should have occurred:
Rick Ferrell | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 1984 (HOF)
"In his years on the Hall of Fame ballot, Rick Ferrell never received more than one vote — one — from the 300-plus members of the BBWAA. The 1966 book, Baseball's Greatest Catchers [Hirshberg, Albert. Putnam Publishing. 1 January 1966.] has articles on Johnny Kling, Hank Gowdy, Steve O'Neill, Wally Schang, Muddy Ruel, Birdie Tebbetts, Mickey Owen, Walker Cooper, Jim Hegan, Del Crandall, and Elston Howard, but no mention of Rick Ferrell."
"Of course Ferrell does not belong in the Hall of Fame, but he was a pretty good player. He hit .271 in his career and walked a lot, giving him a .378 career on-base percentage — 7th best amongst the top 100 catchers. You add a long career, a good on-base percentage, and good defense, that doesn't make a Hall of Famer, but it makes a good player."
Source: The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. James, Bill. Free Press Publishing. 29. Rick Ferrell. 13 June 2003. Page 393.
Rick Ferrell & Wes Ferrell | Boston Red Sox Press Photo | Photoshop by Baseball Almanac
The Ferrell brothers played together as teammates from 1934 through 1937 with the Boston Red Sox then they were both traded to the Washington Senators were they continued playing together as teammates for two additional seasons.