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Billy Goodman
William Dale Goodman (March 22, 1926 – October 1, 1984) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder who played 16 seasons for the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, and Houston Colt .45s, from 1947 through 1962. Goodman was inducted posthumously into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in November 2004.
Goodman was an outstanding hitter and fielder, and one of the most versatile players of his era. He played every position in the major leagues except catcher and pitcher and was an All-Star for two seasons. In 1950, he won the American League (AL) batting title hitting .354 with 68 runs batted in (RBI) and was the AL Most Valuable Player runner-up to New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto (hit .324 with 66 RBI). Goodman batted over .290 in eleven seasons including over .300 in five seasons. In 1959, he hit .304, helping the White Sox win the American League pennant. His career .376 on-base percentage made him an ideal lead-off hitter. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1969.
Goodman was born in Concord, North Carolina, and played Textile League baseball in Concord before signing with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association in 1944 at just eighteen years old.
Goodman hit .336 his first season in Atlanta. He left baseball temporarily, serving in the United States Navy during World War II in 1945. While assigned to the Pacific Theater on Ulithi with Major Leaguer Mickey Vernon and future Baseball Hall of Famer, Larry Doby, both Goodman and Vernon encouraged Doby to become a Major League baseball player.
Goodman returned to the Atlanta Crackers in 1946 to bat .389 and lead his team to the Southern Association's playoff series championship. On February 8, 1947, he was sold to the Boston Red Sox. Goodman entered his first Spring training battling Sam Mele for the open right field job. With Mele winning the job, Goodman batted .182 in limited play through May of the 1947 season before being reassigned to the American Association's Louisville Colonels, where he batted .340 over the remainder of the season.
Goodman spent the spring with the Red Sox in 1947 playing in 12 games, 2 in the outfield, and 10 filling in at second base for an injured Bobby Doerr, He made his first start as a Major League third baseman on May 20, 1948. From there, Goodman moved across the diamond to first base for the remainder of the season in the Majors. He batted .310 with 66 runs batted in as a rookie. His first Major League home run, and only home run of the season, was a grand slam off the Detroit Tigers' Virgil Trucks.
He was named to the first of two American League All-Star rosters in 1949, and appeared during the bottom of the 8th inning of the All-Star Game as a defensive replacement for Washington Senators first baseman Eddie Robinson. Early in the 1950 season, Goodman suffered a chip fracture in his left ankle that cost him a month of play. Power hitting rookie first baseman Walt Dropo earned himself a place in the everyday starting line-up in Goodman's absence, batting .348 with ten home runs and 33 RBIs. Goodman found himself without a starting position upon his return. However, injuries to Bobby Doerr and third baseman Johnny Pesky kept Goodman in the line-up semi-regularly. After Ted Williams injured himself in the All-Star game, Goodman took over in left field for the Bosox, and batted .338 with 23 RBIs filling in for the Boston legend. Playing five different positions over the course of the season, Goodman logged enough at-bats to win the American League batting title with a .354 batting average (Stan Musial, National League, .346) with 68 RBI, and was the runner-up in AL Most Valuable Player Award balloting to New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who hit .324 with 66 RBI; Yankee catcher Yogi Berra finished 3rd in the voting, hitting .322 with 124 RBI.
Goodman resumed his utility player role in 1951. He began the season playing first base when Dropo fractured his right wrist. He shifted over to right field upon Dropo's return, but was back at first when Dropo was optioned to the Pacific Coast League's San Diego Padres at the end of June for "more work." He spent most of the month of August at second base when Bobby Doerr's bad back kept him out of the lineup. In all, Goodman played five different positions, and batted .297 with 50 RBIs and 92 runs scored. His 638 plate appearances were third highest on the team behind Dom DiMaggio and Ted Williams.
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Billy Goodman
William Dale Goodman (March 22, 1926 – October 1, 1984) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder who played 16 seasons for the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, and Houston Colt .45s, from 1947 through 1962. Goodman was inducted posthumously into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in November 2004.
Goodman was an outstanding hitter and fielder, and one of the most versatile players of his era. He played every position in the major leagues except catcher and pitcher and was an All-Star for two seasons. In 1950, he won the American League (AL) batting title hitting .354 with 68 runs batted in (RBI) and was the AL Most Valuable Player runner-up to New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto (hit .324 with 66 RBI). Goodman batted over .290 in eleven seasons including over .300 in five seasons. In 1959, he hit .304, helping the White Sox win the American League pennant. His career .376 on-base percentage made him an ideal lead-off hitter. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1969.
Goodman was born in Concord, North Carolina, and played Textile League baseball in Concord before signing with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association in 1944 at just eighteen years old.
Goodman hit .336 his first season in Atlanta. He left baseball temporarily, serving in the United States Navy during World War II in 1945. While assigned to the Pacific Theater on Ulithi with Major Leaguer Mickey Vernon and future Baseball Hall of Famer, Larry Doby, both Goodman and Vernon encouraged Doby to become a Major League baseball player.
Goodman returned to the Atlanta Crackers in 1946 to bat .389 and lead his team to the Southern Association's playoff series championship. On February 8, 1947, he was sold to the Boston Red Sox. Goodman entered his first Spring training battling Sam Mele for the open right field job. With Mele winning the job, Goodman batted .182 in limited play through May of the 1947 season before being reassigned to the American Association's Louisville Colonels, where he batted .340 over the remainder of the season.
Goodman spent the spring with the Red Sox in 1947 playing in 12 games, 2 in the outfield, and 10 filling in at second base for an injured Bobby Doerr, He made his first start as a Major League third baseman on May 20, 1948. From there, Goodman moved across the diamond to first base for the remainder of the season in the Majors. He batted .310 with 66 runs batted in as a rookie. His first Major League home run, and only home run of the season, was a grand slam off the Detroit Tigers' Virgil Trucks.
He was named to the first of two American League All-Star rosters in 1949, and appeared during the bottom of the 8th inning of the All-Star Game as a defensive replacement for Washington Senators first baseman Eddie Robinson. Early in the 1950 season, Goodman suffered a chip fracture in his left ankle that cost him a month of play. Power hitting rookie first baseman Walt Dropo earned himself a place in the everyday starting line-up in Goodman's absence, batting .348 with ten home runs and 33 RBIs. Goodman found himself without a starting position upon his return. However, injuries to Bobby Doerr and third baseman Johnny Pesky kept Goodman in the line-up semi-regularly. After Ted Williams injured himself in the All-Star game, Goodman took over in left field for the Bosox, and batted .338 with 23 RBIs filling in for the Boston legend. Playing five different positions over the course of the season, Goodman logged enough at-bats to win the American League batting title with a .354 batting average (Stan Musial, National League, .346) with 68 RBI, and was the runner-up in AL Most Valuable Player Award balloting to New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who hit .324 with 66 RBI; Yankee catcher Yogi Berra finished 3rd in the voting, hitting .322 with 124 RBI.
Goodman resumed his utility player role in 1951. He began the season playing first base when Dropo fractured his right wrist. He shifted over to right field upon Dropo's return, but was back at first when Dropo was optioned to the Pacific Coast League's San Diego Padres at the end of June for "more work." He spent most of the month of August at second base when Bobby Doerr's bad back kept him out of the lineup. In all, Goodman played five different positions, and batted .297 with 50 RBIs and 92 runs scored. His 638 plate appearances were third highest on the team behind Dom DiMaggio and Ted Williams.