Played on 10 world championship teams and 14 pennant winners in 17 full seasons; played in 75 World Series games. Three-time American League Most Valuable Player (1951, 1954, 1955); never finished lower than fourth in MVP voting from 1950-57. Led American League catchers in home runs and RBI in each of nine straight seasons (1949-1957). Selected to play in 15 successive All-Star Games, 18x All-Star overall. Played outfield early and late in his career, a total of 260 games. Hit the first pinch hit home run in World Series history (1947). Caught at least 100 games in 10 seasons, and caught both games of 117 doubleheaders. Became one of only four catchers to have a 1.000 fielding percentage for the season (1958). Caught the only Perfect Game in World Series history (1956). Selected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. No. 8 retired by the New York Yankees.
• Games 2,120 • Triples: 49
• At-Bats: 7555 • Home Runs: 358
• Batting Average: .285 • Runs Batted In: 1,430
• Runs: 1175 • Walks: 704
• Hits: 2,150 • Strikeouts: 414
• Doubles: 321 • Slugging Average: .482
• On-base percentage: .348
“I tell the kids, somebody’s gotta win, somebody’s gotta lose. Just don’t fight about it. Just try to get better.”
“If I didn’t make it in baseball, I won’t have made it workin’. I didn’t like to work.”
“It ain’t over till it’s over.”
