Jimmie Foxx

The Beast who terrorized pitchers and rewrote the record books.

James Emory Foxx (October 22, 1907 – July 21, 1967), nicknamed "Double X" and "the Beast", was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies. A tremendous power hitter, Foxx retired with the second most home runs, behind only Babe Ruth, and fifth-most runs batted in (RBI). His greatest seasons were with the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, where he hit a then-record 30 or more home runs in 12 consecutive seasons and drove in more than 100 runs in 13 consecutive years.

Considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, Foxx became the ninth player to win a Triple Crown and set a then-record for most MVP awards with three. His 58 home runs hit in 1932 were third-most all-time in a season at the time, his 438 total bases collected that same season are still fifth most all time, and he is one of only seven batters to accumulate over 400 total bases in a season more than once. Foxx won two American League (AL) batting titles, led all of baseball in home runs four times, and batted over .300 in eleven full seasons.

On September 24, 1940, Foxx became the second member of the 500 home run club when he hit a sixth-inning home run off George Caster. For nearly 67 years, he held the record for the youngest major leaguer to reach 500 home runs. His 534 home runs are currently 19th all time, and his 1,922 RBI are tenth all time. With a career batting average of .325 and slugging percentage of .609, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951.

Quick Facts

Position: First baseman
Bats: Right
Born: 22 October 1907
Birthplace: Sudlersville, Maryland, U.S.
Died: 21 July 1967
Place of death: Miami, Florida, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: May 1

Lore & Background

James Emory Foxx was born on October 22, 1907, in rural Sudlersville on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, to tenant farmers Dell and Mattie Foxx. Dell Foxx had played baseball for a town team when he was younger. Jimmie Foxx did well in school but excelled in sports, particularly soccer, track, and baseball. He played all three sports at Sudlersville High School, and set the state record in both the 220 and 80 yard dash in 1923.

So great were his athletic exploits he was regarded as "the most promising athletic prospect in the State of Maryland", and a scholarship to the University of Maryland was arranged — in track and field — should he wish to attend. In April 1924, Foxx met with Frank "Home Run" Baker, a former member of Philadelphia Athletics, and then manager of the minor league Class D level Easton Farmers. Baker offered Foxx a contract to play for the Farmers for $100 a month.

Foxx had hoped to pitch or play third base, but since the team was short on catchers, Foxx moved behind the plate, a position he had played in high school and on summer all-star teams. He immediately drew interest from the Philadelphia Athletics (A's) and New York Yankees. In July 1924, A's owner Connie Mack purchased Foxx's contract from the Farmers for $2,000 and Foxx stated that he would finish out the season with Easton before joining the Athletics.

He traveled to Philadelphia later in the 1924 season and sat in the dugout during games, and never appeared in one. Foxx, who at this time was a senior in high school, was forbidden by Mack from participating in any school athletics for fear that this might "jeopardize his baseball future." Foxx would drop out of school, and joined the Athletics for spring training in Fort Myers, Florida. As a result, he did not graduate, but he did receive a certificate which designated him an honorary member of the class.

Reader's Guide

During spring training in 1925, Foxx split duties at catcher with Mickey Cochrane and Cy Perkins, and when the season started he played the role of third-string catcher. On May 1, 1925, in a game against the Washington Senators, he recorded his first career hit off Vean Gregg. In June, Mack optioned Foxx to the Providence Grays to accumulate time and practice hitting at a higher level instead of sitting on the bench in Shibe Park. In the next season, Foxx appeared in a few more games, mostly as a pinch hitter or a replacement catcher.

In 1927, 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. He recorded his first home run on May 31, 1927, against Urban Shocker of the New York Yankees, and finished the season batting .323 over 61 games. In 1929, installed as the A's regular first baseman, Foxx had a breakthrough year. On May 1, he recorded the first 5-hit game of his career as well as the first multi home run game of his career, one of three such games that season.

By early July, he was batting over .400 until a slump later in the season caused his average to drop. He finished the year with 20 games where he collected 3 or more hits and finished with a .354 average with 33 home runs. During that year, Foxx appeared on the cover of Time magazine. A strong start to the 1930 season showed that Foxx was a hitter to be feared, and on May 30, he recorded the first six-hit game of his career, against the Senators.

By the end of June, after hitting 11 home runs in both May and June, he had 22 on the season and was batting .360. A slow end to the season lowered his season numbers, however, he still hit over 30 home runs for the second time in his career and finished with a .335 batting average. The 1931 season was hampered by injuries and a sinus infection, marking his first season where he did not hit above .300. He still managed to hit 30 home runs, extending his streak to 3 straight seasons.

The 1932 season would be Foxx's first truly outstanding year. In a sign of games to come, he recorded three hits and a home run during his first game, the first of 20 games where he would record three or more hits that season.