Ted Kluszewski

Ted Kluszewski—known as "Big Klu"—was a first baseman who built his reputation on raw power and a physique that stood out even in the big leagues. Born in Summit, Illinois, on September 10, 1924, he played Major League Baseball from 1947 through 1961, spending 11 of those 15 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. Fans remember him for his bulging biceps and the towering home runs he launched.

Kluszewski made four National League All-Star teams and hit .300 or better seven times. For three straight seasons, he cracked 40 or more homers. Over 1,718 games, he finished with a .298 average, 279 home runs, and 1,028 RBIs.

In August 1959, the Chicago White Sox traded for him, sending pitcher Robert Sagers and outfielder Harry Simpson to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kluszewski hit .297 in 31 games and helped the "Go-Go White Sox" win the American League pennant. In the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he batted .391 with three homers and 10 RBIs over six games.

He still ranks among the Reds' all-time leaders: sixth in home runs, sixth in slugging percentage, eighth in on-base plus slugging, and ninth in RBIs. His 1954 season set team records—a .642 slugging percentage, 1.049 OPS, and a home run every 11.4 at-bats—that have stood for seven decades. In 1962, he entered the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

Kluszewski grew up in Summit, Illinois, about 14 miles from Comiskey Park, where he later played for the White Sox. He starred in football and baseball at Argo Community High School, then did the same at Indiana University. In 1945, he played on a Hoosiers football team that went 9–0–1, and he hit .443 for the baseball team that year.

During World War II, travel restrictions forced the Reds to hold spring training at Indiana University. Groundskeeper Matty Schwab spotted Kluszewski launching balls more than 500 feet—farther than any Reds player could manage. Scouts were impressed, but Kluszewski, also a standout tight end, held off signing to keep his college eligibility. He waited until after graduation.

After hitting .325 and .377 in two minor league seasons, his promotion was inevitable.

Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 225 pounds, Kluszewski became a regular early in 1948. His strength was legendary. When manager Leo Durocher was asked to name the five strongest players in baseball, he left Kluszewski off, joking, "I'm talking about human beings!"

Kluszewski also made a bold fashion choice: he cut the sleeves off his jersey. Team management wasn't happy, but he said the sleeves constricted his biceps and shoulders, messing with his swing. "It was either that or change my swing—and I wasn't about to change my swing," he explained.

He made the Reds' Opening Day roster in 1947, spent four months in Class AAA Memphis, then returned in September. His first hit came on September 23 at Crosley Field, an RBI single off Chicago Cubs starter Hank Wyse. A year later, he locked down the first-base job for nine seasons.

Kluszewski became known as a rare hitter who combined power with control. In 10 of his 15 seasons, he walked (492 times) more than he struck out (365). In 1953, he hit 40 homers with just 34 strikeouts. The next year, he hit 49 homers with 35 strikeouts. In 1955, he hit 47 homers with 40 strikeouts—the last time a major leaguer has hit 40 homers while striking out 40 or fewer times in a season.

From 1953 through 1956, he made the All-Star team each year and hit 171 home runs, more than anyone else in the majors. He drove in over 100 runs each season, leading the league with 141 RBIs in 1954.

He also became the first—and still only—player in MLB history to hit 35 or more homers in four seasons while striking out fewer times than he hit homers. Only three Hall of Famers—Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Johnny Mize—have done it even twice.

Defensively, Kluszewski had limited range but sure hands and nimble footwork. He led National League first basemen in fielding percentage for five straight years (1951–1955), a major league record. Over 1,479 games, he posted a .993 fielding percentage, which ranked 99th in MLB history as of the start of the 2025 season.

His best year was 1954, when he finished runner-up for the NL MVP. He chased the Triple Crown, leading the league in homers (49) and RBIs (141) and finishing fifth in batting average (.326). As late as September 19, he trailed Willie Mays by just eight points in the batting race.

Kluszewski died on March 29, 1988, at age 63.