Jim Wynn

The Toy Cannon: A small-statured outfielder whose powerful bat redefined his legacy for the Houston Astros and Dodgers.

James Sherman Wynn, nicknamed "the Toy Cannon," was an American professional baseball player who spent fifteen seasons in the majors. Born on March 12, 1942, he played primarily as a center fielder, with eleven of those years spent with the Houston Colt .45s and Astros before moving to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two All-Star seasons. Standing at just 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) and weighing 160 lb (73 kg), Wynn was known for generating significant power relative to his small stature. His nickname arose because of his powerful bat, which was compared to a cannon, not because of his arm.

Quick Facts

Role

Outfielder

Years active

15 seasons (1963–1977)

Teams

Houston Colt.45s/Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
Atlanta Braves
New York Yankees

Lore & Background

Wynn's journey began after he attended Taft High School, where the Cincinnati Reds signed him as an amateur free agent in 1961. He started with the Johnson City Cardinals before being selected by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1962 first-year minor league player draft. Initially struggling defensively at shortstop during his 1963 debut season, he also saw time at shortstop in 1964 before becoming a full-time outfielder. His breakthrough came in 1965 when he hit a career-high 37 home runs and finished 10th in MVP voting. On June 14, 1967, he produced a legendary shot that cleared the 58-foot scoreboard at Crosley Field to land on Interstate 75, and he also hit a 457-foot homer at Forbes Field. In 1969, he led the major leagues with 148 walks and reached base in 50 consecutive games.

Reader's Guide

Wynn spent ten seasons with Houston before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 6, 1973. In his first season with LA, he played 150 games, hitting a career-high 108 runs batted in and 32 home runs. This performance earned him The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award, an All-Star selection, and a fifth-place finish in MVP voting. He helped the Dodgers win the National League pennant, though his postseason contribution was limited to two hits in the NLCS and one home run off Rollie Fingers in the World Series. His second season with the Dodgers saw him move to left field due to a shoulder injury, but he still earned his third All-Star selection, homering in the 2nd inning of the game. After two seasons in Los Angeles, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in November 1975, where he led the majors in walks again with 127.

Did You Know?

In 1969, Wynn led the major leagues with 148 walks while also striking out 142 times.
Wynn became the first Houston batter to hit three home runs in a single game on May 10, 1967, against the Chicago Cubs.
Jason Lane changed his number from 24 to 16 in 2004, before the retirement of Wynn's number 24 by the Astros in 2005.

The Toy Cannon: A Small Stature with Massive Power

James Sherman Wynn earned his nickname "the Toy Cannon" because his bat possessed a remarkable amount of "pop" for a player of his small size. Standing at 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) and weighing only 160 lb (73 kg), he defied the physical norms of power hitters in his era. His compact frame did not hinder his ability to drive the ball; instead, it became a defining characteristic that made him one of baseball's most memorable sluggers. Throughout his fifteen-season career, Wynn consistently demonstrated that technique and bat speed could overcome a lack of bulk, allowing him to hit 291 home runs overall. This unique profile distinguished him from larger contemporaries and cemented his legacy as a player who punched well above his weight class at the plate.

Houston Years: Resilience and Record-Breaking Feats

Wynn spent ten of his fifteen seasons with the Houston franchise, where he evolved from a shortstop into a cornerstone center fielder. His 1967 season was a career peak, featuring 37 home runs, 107 RBIs, and an All-Star selection. That year, he hit two famous tape-measure home runs: one clearing the scoreboard at Crosley Field to land on Interstate 75, and another traveling 457 feet at Forbes Field. In 1969, he led the major leagues with 148 walks and set a franchise record by reaching base in 52 consecutive games from June 4 to August 3. Despite a broken arm in 1966 that cut his season short, Wynn remained a productive force, eventually becoming the first Astro to reach 1,000 hits before his departure.

Resurgence in Los Angeles: The Comeback Player

Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 6, 1973, for Claude Osteen and David Culpepper, Wynn experienced a career resurgence. In his first season with the Dodgers, he played 150 games, recording 32 home runs and a career-high 108 RBIs. He was named to the All-Star Game, finished fifth in MVP voting, and won The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award. Although he struggled slightly in the 1974 postseason with just two hits in ten at-bats during the NLCS, his regular-season performance propelled the Dodgers to the pennant. In 1975, despite a shoulder injury that moved him to left field, he earned his third and final All-Star selection, homering in the second inning of the game before being traded to Atlanta.

Legacy and Impact on the Game

Wynn's career concluded with two seasons split between the Braves (1976) and a brief stint with the Yankees and Brewers (1977). His overall statistics include 291 home runs, 964 RBIs, and 1,224 walks in 1,920 games. Among players with a batting average of .250 or lower, he holds the third-highest WAR at 55.8. Upon his trade from Houston, his 1,291 hits and 223 home runs were franchise records; seven players have since passed him in hits, but only Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio, and Jose Altuve have surpassed his home run total with the Astros. The team retired his number 24 on June 25, 2005. In popular culture, footage of Wynn rounding third base appeared in the 1995 film Apollo 13, mistaken by astronauts for a live broadcast.