Earl Averill

Lore & Background

Born in Snohomish, Washington, Averill broke into the Majors in 1929 with the Cleveland Indians. He remains the all-time Indians leader in total bases, RBIs, runs, and triples, and is third in hits and doubles, fourth in home runs and walks. He famously hit the line drive that broke Dizzy Dean's toe in the 1937 All-Star Game. In 1930, he became the first major league player to hit four home runs in a doubleheader. He batted .378 in 1936, leading the American League in hits. In 1935, he suffered hand and face injuries from a firecracker explosion. In 1937, he experienced temporary leg paralysis due to a congenital spine condition. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 1939 and played in the 1940 World Series, going 0-for-3. He finished his MLB career with the Boston Braves in 1941, then returned to the Pacific Coast League. He died in Washington in 1983 at age 81.

In Their Own Story

The afternoon sun beat down on the dusty diamond at League Park. Earl Averill adjusted his cap, the brim casting a shadow over eyes that scanned the pitcher's mound with predatory focus. The crowd roared, a sound that seemed to vibrate through the bleachers and into the soles of his cleats. He gripped the bat, feeling the familiar grain of the wood, waiting for the pitch that would define another chapter in his storied career. As the ball left the pitcher's hand, time seemed to slow; he swung with a fluidity born of thousands of hours of practice, sending the leather sphere soaring toward the distant fence.

Reader's Guide

Earl Averill played center field for the Cleveland Indians from 1929 to mid-1939, then for the Detroit Tigers through 1940, and briefly for the Boston Braves in 1941. He was a six-time All-Star and Hall of Famer. His son, Earl D. Averill, also played in the majors from 1956 to 1963.

Did You Know?

• Averill was the first major league player to hit four home runs in a doubleheader (September 17, 1930).
• He hit a home run in his first MLB at-bat on April 16, 1929.
• He detested the Hall of Fame selection process and at his 1975 induction advocated for Ernie Lombardi and Joe Sewell.
• In the early 1960s, he insisted on bringing his own bat in a gun case when flying to an old-timers' game.