Todd was a native of Troy,New York. His professional playing career began at the advanced age of 26 in 1928 at the lowest level—then Class D—of minor league baseball. [2] He reached the majors as a 30-year-old rookie in 1932,and spent the next nine full seasons in the big leagues. His best years came in 1937 and 1938 as a member of the Pirates. Todd led all National League catchers in games caught each year,batted .307 and .265 respectively,and drove home 86 and 75 runs batted in.
During the 1938 offseason,Todd was traded to the Boston Bees,then to the Dodgers. In 1939,he platooned with left-handed-hitting Babe Phelps and batted .278 for the Dodgers. He then finished his MLB playing tenure with the Cubs. He was the Cubs' most-used catcher in 1940,starting 98 games,but it was his last full campaign in the major leagues.
In an eleven-year major league career,Todd played in 863 games,accumulating 768 hits in 2,785 at bats for a .276 career batting average along with 35 home runs,366 runs batted in and a .307 on-base percentage. He posted a .977 career fielding percentage.
Todd worked as a minor league manager and scout for several years after his playing career ended. He died on March 8,1985,at the age of 83 in Elmira,New York.
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett,also nicknamed "Old Tomato Face",was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher with the Chicago Cubs,from 1922 to 1940. He spent the final season of his career as a player-coach with the New York Giants in 1941. After his playing career,Hartnett continued his involvement in baseball as a coach and as a minor league manager.
William Jennings Bryan Herman was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1930s and 1940s. Known for his stellar defense and consistent batting,Herman still holds many National League (NL) defensive records for second basemen and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
Henry Ramón Blanco is a Venezuelan professional baseball coach and former player. He is currently the catching and strategy coach for the Washington Nationals. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 2013,appearing for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Colorado Rockies,Milwaukee Brewers,Atlanta Braves,Minnesota Twins,Chicago Cubs,San Diego Padres,New York Mets,Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,and Seattle Mariners. He later served as quality assurance coach for the Cubs. Although a light-hitting player,he was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.
Paul Rapier Richards was an American professional baseball player,manager,scout and executive in Major League Baseball. During his playing career,he was a catcher and right-handed batter with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1932),New York Giants (1933–1935),Philadelphia Athletics (1935) and Detroit Tigers (1943–1946). After retiring,he became the manager of the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles (1955–1961). He also served as the general manager for the Orioles,the Houston Colt .45s / Astros and the Atlanta Braves.
Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess was an American professional baseball catcher,pinch hitter,coach,and scout,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1949 to 1967. A nine-time All-Star,Burgess became known,later in his career,for his abilities as an elite pinch hitter,setting the MLB career record for career pinch-hits with 145. He stood 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall,weighing 245 pounds (111 kg). Burgess batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
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JoséAntonio Hernández Figueroa is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player and coach. Hernández played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder for the Texas Rangers,Cleveland Indians,Chicago Cubs,Atlanta Braves,Milwaukee Brewers,Colorado Rockies,Pittsburgh Pirates,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Philadelphia Phillies from 1991 to 2006. He was an MLB All-Star in 2002. Since 2019,Hernández has been a coach for the Baltimore Orioles of MLB.
Raymond Hall Hayworth was an American professional baseball player,manager and scout. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball between 1926 and 1945,most notably as a member of the Detroit Tigers team that won two consecutive American League pennants in 1934 and 1935 and won the 1935 World Series. He was employed in professional baseball for nearly 50 years from 1926 to 1973.
Virgil Lawrence "Spud" Davis was an American professional baseball player,coach,scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals,Philadelphia Phillies,Cincinnati Reds,and Pittsburgh Pirates. Davis' .308 career batting average ranks fourth all-time among major league catchers.
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Mitchell Dean Webster is an American former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1983 through 1995 for the Toronto Blue Jays,Montreal Expos,Chicago Cubs,Cleveland Indians,Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers. Listed at 6' 0",185 lb.,he was a switch hitter and threw left handed.
Christopher John Cannizzaro was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1960 to 1974 for the St. Louis Cardinals (1960–61),New York Mets (1962–65),Pittsburgh Pirates (1968),San Diego Padres,Chicago Cubs (1971),and Los Angeles Dodgers (1972–73).
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William Joseph Sullivan Jr. was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher,first baseman and third baseman with the Chicago White Sox,Cincinnati Reds,Cleveland Indians,St. Louis Browns,Detroit Tigers,Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates between 1931 and 1947.
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William Edward "Kitty" Bransfield was an American professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1898 to 1911 for the Boston Beaneaters,Pittsburgh Pirates,Philadelphia Phillies,and Chicago Cubs.
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Robinson David Chirinos González is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays,Texas Rangers,Houston Astros,New York Mets,Chicago Cubs,and Baltimore Orioles. He signed with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent out of Venezuela in 2000.
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