Earl Webb had one truly great season with the Boston Red Sox. That year ensured his place in baseball history.
It took some time for Earl Webb to become a regular in the majors. He began his professional career as a pitcher, and while he had some success, was not exactly a major league prospect. However, Webb also spent some time in the outfield, converting there full time in 1925. That season saw Webb get his first crack at the majors, spending four games with the Giants, where he was 0-3 with a walk.
Webb spent the following year in the minors before returning with the Cubs in 1927. He made a better impression, spending two more years in the majors before returning to the minors once more. This time, playing for the Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League, he exploded. Webb had a .357 batting average, while belting 37 homers and 56 doubles. That performance was enough to get Webb attention from the majors yet again, as he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, and traded twice before ending up with the Boston Red Sox.
It was with the Red Sox that Webb finally found success. He was immediately amongst the best hitters on the team in 1930, producing a solid .323/.385/.523 batting line. Webb hit 16 homers and 30 doubles, leading the team in homers and batting average. Finally, Webb had found a place to call home in the majors.
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In 1931, Webb hit his way into the history books. He hit a record 67 doubles, more than doubling his total from the previous year. Webb had a stellar .333/.404/.528 batting line, ranking in the top ten in total bases, batting average, on base percentage, and slugging. That year, he finished sixth in the MVP ballot, a solid finish for a team that was a distance sixth in the American League.
That season would be his last hurrah. Webb was traded to the Detroit Tigers in June 1932, and produced a combined .285/.362/.417 batting line, hitting only 28 doubles. He split the 1933 campaign between Detroit and the White Sox, serving primarily as a pinch hitter, before returning to the minors for four more years before retiring.
Overall, in his seven years in the majors, Webb was a solid threat in the batter’s box. He produced a .306/.381/.478 batting line, hitting 35 homers and 155 doubles. Over 40 percent of his career doubles came in that one historic season, but he was still a decent hitter without that one year.
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Earl Webb is remembered for his one great season, but he was a solid contributor for the Boston Red Sox. Born on this day in 1897, Webb became a solid hitter despite a late start in the field.