San Francisco Giants Mount Rushmore

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Mel Ott (1926-1947)

Lou Durocher coined the phrase “Nice guys finish last” when referring to Mel Ott as a manager. As a player, there were few in his class.

A mighty power hitter, Ott was one of the key parts of the Giants offense throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. He spent his entire 22 year career in New York, where his ability as a power hitter was clearly evident. Ott was the youngest player in baseball history to reach the 100 and 200 homer plateaus, as well as the youngest player to notch 1000 career RBI.

He was not done there. Ott was also the first player in National League history to hit 300, 400, and 500 career homers. He led the league in homers six times, and hit 20 or more homers 15 times. A 12 time All Star, Ott never won an MVP award, but he did finish in the top five three times. His batting eye was extraordinary as well, as he led the league in walks six times.

Overall, Ott produced a .304/.414/.533 batting line. At the time he retired, his 511 homers were the National League record. He also had 488 doubles and drove in 1860 runs. In his 11,348 plate appearances, Ott walked 1708 times, with only 896 strikeouts. He was truly an excellent hitter, and a feared slugger.

Mel Ott held a special place in National League history. His greatness remains evident to this day.