Jimmie Foxx: Baseball’s Sly Slugger

Jimmie Foxx: Baseball’s Sly Slugger

Jimmie Foxx: Sly Slugger

He sometimes went by the nickname “Double X” because of his last name, but James Emory Foxx would be better known for how good a slugger he was in the game of baseball. Jimmie Foxx was a first baseman, third baseman, outfielder and catcher over his 19-year career, and he turned out to be one of the best power hitters baseball fans ever saw. Foxx’s career slugging percentage is .6093, which ranks 4th all-time behind fellow baseball legends Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams and Babe Ruth.

Waiting for His Chance in Philadelphia

Foxx didn’t start out swinging like a true slugger, however. From 1925 to 1927, Foxx wasn’t able to play in many regular season games because the Philadelphia Athletics had a ton of depth on their roster. When the opportunity presented itself in 1928, Foxx started to show his team just how valuable he was. Playing in 118 games, Foxx batted .328 with 13 home runs and 79 RBIs off 131 hits, 29 doubles and 10 triples.

Dominance with the Philadelphia Athletics

Back-to-Back World Series Titles

In 1929, Foxx played in 149 games and batted .354 with 33 home runs and 118 RBIs off 183 hits, 23 doubles, 9 triples and 9 stolen bases. In 1930, Foxx played in 153 games and batted .335 with 37 home runs and 156 RBIs off 188 hits, 33 doubles and 13 triples. Foxx had the pleasure of experiencing back-to-back World Series championships with the Athletics in 1929 and 1930.

A Breakout MVP Season in 1932

In 1931, Foxx played in 139 games and batted .291 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs off 150 hits, 32 doubles and 10 triples. 1932 would officially be Jimmie Foxx’s breakout season, when baseball fans took notice of his talent. Playing in 154 games, Foxx batted .364 with 58 home runs and 169 RBIs off 213 hits, 33 doubles and 9 triples. On his way to winning the American League Most Valuable Player award, Foxx posted a slugging percentage of .749.

A Triple Crown and Continued Power

In 1933, Foxx played in 149 games and batted .356 with a .703 slugging percentage, 48 home runs and 163 RBIs off 204 hits, 37 doubles and 9 triples. Foxx won not only another AL MVP award but also the Triple Crown by leading the AL in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. In 1934, Foxx played in 150 games and batted .334 with 44 home runs and 130 RBIs off 180 hits, 28 doubles and 11 stolen bases. Showing off his power, Foxx had a .653 slugging percentage.

Foxx played in 147 games in 1935 and batted .346 with 36 home runs and 115 RBIs off 185 hits, 33 doubles and 7 triples. He also led the American League in slugging percentage at .636.

Slugging for the Boston Red Sox

In 1936, Foxx moved on to play for the Boston Red Sox, and in 155 games he batted .338 with 41 home runs and 143 RBIs off 198 hits, 32 doubles, 8 triples and 13 stolen bases. Foxx still fared well in slugging, posting a percentage of .631.

In 1937, Foxx played in 150 games and batted .285 with 36 home runs and 127 RBIs off 162 hits, 24 doubles, 6 triples and 10 stolen bases. In 1938, Foxx claimed another AL MVP award as he led the American League in batting average at .349, on-base percentage at .462 and slugging percentage at .704. In 149 games, Foxx had 50 home runs and 175 RBIs off 197 hits, 33 doubles and 9 triples.

In 1939, Foxx played in 124 games and batted .360 with 35 home runs and 105 RBIs off 168 hits, 31 doubles and 10 triples. Foxx led the AL with a .464 on-base percentage and had a .694 slugging percentage. In 1940, Foxx played in 144 games and batted .297 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs off 153 hits and 30 doubles. In 1941, Foxx played in 135 games and batted .300 with 19 home runs and 105 RBIs off 146 hits, 27 doubles and 8 triples.

A Difficult Final Chapter

Jimmie Foxx didn’t have the curtain call fitting for a legend like him, as he fought multiple battles with alcohol addiction. He split time between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs. In 1943, Foxx sat out the regular season due to that addiction, and he returned to play for the Cubs in 1944. He finished his baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945 at the age of 37, collecting 60 hits and 11 doubles while playing in only 89 games.

A Hall of Fame Legacy

A 2-time World Series champion in 1929 and 1930 and a 9-time All-Star from 1933 all the way to 1941, Foxx helped take the game of baseball to new heights at a time when the average sports fan in America needed an emotional lift. The 2-time AL batting champion in 1933 and 1938 was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1951. Foxx was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, receiving 79.2% of the votes.