| Rudy York | |
|---|---|
 York with the Detroit Tigers in 1945 | |
| First baseman / Manager | |
| Born: August 17, 1913 Ragland, Alabama, U.S. | |
| Died: February 5, 1970 (aged 56) Rome, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 22, 1934, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 20, 1948, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .275 |
| Home runs | 277 |
| Runs batted in | 1,149 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Preston Rudolph York (August 17, 1913 – February 5, 1970) was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman between 1934 and 1948, most notably as a member of the Detroit Tigers.
A seven-time All-Star, York broke Babe Ruth's record by hitting 18 home runs in a single month – a feat he accomplished as a rookie in 1937. In 1943, he led the American League with 34 home runs, 118 RBIs, a .527 slugging percentage, and 301 total bases. He was the starting first baseman and leading slugger for the Detroit team that won the 1945 World Series. Between 1937 and 1947, York led the major leagues in home runs (277), RBIs (1,143), and total bases (2,838).
He also played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and the Philadelphia Athletics. After his playing career, he worked from 1951 to 1964 as a professional baseball manager, coach, and scout. He was the batting coach for the Boston Red Sox for four years from 1959 to 1962, including one game in July 1959 in which he acted as the team's interim manager. He was posthumously inducted into the Michigan, Georgia, and Alabama Sports Halls of Fame.