Rudy York

Rudy York
York with the Detroit Tigers in 1945
First baseman / Manager
Born: (1913-08-17)August 17, 1913
Ragland, Alabama, U.S.
Died: February 5, 1970(1970-02-05) (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 runs277
Runs batted in1,149
Teams
As player
As manager
Career highlights and awards

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.