Hank Sauer
From BR Bullpen
Henry John Sauer (The Honker)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 4", Weight 199 lb.
- Debut September 9, 1941
- Final Game August 17, 1959
- Born March 17, 1917 in Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Died August 24, 2001 in Burlingame, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
The brother of Ed Sauer, outfielder Hank Sauer had cups of coffee with the Cincinnati Reds before serving in the Coast Guard during World War II. In 1941, he was a 24-year-old rookie. He appeared in 16 games in 1941 and 1942. In 1945, when he returned from the service, he was still a rookie, at age 28.
After the war, he hit .336 with 50 home runs and 141 RBIs for the Syracuse Chiefs in 1947 en route to being named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News.
The next year in 1948, at age 31, Sauer became a regular with the Reds (he had only played 47 games in the majors in 1941, 1942, and 1945 prior to that).
He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1949 and became immensely popular with Chicago fans, earning the nickname "The Mayor of Wrigley Field". He was National League Most Valuable Player with the team in 1952, when he hit 37 homers and drove in 121 runs for the .500 club. Both the homers and RBI led the league. He was 35 years old at the time.
Two years later, he hit 41 home runs and slugged .563, in the year that Ernie Banks became a regular with the Cubs, but Sauer finished only 26th in the MVP voting that year. He remained a part-time starter until the age of 41, when he played for the San Francisco Giants, in their first season in the "City by the Bay."
Sauer was later a Giants scout. He suffered a heart attack and died while playing golf at age 84.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1947 Minor League Player of the Year, Syracuse Chiefs, International League
- 1947 MVP International League, Syracuse Chiefs
- 2-time NL All-Star (1950 & 1952)
- NL MVP (1952)
- NL Home Runs Leader (1952)
- NL RBI Leader (1952)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 7 (1948-1952, 1954 & 1957)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 6 (1948-1952 & 1954)
- 40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1954)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 3 (1950, 1952 & 1954)
| NL MVP | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1952 | 1953 |
| Roy Campanella | Hank Sauer | Roy Campanella |
