Kiki Cuyler
From BR Bullpen
Hazen Shirley Cuyler
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Weight 180 lb.
- Debut September 29, 1921
- Final Game September 14, 1938
- Born August 30, 1898 in Harrisville, MI USA
- Died February 11, 1950 in Ann Arbor, MI USA
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1968
[edit] Biographical Information
Kiki Cuyler broke into the big leagues in 1921 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a fixture in the lineup in 1924, when he hit .354. The next season, he hit .357 with 45 doubles, 26 triples, 18 homers, 102 RBIs, 144 runs scored, and 41 stolen bases and was second in Most Valuable Player voting as the Pirates won the National League pennant. In the World Series against the Washington Senators, he hit a game-winning home run in Game Two, and his 2-run double in the 8th inning of Game Seven defeated Walter Johnson and Washington 9 to 7, marking the only time in his career he would be part of a championship team.
Cuyler hit .321 in 1926 and led the NL with 113 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. However, the following year, he clashed with manager Donie Bush. Bush wanted Cuyler to bat second, but Cuyler was superstitious and refused, so he was benched. Despite hitting .309, he did not play in that year's World Series against the New York Yankees. Following the season, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Sparky Adams and Pete Scott.
Cuyler became part of a fearsome Cubs' right-handed quartet which included Hack Wilson, Rogers Hornsby and Riggs Stephenson. He hit .360 with a league-best 43 steals for the Cubs in 1929 as they reached the World Series. The next year, he hit .355 and led the league again with 37 stolen bases. He hit .291 in 1932 as the Cubs won another pennant and made the All-Star team in 1934. He later played with the Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Dodgers.
During his career, Cuyler established a reputation as an outstanding hitter with great speed. He batted .300 or higher ten times and finished with a .321 lifetime batting average. He also led the league in stolen bases four times and finished his career with 328 steals. Defensively, he was known for a good arm and his speed in the field.
After his playing career ended, Cuyler was a Cubs coach from 1941 to 1943 and a member of the Boston Red Sox staff in 1949. He died in 1950 at the young age of 51 and was buried in Harrisville, Michigan, his birthplace. Cuyler was inducted posthumously into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968.
His name "Kiki" (pronounced "kuy-kuy", rhymes with "eye") was a shortened form for his last name. He gained his nickname as a child. In Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract he (James) mentions that Cuyler was a stutterer.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL All-Star (1934)
- 2-time NL Runs Scored Leader (1925 & 1926)
- NL Doubles Leader (1934)
- NL Triples Leader (1925)
- 4-time NL Stolen Bases Leader (1926 & 1928-1930)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 3 (1925, 1929 & 1930)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 5 (1925, 1926 & 1929-1931)
- 200 Hits Seasons: 3 (1925, 1930 & 1931)
- Won a World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1968
[edit] Related Sites
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