Rick Ferrell

Catcher

Class of 1984

Rick Ferrell

Catcher

Class of 1984
Rick Ferrell was a strong-armed and durable catcher who could also handle the bat.

Games

Birth year

About Rick Ferrell

A strong-armed and durable catcher who could also handle the bat, Rick Ferrell spent nearly two decades working with pitching staffs throughout the Junior Circuit.

An eight-time All-Star, Ferrell played for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators between 1929 and 1947. He retired with the American League record for most games caught, at 1,806, until fellow Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk passed him in 1988.

And in the 1940s, Ferrell may have drawn the toughest assignment in the history of catching when he handled a quartet of unique hurlers.

“When I was catching for the Washington Senators, every game was an adventure because our four best pitchers (in 1944 and ’45) were knuckleballers,” said Ferrell, referring to the two seasons in which he led the league in passed balls. “When they released the ball, they didn’t know where it was going and neither did I. But I struggled through two seasons with Roger Wolff, Dutch Leonard, Mickey Haefner and Johnny Niggeling.

“The mental heat catching those things with a big run on third base was worse than physically strapping on the harness for a hot summer doubleheader in St. Louis,” Ferrell said. “I guess having to handle those four flutter pitchers at one time was just the law of averages catching up with me. I’d been spoiled at Boston, handling two of the easiest pitchers I ever caught, Lefty Grove and my brother, Wes.”

Ferrell’s brother, Wes, won 193 games over 15 major league seasons, the two spending time as teammates with the Red Sox and Senators. Rick and Wes Ferrell are two of six brothers from rural Greensboro, N.C. – and two of four to play professional baseball.

“I had five brothers and I was the only one with a mitt,” Ferrell said. “Anyway, they all thought they were pitchers, especially Wes, who wouldn’t put a mitt on. If he couldn’t pitch, he wouldn’t play. I was stuck with the catcher’s mitt, and I’m glad I was.”

And though Ferrell lacked power, smacking only 28 home runs during his career compared to Wes’ 38, he did hit .281 over his 18 major league seasons while topping the .300 mark four times.

“It’s been a nice living but a little hard on the ears,” Ferrell said late in his playing career. “I guess I’ve had to listen to more profanity than any other man in baseball, not that I minded, particularly. When you’ve got the hitters cussin’, your club’s in good shape. They don’t say anything when they’re hitting.”

Ferrell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984. He passed away on July 27, 1995.

The Basics

Year inducted
1984
Birth Place
Durham, North Carolina
Birth Year
1905
Died
1995, Bloomfield Hills Michigan

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
Boston Red Sox
Primary Position
Catcher
Played For
St. Louis Browns, 1929-1933
Boston Red Sox, 1933-1937
Washington Senators, 1937-1941
St. Louis Browns, 1941-1943
Washington Senators, 1944-1945
Washington Senators, 1947

Career MLB Stats

Games
1,884
At bats
6,028
Hits
1,692
Walks
931
Runs
687
Doubles
324
Triples
45
Home Runs
28
RBI
734
Stolen Bases
29
Batting Average
.281
Ops
.741
On Base %
.378
Slugging %
.363