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Ferrell, Rick

Richard Benjamin Ferrell
Born: October 12, 1905, Durham, North Carolina
Died: July 27, 1995, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bats: 
Right
Throws: 
Right
Played For: 
St. Louis Browns (1929-1933, 1941-1943), Boston Red Sox (1933-1937), Washington Senators (1937-1941, 1944-1945, 1947)
Elected to the Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee: 1984
Biography: 

A strong and durable receiver, Rick Ferrell retired having caught more games than any other American Leaguer (1,806), a record that lasted over 40 years. A defensive standout with a strong throwing arm, he had a knack for handling the knuckler, which was the out-pitch of four Senators starters. The North Carolina farm boy hit .281 lifetime and better than .300 four times during his 18-year career. Connie Mack's respect for him was so great that Ferrell caught all nine innings of the first All-Star game in 1933.

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Induction Speech

Did You Know: 
that Rick Ferrell teamed with his pitching brother, Wes, on the Red Sox and Senators from 1934-38?
Brother or no brother ... he was a real classy receiver. You never saw him lunge for the ball; he never took a strike away from you. He'd get more strikes for a pitcher than anybody I ever saw, because he made catching look easy.
Wes Ferrell