Sam Rice

Right Fielder

Class of 1963

Sam Rice

Right Fielder

Class of 1963
Sam Rice started in the big leagues as a pitcher and developed into a great hitter, finishing with a .322 lifetime average.

Games

Birth year

About Sam Rice

Sam Rice didn’t enter the majors until he was 25 years old. He started in the big leagues as a pitcher and developed into a great hitter, with a .322 lifetime average, 2,987 total hits and six seasons with more than 200 hits.

After making a total of nine appearances as a pitcher in 1915-16, Rice switched to the outfield and batted .302 in his first full season in 1917. He hit better than .300 in 13 full seasons during his 20-year career.

Rice was a part of the only three Washington Senators teams that ever won pennants and he holds the franchise records for hits, doubles, triples and runs scored.

In 1920, Rice had 454 putouts, good for the American League record at the time. He all American League outfielders in putouts twice and in assists once, and was among the league leaders in each category numerous times. He also topped the circuit in 1920 with 63 stolen bases and was ranked among the Top 5 in that category for eight consecutive seasons.

Rice led the AL in hits in 1924, helping the Senators to their first pennant. They beat the New York Giants to become World Series champions. The following season, Washington once again won the pennant, but lost the Fall Classic in seven games. In that World Series against the Pirates, Rice had a .364 average, 12 hits, five runs and three RBI. He had career highs in 1925 in batting average (.350) and hits (227), while scoring 111 runs and totaling 87 RBI. His 182 singles stood as the AL record until 1980.

Nearing the end of his career in 1934, Rice signed with Cleveland and played one season with the Indians in 1934. In total, he played 543 games after turning 40, hitting .321. He retired just 13 hits shy of the 3,000-mark – the closest any player has come to the 3,000-hit mark without reaching it.

Rice was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1963. He passed away on Oct. 13, 1974.

The Basics

Year inducted
1963
Birth Place
Morocco, Indiana
Birth Year
1890
Died
1974, Rossmor Maryland

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
Washington Senators
Primary Position
Right Fielder
Played For
Washington Senators, 1915-1933
Cleveland Indians, 1934

Career MLB Stats

Games
2,404
At bats
9,269
Hits
2,987
Walks
708
Runs
1,514
Doubles
498
Triples
184
Home Runs
34
RBI
1,077
Stolen Bases
351
Batting Average
.322
Ops
.801
On Base %
.374
Slugging %
.427

Sam Rice Stories

Explore the archives and go deep into the lives, careers, and stories of the Hall of Fame's honorees.

Clarkson, Flick, Rice, Rixey elected to Hall of Fame