Clarkson, Flick, Rice, Rixey elected to Hall of Fame
Fellow right fielder Sam Rice played 20 seasons for the Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians. He retired in 1934 at age 44. He finished his career with 2,987 hits – the most hits of anyone who did not reach the 3,000-hit plateau – and led the league in hits twice, recording over 200 in five seasons. He hit over .300 in 13 seasons and stole a league-leading 63 bases in 1920. Rice won a World Series with the Senators in 1924, contributing six hits in the Series.
Clarkson, who retired atop the National League’s career wins list, won 328 games for the Worchester Ruby Legs, Chicago White Stockings, Boston Beaneaters and Cleveland Spiders in 12 seasons between 1882 and 1894. He had a career 2.81 ERA and led the league in innings pitched four times, including twice when he threw 620-plus innings. He also led the league in strikeouts three times. He won the equivalent of the Triple Crown in 1889 – leading the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA – and won 30-plus games in six seasons.
Although the award is listed as being given out in 1962, it was actually presented at the following year’s ceremony – a practice that remained in effect for the BBWAA Career Excellence Award until 2007.
Samantha Burkett is a freelance writer from Fairport, N.Y.