In 1951, Irvin helped the Giants rally to tie the Brooklyn Dodgers in the season's final month, hitting .312 with 24 homers and 121 RBIs in 151 games and finishing third in the National League Most Valuable Player voting. In the three-game NL playoff series against the Dodgers, Irvin had a hit in each game, including a home run in Game 1. Then, in the World Series against the New York Yankees, Irvin hit .458 (11-for-24) with three runs scored and two RBI in the Giants' six-game series loss.
“I always respected Monte Irvin as much as any player I played with,” said Giants teammate Bobby Thomson, whose Game 3 home run propelled the Giants to a win in the 1951 NL Playoff. “He would show up and do the job every day; one of the strong guys on the ball club.”
Irvin was limited to just 46 games in 1952 due to a broken ankle but was still named to the All-Star team. In 1953, he hit .329 with 21 homers and 97 RBIs, and the next season Irvin had 19 homers and 64 RBIs while helping the Giants to another pennant. Irvin was 2-for-9 with two RBIs in the Giants' four-game World Series sweep of the Cleveland Indians.
Irvin retired after the 1956 season but remained in baseball and later worked in the Commissioner's office. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 by the Committee on Negro Baseball Leagues.
Irvin passed away on Jan. 11, 2016.
Craig Muder is the director of communications at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum