The Baseball Phanatic

Personal Information*

Name: Don Richard Ashburn
Born: March 19, 1927, in Tilden, Nebraska
Died: September 9, 1997, in New York, New York
High School: Tilden High School, Tilden Nebraska
College: Norfolk Junior College (attended for 1 semester in 1944) 
Nicknames: Whitey, Put-Put, Richie, and the Tilden Flash 
Height: 5’10” Weight: 170 pounds 

Baseball Information**

Primary Position: Center fielder
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies (1948-1959) Chicago Cubs (1960-1961) New York Mets (1962)
First Game: April 20, 1948 
Last Game: September 30, 1962
Bats: Left    Throws: Right 
Uniform Number: 1 (Retired by the Phillies in 1979)

Baseball Stats (Career)**

WAR: 63.9 At Bats: 8365 Hits: 2574 

Home Runs: 29. Batting Average: .308 Runs: 1322

RBI: 586 Stolen Bases: .396 OPS: .778 OPS. +: 111

Awards and Accomplishments*

All Star Appearances: 5 (1948, 1951, 1953, 1958, and 1962)
Led National League in:

• Walks: 4 times (125 in 1954, 94 in 1957, 97 in 1958, and 116 in 1960)
• On Base Percentage: 4 times (.441 in 1954, .449 in 1955, .440 in 1958, and .415 in 1960)
• Singles: 4 times (181 in 1951, 169 in 1953, 152 in 1957, and 176 in 1958)
• Hits: 3 times (221 in 1951, 205 in 1953, and 215 in 1958) 
• Average: 2 times (.338 in 1955 and .350 in 1958)
• Triples: 2 times (14 in 1950 and 13 in 1958)
• At Bats: 1 time(662 in 1949) 
• Stolen Bases: 1 time (32 in 1948) 

Batting Titles: 2 (1955 and 1958)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1995

Biography*** 

Don Richard  “Richie” Ashburn was born on March 19, 1927, in Tilden, Nebraska. This Hall of Famer was primarily a centerfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. Richie was born to Neil and Genevieve “Tootie” Ashburn. He had a twin sister named Donna. His father worked as a blacksmith and also played semi-professional baseball. Taking after his father, with whom he was very close, he played baseball as a child. He also enjoyed playing basketball. He began his baseball career as an 8-year-old playing catcher. He speed was evident even as a young child. Though he was small, his speed propelled him to success in high school. Ashburn began playing American Legion Baseball. Though he was better suited to play other positions, Ashburn continued to catching as his father believed he was more likely to become a major league player if he was a catcher. It was during this time that scouts began to recognize Ashburn’s skills. 

Ashburn initially signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians as a 16-year-old, but the contract was not legal by MLB standards because Ashburn had yet to graduate from high school. He then signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs in 1944, however that contract was also found to be against MLB regulations. Richie Ashburn attended Norfolk Junior college in 1944. However, after one semester, Ashburn signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945. After he signed with the Phillies, he played for the Utica Blue Sox. It was with the Blue Sox that Ashburn finally changed positions to center field. During the 1945 season, Ashburn was drafted by the US Army. Once the season ended, he reported for duty as was in the army for all of 1946. Ashburn, once again, played for the Blue Sox in 1947 before joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 1948. Ashburn made the All-Star team in 1948 and was the only rookie to do so. 

In 1950 Ashburn, along with the rest of the Phillies “Whiz Kids” won the National League Pennant losing the World Series to the New York Yankees. Between 1951 and 1955, Ashburn excelled for the Phillies, winning a batting title in 1955. While Ashburn’s play diminished a bit from 1956 to 1957, he once again excelled in 1958, winning another batting title. Ashburn’s play dipped again in 1959 and it was following that season that he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. Ashburn finished his career playing two seasons with the cubs from 1960-1961 and one season with the Mets in 1962. He played well in his last three seasons. It was following the Mets tumultuous 1962 season that Ashburn decided to end his playing career. 

After retiring from baseball, Richie became a broadcaster for the Phillies. Ashburn was a beloved figure in Philadelphia. He was appreciated for his humor and wit as well as his love of baseball. He began broadcasting in 1963 alongside Bill Campbell and Byrum Saam. After Campbell was let go, Ashburn and Saam were joined by future Phillies broadcast legend Harry Kalas. Once Saam retired in 1976, Kalas and Ashburn continued to broadcast side by side until Ashburn’s death from a heart attack in 1997 following a Phillies-Mets game at Shea Stadium. Ashburn also occasionally wrote about baseball during his post-playing career. Ashburn was inducted into the Baseball hall of fame in 1995, two years prior to his death. Ashburn’s number (1) was retired by the Phillies in 1979. Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, named a section of concessions after the famed player and broadcaster, naming it Ashburn Alley. 

Sources 

* Baseball Almanac. Richie Ashburn Stats. Retrieved from http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=ashburi01.

** Baseball Reference. Richie Ashburn. Retrieved from https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/ashburi01.shtml.

*** Society for American Baseball Research. Richie Ashburn. Retrieved from https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/cda44a76.

Image: Circa 1953 Author Bowman Gum Retrieved from