Bobby Richardson

Robert Clinton Richardson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 170 lb.
• High School Edmunds High School (Sumter)
• Debut August 5, 1955
• Final Game October 2, 1966
• Born August 19, 1935 in Sumter, SC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Second baseman Bobby Richardson played 12 seasons for the New York Yankees and was in 7 World Series, hitting .305 in Series play. He was the 1960 World Series MVP in spite of playing for the losing side (the Yankees lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games that year). He had the only 6-RBI World Series game in the 20th Century; Hideki Matsui became the second ever 49 years after Richardson and Albert Pujols was the third 51 years later. He is still the only player to be named World Series MVP while playing for the losing side, and his 12 RBIs in that series remain the all-time record.

An overall ordinary hitter with a fairly weak OBP in spite of being typically used as the Yankees' lead-off hitter, the slick-fielding Richarson was named to All-Star teams in seven seasons and came close to being regular-season MVP in 1962, when he finished second behind teammate Mickey Mantle. On a team full of sluggers, he was a singles hitter, leading the American League in the category three times and getting over 200 hits in 1962. But he never scored 100 runs, although he came close with 99 in 1962. The problem was that he did not draw any walks, with a career high of 37, accomplished twice, and wasn't much of a base-stealer either. He also contributed on the other side of the ball as a five-time Gold Glover.

He retired from baseball at the young age of 30, having won everything there was to win and wanting to do other things with his life. He was already a father of four at the time (he later had another child) and wanted to spend more time with his young family. He was also a deeply religious man and a tee-totaler, and while he was never ordained, he was often asked to deliver the eulogies at the funerals of former teammates. He kept in touch after retirement, participating in almost every Yankees Old-Timers Game until he was in his 80's.

Richardson replaced Al Worthington as head coach at Liberty University in 1987 and stayed through 1990. Prior to Liberty, Richardson was the head coach at the University of South Carolina (1970-1976) and University of South Carolina Coastal Carolina College (1985-1986). Richardson also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1974 as a Republican.

His grand-nephew J.T. Wise has played in the minors.

Notable Achievements

• 7-time AL All-Star (1957, 1959 & 1962-1966)
• 1960 World Series MVP
• 5-time AL Gold Glove Winner (1961-1965)
• 3-time AL At Bats Leader (1962-1964)
• AL Hits Leader (1962)
• 3-time AL Singles Leader (1961, 1962 & 1964)
• 200 Hits Seasons: 1 (1962)
• Won three World Series with the New York Yankees (1958, 1961 & 1962)

Records Held

• Most at bats, extra inning game, 11, 6/24/62 (tied)

Further Reading

• Bill Ladson: "A World Series MVP from the losing team?", mlb.com, October 24, 2021. [1]

Related Sites

• Bobby Richardson at the SABR Bio Project