Ival Goodman

Ival Richard Goodman
(Goodie or Ol' Mate)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lb.
• High School Poteau High School
• Debut April 16, 1935
• Final Game August 23, 1944
• Born July 23, 1908 in Northview, MO USA
• Died November 25, 1984 in Cincinnati, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Ival Goodman played ten seasons in the National League, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds, with whom he appeared in the 1939 and 1940 World Series. He was a two-time All Star who excelled in hitting triples and in being hit by the pitch.

A right fielder for most of his career, he was an above-average hitter in his early years. In 1938 he hit 30 home runs and in 1939 he hit .323. He had a big drop-off from 1940 to 1942, but recovered in 1943 with the Chicago Cubs to hit .320.

Ernie Lombardi's obituary [1] refers to the most famous play of Goodman's career, "Ernie's Snooze". Although the obituary does not name Goodman, he was the right fielder on the play, and was charged with an error for fumbling the ball.

Notable Achievements

• 2-time NL All-Star (1938 & 1939)
• 2-time NL Triples Leader (1935 & 1936)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1938)
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1938)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 1 (1938)
• Won a World Series with the Cincinnati Reds in 1940

Related Sites

• Ival Goodman at the SABR Bio Project