Julián Javier

Manuel Julian Javier Liranzo

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut May 28, 1960
• Final Game September 30, 1972
• Born August 9, 1936 in San Francisco de Macoris, Duarte, D.R.

BR page

Biographical Information

Julián Javier played 13 years in the major leagues, almost entirely with the St. Louis Cardinals except for his last season with the Cincinnati Reds. However, he was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, before being traded to the Cards early in the 1960 season, just before he made his big league debut. He was the Cardinals' second baseman from the time he joined the team until 1971, with excellent range in the first part of his career.

A two-time All-Star, he appeared in three World Series with the Cardinals, in 1964, 1967 and 1968, and finished out his major league career playing in the 1972 World Series with the Reds.

As a hitter, his .257 batting average was modest, but achieved largely during the second dead-ball era when averages tended to be low. He had somewhat more home run power than might have been expected, hitting in double figures three times in this career. In 1964 and 1967, his home run total was tied for 3rd best on the team, while in 1969 his 12 home runs were tied for second best.

In the early years, Javier had a different double-play partner each year, but from 1963 to 965, he was partnered with veteran Dick Groat and after that with Dal Maxvill.

He was one of the earliest prominent players to come from the Dominican Republic, along with Felipe Alou and Juan Marichal. His son Stan Javier, although an outfielder, had similar averages. Julián hit .257 lifetime, while Stan (in a higher-hitting era) hit .269. Julián had a .355 lifetime slugging percentage, while Stan's was .363.

He managed the Dominican national team in the 1971 Amateur World Series; he had previously won a Gold Medal with them in the 1955 Pan American Games (going 1 for 5 as a bench player).

His first baseball card appearance was in the 1960 Topps set, in a Pirates uniform and under the name "Manuel Javier".

Notable Achievements

• 1960 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
• 2-time NL All-Star (1963 & 1968)
• Won two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals (1964 & 1967)

Related Sites

• Julian Javier at the SABR Bio Project