Ross Youngs

Royce Middlebrook Youngs
(Pep)
played as Ross Young

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 162 lb.
• High School San Antonio High School, Marshall Training School, West Texas Military Institute
• Debut September 25, 1917
• Final Game August 10, 1926
• Born April 10, 1897 in Shiner, TX USA
• Died October 22, 1927 in San Antonio, TX USA

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1972

BR page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Ross Youngs spent his whole ten-year career with the New York Giants. He hit .322 lifetime, and was a key part of the Giants teams that won the pennant each year from 1921-24. He was the youngest regular on the team in 1921. His on-base percentage was in the top ten in the league each year from 1918-24. He was in the top ten in the league in stolen bases five times. He hit under .300 only once in his big league career.

In early 1926, he was diagnosed with Bright's disease but still was a regular for the club that season. By the next year, he was bedridden, and Youngs died in October at age 30. Despite his short career, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Of all the players John McGraw managed and played alongside with, there were only two photos hanging in his office. One was Christy Mathewson, the other was Youngs.

Born in Shiner, Texas and educated at West Texas Military Institute, (as was Douglas MacArthur), Youngs made his major league debut in 1971 with the New York Giants (after only having played organized baseball for less than two years as his first sport was Football at WTMI) and played his first full season in 1918, placing 6th in the National League with a .302 batting average. Youngs batted .300 or higher in every season until 1925, and higher than .350 twice, scored 100 or more runs three times, and posted a career high 102 RBI in 1921 and 10 home runs in 1924. The Giants went to the World Series four consecutive years (1921-1924) and won twice (1921 and 1922).

He never drank during his life and had a funny ritual at the holidays of "skimming the foam from the egg nog so he could take part in the family toast".

He also never liked to have water during his workouts as he felt it slowed him down. Working out and playing football and eventually baseball in the heat of the West Texas plains and not being properly hydrated may have caused his kidney to later be more susceptible to the infection from dental work which would eventually find its way to his kidney and take his life.

While away in New York for his first major league season, his girlfriend at the time made acquaintance with one of his brothers. Upon returning home they announced their engagement and being himself; Ross wished them well.

Notable Achievements

• NL Runs Scored Leader (1923)
• NL Doubles Leader (1919)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1921)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 3 (1922-1924)
• 200 Hits Seasons: 2 (1920 & 1923)
• Won two World Series with the New York Giants (1921 & 1922)
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1972

Related Sites

• Ross Youngs at the SABR Bio Project