As the advent of the 2011 Major League baseball season begins, it is a reminder of the players who have taken the field in the past. Many have contributed their talents to this great game. Here are three notable players who passed away in 2010.
Willie Davis
With a .279 lifetime batting average, 2561 hits, and 398 steals, Willie Davis was a standout at center field. Playing most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, this three time Gold Glove winner’s career was highlighted in 1969 with 31 game hitting streak where he was 54-for-124 bolstering his batting average during the streak to .435. Also known by his teammates as “Three-Dog”, this speed demon of an athlete comes in at #25 in The Top 50 Center Fielders of All-Time.
Bob Feller
Part of the 1948 World Championship Cleveland Indians, this Hall of Fame hurler, pitched 3 No-Hitters during his career and had a lifetime ERA of 3.25 . Interrupted by his enlistment in the Navy in World War II, Bob Feller maintained his dominance on the mound leading the American League in wins from 1939 to 1947 and then again in 1951. His 1940 American League Triple Crown Title cemented him as a formidable pitcher as he led first in strikeouts from 1939 to 1941 and from 1946 to 1948. In 1962, the 7 All-Star was inducted by the Baseball Writers of America in 1962.
Robin Roberts
From his debut in 1948 with the Philadelphia Phillies, Robin Roberts was the ace of the pitching staff with 286 career wins. With a lifetime ERA of 3.41, Roberts won 15 or more games in 10 seasons including winning a record tying 28 games in 1952. A National League All-Star from 1950 to 1956, Roberts made 12 Opening Day appearances on the mound for the Phillies. In 1976, on his fourth nomination, Robin Roberts was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.