3B, 2B - Right-handed; Philadelphia Phillies 1928-1933 & 1937-1939; Boston Braves 1934-1936 An all-around athletic, the 5 ft, 10", 165-pounder, Arthur 'Pinky' Whitney was one the National League's top defensive infielders during the 1930s. A fans favorite in Philadelphia, he got his nickname from his brother, who though he resembled a bat-wielding cartoon character named Pinky Thompson. In his rookie season (1928), Pinky Whitney hit .301 with 103 RBIs. A great bunter and a line-drive, contact hitter, he averaged 103 RBIs thru his first five years and complied a five-year batting mark of .312 - and for his career struck out only 438 times in 5765 at bats - a fine strikeout ratio of only 36.5 times per/year. In 1929, Pinky Whitney led all National League third basemen in putouts, assists, total chances, double plays and chances per/game - batted .327, collected 200 hits, 115 RBIs. His 1930 season was more of the same - leading the league in all of the above defensive categories - and he also compiled his career-high batting marks - .342, 207 hits, 41 Ds, 5 Ts, 8 HR, scored 87 Runs with 117 RBIs... and struck out only 41 times in 606 at bats... with a .383 on-base-pct. When he sustained a sore back in 1933 and played only 31 games, he was traded to the Boston Braves, where he averaged .265 the next two years - before nagging injuries returned, causing him to miss most of the next season. Pinky Whitney was traded back to the Phillies in 1937 and proceeded to hit a robust .341. Plagued by injuries the next two years, he retired at the end of 1939. Even with his injuries between 1933 and 1937, he still managed to average 70 RBIs per/year, and led the NL in chances per/game twice and in assists, fielding pct and double plays once. Arthur 'Pinky' Whitney career: .295 BA, 1701 hits, 303 Ds, 56 Ts, 93 HR, 45 Stolen Bases, 696 Runs, 927 RBIs. Baseball History |