Frank McCormick

Frank Andrew McCormick (June 9, 1911 – November 21, 1982) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Buck" in honor of Frank Buck, he played for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves from 1934 to 1948. He batted and threw right-handed and was listed at and .

McCormick signed with the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in 1934 and played for their minor league affiliate in Beckley until September of that same year, when the Reds promoted him to the major leagues. After spending twelve seasons with the organization, McCormick was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he spent the next two seasons. In the middle of the 1947 season, he was released and subsequently joined the Boston Braves, where he played the 1948 World Series as his final appearance in a major league game. He is most famous for winning the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1940, the second of three consecutive years where a Red won the award. The Reds were only the second team to ever have a player on the roster win the award in three straight seasons (the first was the Philadelphia Athletics, who did so from 1931 to 1933) and the first to do so with three separate players, which has only been accomplished three times since.

Early life McCormick was born on June 9, 1911, in New York City. His father, Andrew McCormick, was a railroad worker. As a child, he played sandlot ball and participated in baseball at his high school and church's leagues, playing in the outfield. He made the decision to play professional baseball at seventeen and tried out for several major league teams. After he was rejected by the Philadelphia Athletics, Washington Senators and New York Giants, in 1934, he took a $50 loan from his uncle in order to go to the Cincinnati Reds' tryout held in Beckley, West Virginia. His stellar performance that year earned him a promotion to the major leagues. He played just 12 games with the Reds and though he batted .313 in 16 at-bats, he was demoted to the minor leagues, where he was consigned for the next two seasons. That year, he had 106 runs batted in (RBI), finished third in the National League in batting average (.327) In recognition of his brilliant performance in his first full year in the major leagues, McCormick was named the unofficial "Rookie of the Year" by the Associated Press. and finished first in fielding percentage at first base (.996). His impressive performance during the latter half of the season was recognized as being a key factor in the Reds' drive to win the pennant. The Reds advanced to the 1939 World Series, where they lost to the New York Yankees in a four-game sweep. In spite of his team's performance, he was still able to maintain a .400 batting average throughout the series. His contributions to the team that year led to him being accepted into the "Jungle Club" of Reds' infielders, who gave him the nickname "Wildcat". He was released after the season and retired at the age of 37.

Career summary In a 13-season career, McCormick posted a .299 batting average with 1,711 hits, 128 home runs and 951 runs batted in in 1,534 games played. Lima Phillies and Bradford Phillies, spending one season at each minor league baseball affiliate from to . After his coaching tenure finished, he continued his affiliation with the Reds as a scout, as well as a broadcaster, announcer and analyst on WLWT-TV from to , before moving back to his hometown and working as the director of ticket sales for the New York Yankees until his death.

Death McCormick died of cancer on November 21, 1982, in Manhasset, New York, at the age of 71. He was interred at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, New York.