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ALSO SEE
Remembering Eddie Mathews
Quotable Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews' career statistics
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Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Mathews was one of MLB's best third basemen
Eddie Mathews was born on October, 13 1931 in Texarkana, TX.
|  | | Eddie Mathews hit 512 career home runs. |
Mathews signed with the Boston Braves in 1949 on the night of his high school graduation.
He is the only player in Braves franchise history to have played in the team's three sites: Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta.
Mathews played 15 of his 17 seasons with the Braves. His first season was the team's last in Boston and he played in the team's first year in Atlanta.
He hit 512 career home runs. He was the seventh player to reach 500 career homers. (Sixteen players have hit 500 homers.)
On July 12, 1953, Mathews hit the first grand slam in the history of the Milwaukee franchise.
In 1953, his 47 homers for the Braves established a single-season record for third basemen. (Mike Schmidt would eclipse this record with 48 home runs in 1980.)
He had four seasons with over 40, including leading the NL in 1953 (47) and 1959 (46). Mathews hit at least 30 homers in nine straight years from 1953-1961.
He and Hank Aaron's combined 863 home runs are the most ever for two teammates. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, their total ranks ahead of Ruth-Gehrig (859) and Mays-McCovey (801).
Mathews' 486 homers as a third baseman were a record until passed by Mike Schmidt.
Mathews usually batted third ahead of Aaron to take advantage of his ability to draw walks.
He had 1,444 walks, leading the NL four times.
In Game 4 of the 1957 World Series, Mathews hit a game-winning homer in the 10th inning off Bob Grim. The Braves would go on to beat the Yankees in seven games.
Mathews was a seven-time All-Star (1953, 55, 57, 59-62).
In 1967, the Braves retired his number 41.
Mathews was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1978. He was named on 79 percent of the ballots.
He managed the Atlanta Braves for 2 1/2 years from 1972-1974.
With Mathews at the helm, Hank Aaron (40), Darrel Evans (41) and Davey Johnson (43) all hit at least 40 homers for the 1973 Atlanta Braves. They were the first team to have three players hit 40 home runs in a season.
Mathews managed the Braves when Hank Aaron, his former teammate, hit his 715th home run.
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Mathews' managerial record
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| Year
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TM/L
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G
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W
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L
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PCT
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STD
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| 1972
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Atl-N
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50
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23
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27
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.460
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4
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| 1973
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Atl-N
|
162
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76
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85
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.472
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5
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| 1974
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Atl-N
|
99
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50
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49
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.505
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3
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| Totals
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Atl-N
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311
|
149
|
161
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.481
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