Riggs Stephenson Jackson Riggs Stephenson Bats Right Throws Right Height 5'10 Weight 185 Born January 5, 1898 Akron, AL Died November 15, 1985 Tuscaloosa, AL

Batting  

 Year Ag Tm     G   AB    H  2B  3B  HR    R  RBI   BB    K HBP  IW  SB  CS    BA  lgBA   SLG lgSLG   TB 
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 1928 30 MIS       548  180  42  10   2   86  128                     5      .328  .278  .453  .376  248 
 1929 31 MIS       464  155  17   7  15   70   63                    16      .334  .265  .498  .391  231 
 1930 32 MIS       389  120  27   1   9   52   58                     8      .308  .280  .452  .430  176 
 1931 33 MIS   68   56   11   6   0   1    8    8                     2   1  .196  .263  .357  .388   20 
 1932 34 HAT   20   65   11   3   0   1    8    4                     2   2  .169  .244  .262  .366   17 
 1932 34 FRE  132  497  138  23   2  11   59   47                    12   9  .278  .244  .398  .366  198 
 1932 34 TOT  152  562  149  26   2  12   67   51                    14  11  .265  .244  .383  .366  215 
 1933 35 FRE  153  606  193  37   2   7   79  101   56   46  13   0   8   5  .318  .286  .421  .411  255 
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
  6 Seasons   373 2625  808 155  22  46  362  409   56   46  13   0  53  17  .308  .265  .436  .388 1145
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 154 Gm  Avg  154  505  146  28   2   8   64   66   56   46  13   0  10   7  .308  ----  .436  ----  202
 Career High  153  606  193  42  10  15   86  128   56   46  13   0  16  11  .334  ----  .498  ----  255
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 5 Yrs.  HAT   88 1522  477  95  18  28  224  261                    33   3  .313  .271  .455  .394  692 
 2 Yrs.  FRE  285 1103  331  60   4  18  138  148   56   46  13   0  20  14  .300  .267  .411  .390  453 
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 Year Ag Tm     G   AB    H  2B  3B  HR    R  RBI   BB    K HBP  IW  SB  CS    BA  lgBA   SLG lgSLG   TB 

Shaded Text indicates partial season results.

Postseason Batting

 Year Tm  Opp WLser  G   AB    H  2B  3B  HR    R  RBI   BB    K HBP  IW  SB  CS    BA   SLG   TB 
+------------------+--+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+
 1928 MIS SAH   W    6   24    7   3   0   0    5    5    1    1   0   0   0   1  .292  .417   10
 1932 FRE MON   W    7   28    7   0   0   2    4    5    1    7   0   0   0   0  .250  .464   13 
+------------------+--+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+
               2-0  13   52   14   3   0   2    9   10    2    8   0   0   0   1  .269  .442   23
+------------------+--+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+

WLser shows whether the player's team Won or Lost the series.

Appearances on Leaderboards and Awards  

Awards are Year-League-Award, Stats are Year-Value-Rank

All-Star 1929

Bat Average 1928-.328-7 1929-.334-2

RBI 1928-128-1 1933-101-10

Hits 1928-180-8

Triples 1928-10-1 1929-7-10

Stolen Bases 1933-8-5

Transactions January 1, 1928: Drafted 10th round (76th overall) by Mississippi. April 26, 1932: Traded by Hattiesburg to Fremont for Frank Demaree.

Biography Born Jackson Riggs Stephenson in Akron, Alabama, he became part of one of the most powerful outfields in National League history. However, if not for a shoulder injury, Stephenson may have never played professional baseball. Stephenson, while enrolled at the University of Alabama in the early 1920's, injured his shoulder while earning a varsity letter in both football and baseball. At this point, Stephenson concentrated full-time on baseball, and made the Cleveland Indians roster right out of college in 1921. Initially positioned at second base, Riggs had difficulty making the pivot throw due to his injured shoulder. However, his hitting was not impaired and Riggs batted .330, .339 and .319 during his stopover in Cleveland. Stephenson earned the nickname "Old Hoss" in reference to his batting prowess. In 1925, Cleveland manager Tris Speaker optioned him to Kansas City of the American Association to learn to play outfield. Riggs responded by hitting .325 and gunning down 14 runners. That winter, however, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. By 1927, the groundwork was laid for what would be one of the most productive outfields ever. Along with Hall of Famers Kiki Cuyler and Hack Wilson, the Cubs dominated the National League in the late 1920's and early 1930's. In 1928, the three combined for 289 RBI and 57 home runs. 1929 was even better for Stephenson and the Cubs. Riggs batted .362, drove in 110 runs, and hit 17 homers. Along with mates Cuyler and Wilson, it marked the first time in National League history that an outfield had all three members drive in 100 runs. The Cubs also set a league record by scoring 982 runs, and breezed to the NL flag before losing to the Philadelphia A's in the World Series. Stephenson broke an ankle in 1931 that reduced his playing time to a mere 80 games and the Cubs finished in third place. At full strength in 1932, the Cubs won the National League pennant and Stephenson paced the squad with a .324 average. Unfortunately, Babe Ruth and the Yankees swept the Cubs in the Series. 1933 marked the last full season for Stephenson in major league baseball, where he hit .329 in only 97 games. By 1934, Riggs was used mostly as a pinch hitter, and hit a mere .214, only the second time in his career that he hit below .300. Stephenson filled out his playing career as with Indianapolis in 1935 (.355) and acted as player-manager with Birmingham in 1936 (.343). After the season Riggs retired as a player but managed Birmingham for two more seasons before managing in Helena (1938) and Montgomery (1939). In 1971, Stephenson was inducted into the University of Alabama Hall of Fame. Dr. George Denny said of Riggs that "He is the embodiment of cleanliness, manliness, and courage." Riggs Stephenson died at his home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on November 15, 1985.