Rip Repulski

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Topps baseball card - 1955 Series, #055

Eldon John (Rip) Repulski (October 4, 1927 - February 10, 1993) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. From 1953 through 1961, he played with the St. Louis Cardinals (1953-56), Philadelphia Phillies (1957-58), Los Angeles Dodgers (1959-60) and Boston Red Sox (1960-61). Repulski batted and threw right handed. He was born in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.

In a nine-season career, Repulski posted a .269 batting average with 106 home runs and 416 RBI in 928 games played.

A fine defensive player in any of the outfied positions, Repulski became the regular center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals in his 1953 rookie season. He appeared in a career-high 153 games and finished third in National League Rookie of the Year vote behind Jim Gilliam and Harvey Haddix.

Repulski enjoyed his most productive season in 1954, when he hit 19 home runs and posted career-numbers in average (.283), runs (99), RBI (79) and doubles (39). From June 13-25 he had a string of ten straight games in which he collected two or more hits, going 22-for-44 (.500), half for extra bases. After that, he hit in six more consecutive games before going hitless.

In 1955 Repulski hit a career-high 23 home runs, and in 1956 he earned an All-Star berth. At the end of the season, he was sent to the Philadelphia Phillies in the same trade that brought Del Ennis to St. Louis.

Repulski hit 20 home runs for the Phillies in 1957. A year later, he was shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with two other players in exchange for second baseman Sparky Anderson. He appeared in the 1959 World Series with the Dodgers.

Traded by Los Angeles to the Boston Red Sox in the 1960 midseason, Repulski hit a grand slam at Fenway Park on his first American League at bat. He played his last majors season with the Red Sox in 1961.

Rip Repulski died in Waite Park, Minnesota, at age of 65.