| Phil Weintraub | |
|---|---|
| First baseman/Outfielder | |
| Born: October 12, 1907 Chicago, Illinois |
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| Died: June 21, 1987 (aged 79) Palm Springs, California |
|
| Batted: Left | Threw: Left |
| MLB debut | |
| September 5, 1933 for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 5, 1945 for the New York Giants | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .295 |
| Home runs | 32 |
| Runs batted in | 207 |
| Teams | |
Philip Weintraub, often confused with Mickey Weintraub (October 12, 1907 – June 21, 1987) was an American baseball player who had, as of February 2010, the second most runs batted in (RBIs) in a single game (11).
He was primarily a reserve outfielder, though he was platooned at first base in the last few years of his career. He batted .295 for his career, with a .398 on base percentage. Through 2008, he has the 4th-best career batting average of all Jewish major league baseball players, behind Hank Greenberg, Buddy Myer, and Lou Boudreau.[1] Blessed with an excellent eye and bat control, he walked 232 times in his career while striking out only 182 times.
Weintraub was born in Chicago, Illinois, and first played for Loyola University of Chicago.
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Weintraub was a heavy hitter in the minors, hitting 194 minor league home runs.
In 1934, he was helped to the first .400 season in Southern Association history by Nashville Vols manager Chuck Dressen's ability to tip him off to pitches.
In 1939 with the Minneapolis Millers in the American Association he hit .331 with 33 home runs and 126 RBIs. He followed in 1940 by hitting .347 with 27 home runs and 109 RBIs.[2]
His professional debut was on September 5, 1933, for the New York Giants.
In 1934 he batted .351, with a .461 on base percentage, in 31 games.
In December 1935 he was traded by the Giants with Roy Parmelee and cash to the St. Louis Cardinals for Burgess Whitehead.
In August 1936 he was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the Cardinals.
In July 1937 he was purchased by the New York Giants from the Reds. In November 1937 he was purchased by Baltimore (International) from the Giants.
In June 1938 he was traded by Baltimore to the Philadelphia Phillies for Gene Corbett. In 1938 he was 3rd in the National League in on base percentage (.422), 9th in batting average (.311), and 10th in walks (64). In December 1938 he was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Phillies.
He did not play major league baseball from 1939–43.
In November 1943 he was drafted by the New York Giants from the St. Louis Browns in the Rule 5 draft.
In 1944, Weintraub returned to the majors with the Giants as a war-time player after a 6-year absence. He was 5th in the NL in OBP (.412), slugging percentage (.524) and at bats per home run (27.8), 6th in triples (9), 8th in batting average (.316), and 9th in home runs (13). On April 30, 1944, Weintraub had 11 RBIs, one short of the major league record, as the Giants defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers, 26–8. He had two doubles, a triple, and a home run. Amazingly, he missed the cycle because he didn't get a single.
Weintraub played his last game on August 5, 1945.
Through 2010, he was fifth all-time in batting average (behind Hank Greenberg, Ryan Braun, Buddy Myer, and Lou Boudreau) among Jewish major league baseball players.[3]