A Look at the Career of Ralph Kiner: The Forgotten Home Run King

Ask any baseball fan to name the greatest home run hitters of all-time and the answer will include any or all of the following - Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds. Rarely will you hear someone mention the name Ralph Kiner. It most likely has to do with the fact that Ralph Kiner only hit 369 home runs. But he hit those in only 10 seasons. Ralph who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1946-53), Chicago Cubs (1953-54) and the Cleveland Indians (1955) was forced to retire prematurely due to chronic back problem. Though it is tough to predict whether he would have kept up the pace, if Ralph Kiner played 20 years he would have hit 738 home runs. Ralph Kiner was one of the most feared hitters in his 10 year career.

Here are some other facts you may not know about Ralph Kiner

Ralph Kiner led the league in home runs each of his first seven seasons, the only player ever to do so. He is also the only player in National League history to lead the league in home runs for 7 consecutive seasons.

He averaged 37 home runs a season and twice hit over 50 home runs (51 in 1947 and 54 in 1949). Ralph also averaged over 100 RBI's in season over his 10 year career.

Ralph Kiner averaged a home run every 14.11 at bats which is 5^th all-time behind Mark McGwire (10.61), Babe Ruth (11.76), Barry Bonds (12.95) and Jim Thome (13.60) according to www.baseball-reference.com.

Ralph Kiner hit 301 home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates and ranks 2^nd all-time in team history and his 54 home runs in 1949 is still the Pirates record for most home runs in a season.

Ralph also holds the following Pittsburgh Pirates records:

Most Grand Slams in a season - 4 in 1949

Most Home Runs in a week with 8 from Sept 7 -13 1947

Most games with 2 or more home runs - 10 which is also the National League record

Most Home Runs in a month 16 in September 1949

Tied with Willie Stargell for most games with 3 or more home runs in one season - 2 in 1947 which is also the tied for the major league record.#. Overall Ralph Kiner hit 3 home runs in a game 4 times with Pirates.

Highest slugging percentage in a season with .658 in 1949

Most home runs in two consecutive games with 5, which also ties the Major League Record.