Earle Combs
The leadoff hitter for the greatest offensive juggernaut in baseball history gets overshadowed by his Murderers' Row teammates, but Combs was the engine that made those Yankee lineups purr. His .325 career average and table-setting skills were crucial to New York's three consecutive pennants from 1926-28.
Combs perfected the art of getting on base for Ruth and Gehrig to drive home. Playing center field in Yankee Stadium's vast Death Valley, he covered enormous ground and rarely made mistakes. The Kentucky Colonel, as he was known, represented the prototype of the modern leadoff man — speed, patience, and consistent contact.
His 1927 season epitomizes his value: while Ruth was launching 60 home runs, Combs was quietly scoring 137 runs and collecting 231 hits. The Veterans Committee recognized his contributions in 1970, understanding that championship teams need more than sluggers.
Career · Batting
12 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | NYY | 24 | 35 | 0 | 2 | .400 | — | — |
| 1925 | NYY | 150 | 593 | 3 | 61 | .342 | — | — |
| 1926 | NYY | 145 | 606 | 8 | 55 | .299 | — | — |
| 1927 | NYY | 152 | 648 | 6 | 64 | .356 | — | — |
| 1928 | NYY | 149 | 626 | 7 | 56 | .310 | — | — |
| 1929 | NYY | 142 | 586 | 3 | 65 | .345 | — | — |
| 1930 | NYY | 137 | 532 | 7 | 82 | .344 | — | — |
| 1931 | NYY | 138 | 563 | 5 | 58 | .318 | — | — |
| 1932 | NYY | 144 | 591 | 9 | 65 | .321 | — | — |
| 1933 | NYY | 122 | 417 | 5 | 64 | .300 | — | — |
| 1934 | NYY | 63 | 251 | 2 | 25 | .319 | — | — |
| 1935 | NYY | 89 | 298 | 3 | 35 | .282 | — | — |
| Career | 1455 | 5746 | 58 | 632 | .325 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.