Quick Facts
Biography
Philip "Mickey" Weintraub (October 12, 1907 – June 21, 1987), often confused with businessman Mickey Weintraub, was an American baseball player who had, as of 2014, the second most runs batted in (RBIs) in a single game (11).
Weintraub was primarily a reserve outfielder, though he was platooned at first base in the last few years of his career. He posted a .295 career batting average, including a .398 on-base percentage.
Through 2008, he had the fourth-best career batting average of all Jewish major league baseball players, being surpassed only by Hank Greenberg, Buddy Myer, and Lou Boudreau. Blessed with an excellent eye and bat control, he walked 232 times in his career while striking out only 182 times for a 1.27 BB/K ratio.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Weintraub first played for the Loyola University of Chicago baseball team.
Minor leagues
Weintraub was a heavy hitter in the minors, hitting 194 career home runs.
In 1934, he was helped to the first .400 batting average 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.
Major league career
New York Giants (1933–35)
His professional debut was on September 5, 1933, for the New York Giants.
In 1934, he batted .351 and a .461 on-base percentage in 31 games.
St. Louis Cardinals
In December 1935 he was traded by the Giants with Roy Parmelee and cash to the St. Louis Cardinals for Burgess Whitehead.
Cincinnati Reds (1937)
In August 1936 he was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the Cardinals.
New York Giants (1937)
In July 1937 he was purchased by the New York Giants from the Reds. Late in November he was sold by the Giants to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League.
Philadelphia Phillies (1938)
In June 1938 he was traded by Baltimore to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Gene Corbett. In that season he finished 3rd in the National League in on-base percentage (.422), 9th in batting average (.311), and 10th in walks (64). Late in December 1938 he was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Phillies.
He did not play major league baseball from 1939 through 1943.
New York Giants (1944–45)
In November 1943 he was obtained 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 six-year absence. He ended 5th in the National League 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, 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.
Miscellaneous
- He had the last hit in Philadelphia's Baker Bowl.
- Weintraub and Harry Danning were once refused entry to a Florida hotel that had a "no Jews" policy, but they were allowed to stay when Giants manager Bill Terry said he would take the whole team to another hotel.
- Called "baseball's best-dressed pinch hitter" by journalist Fred Lieb, Weintraub reportedly owned 100 suits.
- Later became a manager.
- His daughter, Bridget, appeared on a 1975 episode of Hollywood Squares. The show was hosted by Peter Marshall, the father of Pete LaCock, who played for the Chicago Cubs.
- Weintraub died on June 21, 1987, in Palm Springs, California. He was buried at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
- JewishPress.com at the Wayback Machine (archived October 25, 2006)
- Philip "Mickey" Weintraub at Find a Grave