Buddy Myer
A slick-fielding second baseman who won the 1935 American League batting title and was the heart of the Washington Senators' lineup for over a decade.
1904–1974 (age 70)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 16·The Greatest Generation
Biography
In an era of power hitters, Buddy Myer made his mark with a sharp eye, a quick bat, and even quicker feet. The left-handed hitter spent nearly his entire career with the Washington Senators, becoming a fixture at Griffith Stadium and a consistent thorn in the side of American League pitchers. Myer wasn't a slugger; he was a craftsman. He won the 1935 batting crown with a .349 average, beating out the likes of Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx, and he batted over .300 nine times. His defining skill was plate discipline—he walked more than twice as often as he struck out, a rarity then and now. Paired with his speed (he led the AL in steals in 1928) and reliable glove at second base, Myer was the complete package of a leadoff man. He was the steady engine for Senators teams that often contended, playing with a quiet efficiency that made him one of the most underrated stars of his generation.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Buddy was born in 1904, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Buddy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1904
Buddy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1904Born
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Started school
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1917Became a teenager
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Could drive
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1922Could vote
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1925Turned 21
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1934Turned 30
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1944Turned 40
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 50
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 60
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 70
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
Key Achievements
- Won the American League batting championship in 1935 with a .349 average.
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 1935 and 1937.
- Led the American League in stolen bases in 1928 with 30.
- Retired with a career batting average of .303 and an on-base percentage of .389.
Did You Know?
He was originally a shortstop but found his permanent home at second base after being traded to Washington.
He walked 1,174 times in his career while striking out only 551 times.
During his batting title year in 1935, he collected 215 hits, the highest single-season total of his career.
“A walk is as good as a hit if it gets the run home.”
