Did You Know?

by Mike Whiteman

November 15, 2022

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As you all have heard, our esteemed editor Paul Semendinger is holding an event with the great Yankee Roy White tomorrow to support the Roy White Foundation.

Roy White is really one of the underrated Yankees of all time, a model of consistency and quiet dignity. An essential part of the great 1976-78 teams. He "flies under the radar" when compared to other Yankee greats but a deeper look reveals a very distinguished career, one deserving of being honored in Monument Park.

Did you know...

That Roy White averaged 4.0 WAR per 162 games throughout his career? That is a higher WAR rate than Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill, and Dave Winfield. His 46.8 career WAR is eleventh all time among Yankee position players.

That while not known as a pure power hitter, White on occasion batted cleanup behind legends Mickey Mantle and Sadaharu Oh.?

Did you know... Mickey Mantle once said “People ask me: what happened to all the Yankee stars? I tell them that Roy White is as good a player as any of the old players we used to have.”

That in September/October of 1978, as the Yankees miraculously caught and passed Boston in the standings, White batted .337?

White's OPS+ of 121 is more than Hall of Famers (and near HOFers) Gil Hodges, Carlos Beltran, Pete Rose, and Andre Dawson?

Did you know... Roy White ranks among the Yankees top twenty all time in games played, runs scored, hits, total bases, and stolen bases? Only Roy White and HIdeki Matsui have played on World Series and Japan Series winners?

White was loaned to Los Angeles' AAA team in 1967, where he was a Pacific Coast League All-Star before returning to the Yankees for good? In high school at Compton, California, second baseman Roy White teamed with another future Major Leaguer, Reggie Smith, at shortstop to form a dynamic keystone combination? Did you know... Paul Semendinger and Roy White have collaborated on White's autobiography to be released in April 2023?

Watch for details here at SSTN about how you can purchase what promises to be a great book!