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Wrigley Field, 1931
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Vada Pinson Photo Gallery
Let’s Remember Vada Pinson!
“Vada Pinson was a rare talent like Mickey Mantle who combined speed with power. He was one of the most graceful runners ever to put on a baseball uniform. He gave the appearance of gliding across the ground, his feet barely touching the surface.” – Sportswriter Earl Lawson
Many thanks to my friend Joe Cunniff for sending me some interesting information about the fine ball player, Vada Pinson, one of the more underappreciated players from the second half of the twentieth century. As a long-time Cub fan, I’m old enough to remember Vada Pinson, especially when he played for the Reds. My recollection is that he was a dangerous clutch hitter with blazing speed; and that he was also an outstanding defensive center fielder.
Whenever a ball player is mentioned in the same sentence with Mickey Mantle (see quote above), you know he must have accomplished something special. It’s even more remarkable when he’s mentioned in the same sentence with Mickey Mantle AND Willie Mays (continue reading to learn more). In certain categories, Vada Pinson qualifies for both of those comparisons. The 5′ 11″, 170-lb outfielder was a rare five-tool player who batted and threw left-handed, combining power, speed, and strong defensive ability.
A Memphis native whose family moved to California when he was a child, Vada Pinson graduated from Oakland’s McClymonds High School, the same school that produced Frank Robinson, Curt Flood, and basketball star Bill Russell.
Over his 18 seasons in the majors (1958-1975), Pinson averaged .286, with 2757 hits, 256 home runs, and 1169 RBIs. Remembered primarily for his 11 seasons with the Reds (1958-1968) during which he hit .297, with 186 home runs, and 814 RBIs, the four-time All-Star also played for the Cardinals, Indians, Angels, and Royals. He led the league twice in each of the following categories: plate appearances, at-bats, games, hits, doubles, and triples, while hitting over .300 four times. Vada also had many top-10 finishes in defensive categories, including put-outs, assists, and fielding percentage. He earned one Gold Glove and made his only postseason appearance in 1961 as a member of the pennant-winning Reds.
Does Vada Pinson belong in the Hall of Fame? Or does he fall into that nebulous category of “Very Good But Not Quite Hall of Fame”? A case can certainly be made that he belongs, and it’s a cause taken up by his son, Vada Pinson III. According to the Baseball Reference Similarity Scores feature, his career statistics compare surprisingly favorably with Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Dave Parker, and Zach Wheat, along with star players of recent decades Steve Garvey, Bill Buckner, Torii Hunter, Al Oliver, and Willie Davis.
Vada and Willie Mays
Now for the statistical accomplishments he shares with Willie Mays: Vada Pinson and Willie Mays are the only players in major league history to have four 200-plus hit seasons, lead the league twice in doubles and triples, have at least 2700 hits, 250 home runs, 300 steals, 450 doubles, and 100 triples. I’d say those stats put him in pretty good company!
Vada Pinson passed away on October 21, 1995, following complications from a stroke at the age of 57. He’s a member of the Cincinnati Reds’ Hall of Fame. Vada had three daughters, Valerie, Kimberly, and Renee, and one son, Vada Pinson III.
So today, we gladly turn our baseball spotlight on a fine ball player who has been largely overlooked over the passage of time, Vada Pinson.
Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: From Vada Pinson, III Facebook page; and from Google search
Information: Excerpts edited from the Vada Pinson Wikipedia page; Statistics from Baseball.Reference.com
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Unfortunately, he never got to play on the Big Red Machine teams of the early 1970s. A couple of years in his prime he finished ahead of Frank Robinson in the MVP voting.
Can you imagine how good the Reds would have been had they kept Vada Pinson and Frank Robinwson??