We’re revisiting 1930 this week for MCM. And for a change, this hitter played a full season… well almost. I’m talking about George “Watty” Watkins who played in 119 games and had 424 plate appearances in 1930.
Watkins’ very first year in baseball was with the 1930 St Louis Cardinals. Some of you might recall that team as having the lineup that hit .300. As a team, St Louis hit .314 during that offense-laden year so Watkins fit in quite well. It was quite a start for the left handed hitter who got started late in life in baseball (he was 30 years old his rookie year). Watty hit .373 that year with good gap power. He hit 17 homeruns but also drove 32 doubles and 7 triples.
What an APBA card he got for his work in 1930!! It was a mixture of power, hitting, and even included a speed number. Watkins’ was blessed with five power numbers (1-3-5-6-6) and it didn’t stop there. He received three 7s, two 8s, two 9s and a 10. He was given two 14s balanced by only three 13s so you can be pretty sure he’s going to hit the ball. He was rated (F)ast and as an Outfielder (1). He also was rated at two other secondary positions, 1B-2 and 2B-5.
I think what makes Watkins’ card so special is his nifty 51-7. You don’t see that every day especially on a daily player.
| Split | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 Totals | 119 | 391 | 85 | 146 | 32 | 7 | 17 | 87 | 5 | 24 | 49 | .373 | .415 | .621 |
As a lefty, Watkins was platooned possibly with Ray Blades in 1930. It should be noted that in the occasional times that Watty did bat against lefties, he didn’t do half bad. Against lefty starters, he batted .322/.365/.556.
While George Watkins did put together a string of seven relatively productive seasons (even hitting .312 in a full season 1932), he never blossomed into a full-fledged superstar. A probable reason is that he got such a late start at age 30. Also, Watkins was a notorious with the glove in the outfield. He led the league in errors in 1932 and 1933.
Watkins’ 1930 performance is still recognized by some as the highest batting average (.373) by a NL rookie with more than 350 at bats. And one of the most fun cards to roll for on the 1930 pennant winning Cardinals team.
See other Monster Card Monday selections
Take a look at the Al Simmons card from 1930 !