Highlights of Cy Williams' record May in 1923
This is a story about Frederick “Cy” Williams, an outfielder with the Phillies from 1918 through 1930.
He did something in 1923 that hasn’t been matched by any Phillies hitter. What did he do?
In 30 games that long-ago month, the left-handed slugger hit 15 homers and drove in 44 runs. Years and players have come and gone but no one has been able to match that production for May.
Anybody come close?
Well, Ryan Howard in his 2006 MVP season hit 13 homers and collected 35 RBIs.
Finishing up Williams’ month: He hit .355 with a 1.219 OPS. He walked 17 times and struck out nine times, certainly the opposite to today’s era.
Williams Nuggets
• Majored in architecture while playing football with the fabled Knute Rockne at Notre Dame. Excelled in high hurdles and the broad jump in track and field.
• Acquired from the Cubs for CF Dode Paskert, December 1917.
• Led NL in homers four times, three with the Phillies: 15 in 1920, 41 in 1923, and 30 in 1927.
• 41 homers and 114 RBIs in 1923 are the most ever for a Phillies center fielder.
• Hit 120th career home run in 1923 to break the NL record held by former Phillie Gavvy Cravath.
• First National League player to reach 200 home runs.
• With Phillies: .306 batting average, 1,553 hits, 237 doubles, 217 homers, 795 RBIs, 825 runs.
• Inducted posthumously into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1986.
PITCHING LEADERS
So Cy has some Phillies hitting records for the month of May. What about pitching?
Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander was 7-0 with a 1.99 ERA in May of 1913. He was 5-0 as a starter and picked up two wins in two relief appearances. One of the wins as a starter took 1 hour, 19 minutes. His season: 22-8.
Robin Roberts had a 5-2 May in 1952, when he dominated the NL, 28-7.
Steve Carlton’s biggest season was 27-10 in 1972. Amazingly, he was 2-5 that May.