Books and articles about Jim Rice

As a successor to Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski in left field for the Boston Red Sox, Jim Rice emerged as the AL's most feared slugger in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The rock-solid 6'2" 200-lb righthander used his quick, compact stroke and immensely strong wrists to send home runs crashing into upper decks or soaring completely over the screen above Fenway Park's Green Monster. Rice was the classic "strong, silent type," and his silence was often perceived as moodiness. But his feats of strength spoke for themselves. He once broke a bat on a checked swing without hitting the ball, and he has reportedly had golf clubs bend in his hands on the downswing. Rice always had the ability to hit the ball to all fields, but as he aged he began to concentrate on slapping the ball to the opposite field almost exclusively, keeping his batting average near .300 while still averaging over 20 HR per year. His average declined in the late 1980s, reaching career lows in three consecutive seasons through 1989.

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After winning the Eastern League batting title at Bristol in 1973 and the International League Triple Crown (.337, 25 HR, 93 RBI), Rookie of the Year, and MVP awards at Pawtucket in 1974, Rice teamed with Fred Lynn in the Red Sox' outfield in 1975 to form baseball's most powerful rookie tandem. Rice hit .309 with 22 HR and 102 RBI and Lynn was AL Rookie of the Year and MVP as Boston reached the WS. But Rice missed the entire postseason after Tiger pitcher Vern Ruhle broke his left hand with a pitch during the last week of the regular season. Rice came back to hit .282 with 25 HR in 1976, and he led the AL in home runs for the first time in 1977 with 39, while batting .320. In 1978, Rice established himself as the AL's premier power hitter. He finished third in batting with a .315 average while leading the league in HR (46), RBI (139), hits (213), triples (15), and slugging percentage (.600). His 406 total bases were the highest AL total since Joe DiMaggio's 418 in 1937, and he edged Yankee pitcher Ron Guidry (25-3, 1.74) for the AL MVP award. However, the Yankees beat the Red Sox in a one-game playoff and went on to win the WS.

In 1979, Rice hit .325 with 39 HR and 130 RBI, and became the only player in ML history with three consecutive 35 HR-200 hit seasons. Rice suffered subpar seasons in 1980-82, missing 31 games in 1980 with a fractured wrist and one-third of 1981 due to the players' strike, but he led the AL in HR (39) and RBI (126) a final time in 1983, while batting .305. He drove in at least 100 runs each season from 1983 to 1986, and in 1986 he recorded the second-highest batting average of his career, .324, as the Red Sox won the AL East. Getting his first opportunity in postseason play, Rice struggled against the Angels in the LCS, but his three-run HR clinched Game Seven. He went 9-for-27 against the Mets in the seven-game WS, scoring six runs. In 1987 his batting average fell below .280 for the first time, and he hit only 13 HR. Off-season knee surgery failed to correct the problem in 1988. Rice was forced into the DH role by the emergence of Mike Greenwell and hit only .264 with 15 HR. His frustration came to a head when he engaged in a much-publicized shoving match with 57-year-old manager Joe Morgan after Morgan sent Spike Owen up to pinch hit for him. Boston released Rice after an injury-marred season in 1989.

Rice was never blessed with great speed or agility in left field, but he mastered the intricacies of Fenway Park's left-field wall. He was particularly adept at decoying opposing baserunners, who would often be surprised to slide into outs at second base after ripping line drives high off The Wall. In 1983, Rice recorded a career-high 21 assists. Rice's consistent failing throughout his career was his penchant for grounding into double plays. A slow-footed righthanded batter who usually hit the ball hard, he grounded into a ML-record 36 double plays in 1984, and 35 in 1985.

On the Red Sox' all-time leader lists, he trails only Williams and Yastrzemski in HR, RBI, hits, and total bases. (SCL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 21, 1973: Jim Rice's 3-run home run is the key blow as Pawtucket (International League) defeats Tulsa (American Association) 5–2 to win the Junior World Series. » July 2, 1975: Jim Rice, installed today as the Red Sox regular LF, belts two homers in the first game, including one that is the longest ever hit at County Stadium. In game 2, Fred Lynn is kept off the bases, ending his streak of 38 straight games. Boston's Rick Wise wins the opener, 6–3, not giving up a hit until two are out in the 9th. George Scott then clouts a 2-run homer, and Danny Darwin follows with another dinger. » July 18, 1975: In a 9–3 win over the Kansas City Royals, Boston's Jim Rice clouts a tremendous homer over the CF wall at Fenway, to the right of the flag pole, just the 6th player to accomplish this feat. Owner Tom Yawkey calls it the longest shot he's ever seen at Fenway. The others: Detroit's Hank Greenberg, May 22, 1937; Boston's Jimmie Foxx, August 12, 1937; Yankees Bill Skowron, April 20, 1957; Boston's Carl Yastrzemski, May 16, 1970; Brewers Bob Mitchell, September 29, 1973. » September 21, 1975: During a 6–5 win over Detroit, Boston rookie star Jim Rice breaks his arm, sidelining him for the rest of the year, including the World Series. The Red Sox maintain their 31/2 game lead over the Orioles. » August 30, 1976: At Fenway, Jim Rice clouts a 5th inning home run against Texas, the 100th homer this year for the Sox. They now have hit 100 homers or more for 31 straight years. » June 18, 1977: New York's Reggie Jackson loafs after a Jim Rice bloop double during a 10–4 loss to Boston and is taken out by manager Billy Martin right after the manager removes starter Mike Torrez. Jackson and Martin nearly come to blows in the dugout as national television cameras watch. Boston connects for five homers in the game, two each by Carl Yastrzemski and Bernie Carbo. Fenway Park sees the largest Saturday afternoon crowd (34,603) in 20 years. » June 21, 1977: Behind Luis Tiant's 2-hitter, the Red Sox pummel the O's, 7–0. Jim Rice and George Scott bang homers. The Sox also sign Tommy Helms, released by the Pirates, and waive Doug Griffin. » August 15, 1977: In a 2–1 win over Kansas City, Boston's Jim Rice hits a 3rd inning double and becomes the first Boston player since Ted Williams in 1939 to hit 20 homers, 20 doubles and 10 triples in a season. Between Williams and Rice, only Charlie Keller (1946), Joe DiMaggio (1948, '50) and Mickey Mantle (1955) had reached those levels. » August 23, 1977: Dave Goltz one-hits the Red Sox to give the Twins a 7–0 win. Jim Rice hits a single in the 4th for the only safety. » August 29, 1977: At Fenway, Jim Rice clubs three homers—in the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th inning—but Boston loses to the Oakland A's, 8–7. Rice added a single in the 4th. He is the first Bosox player to hit the hat trick since Norm Zauchin on May 27, 1955. » April 14, 1978: In the Red Sox home opener, starter Dennis Eckersley pitches into the 10th inning before giving way to Dick Drago, Jim Rice's 395 foot single scores Butch Hobson with the winner in the bottom of the 10th, and Boston wins 5–4. » May 8, 1978: After a Bernie Carbo walk and a ground out the Royals intentionally walk Jim Rice to pitch to Carl Yastrzemski, who clouts a 3-run homer. The Red Sox, down 5–4, beat the Royals, 8–4. Mike Stanley is the winner over Dennis Leonard. » May 11, 1978: Jim Rice belts his 11th homer of the season to lead the Red Sox to a 5–4 win over Baltimore. Fred Lynn adds a single, double and triple to help Bill Lee (5–0) to his 5th win. Dennis Martinez takes the loss. » May 26, 1978: At Fenway Dwight Evans hits a pair of homers and Jim Rice hits his 16th to lead Boston to a 6–3 win over Detroit. Bill Lee goes all the way for his 7th win, and his 91st as a Red Sox. » June 15, 1978: At Fenway, Jim Rice knocks in four runs with his 21st homer and a triple to power the Red Sox to a 7–3 win over the A's. Yaz adds his 5th homer of the year. Mike Torrez (10–2) is the winner over Bob Lacey. Oakland has now lost eight in a row, while Boston runs their home record to 26–4. » August 3, 1978: Boston and New York pick up where they left off last night, and the Red Sox score two runs in the 17th to win, 7–5, on RBIs by Rick Burleson and Jim Rice. Ex-Yankee Mike Torrez then stops New York, 8–1, in a rain-shortened game. Jim Rice, with only one homer in his last 33 games, hits a 3-run shot off Jim Beattie. Fred Lynn cracks a three run homer in the 7th and Bob Bailey follows with a shot off the upper deck facade in LF. Boston now leads Milwaukee by six games and the Yankees by eight 1/2 games. » August 16, 1978: Boston's Luis Tiant wins his 200th ML game, beating Nolan Ryan and the Angels, 4–2. Jim Rice's 2-run home run is the difference. » August 25, 1978: Dennis Eckersley (15–5) shuts out the Angels, 6–0, on four hits to run his Fenway record to 8–0. Jim Rice belts his 32nd homer, off former teammate Don Aase, one of three hits he garners. » August 28, 1978: The Mariners and Red Sox combine for 16 extra base hits in the Red Sox, 10-9 victory. The Sox, down 9–7 in the 9th, start a rally when Fred Lynn lines his 5th hit of the game. Lynn scores on an error and Butch Hobson drives home the winner with a 2-run double. Jim Rice hits his 34th homer, Jack Brohamer adds four hits, and Bob Stanley wins his 12th against one loss. The Sox lose Dwight Evans in the 7th when he is beaned by a Mike Parrott pitch, but X-Rays show no fracture however. » September 26, 1978: In a duel of aces, Dennis Eckersley tops Dave Rozema, scattering seven Tiger hits to win, 4–1. Eck's record at Fenway is now 10–1. The Sox have 14 hits, led by Jim Rice's 44th homer of the year. The Yankees top the Blue Jays, 4–1, to keep a one-game lead over Boston. » September 28, 1978: Mike Torrez wins his 1st game in a month, stopping the Tigers on 3-hits to win, 1–0. There are only two putouts by the Sox outfield. Boston's lone run comes on Jim Rice's 45th homer of the year, off Young. It is the most homers by a Red Sox player since Jimmie Foxx in 1938. » September 29, 1978: Bob Stanley makes just his 3rd start of the year, shutting out the Blue Jays at Fenway, 11–0. Stanley has a one-hitter but Dick Drago takes over in the 7th as the two hurlers allow just three hits. Jim Rice's first inning double and 2nd inning single gives him 400 total bases for the year. He is the first player to reach that mark in the American League since Joe DiMaggio in 1937: Aaron had 400 in 1959. Lynn and Hobson both collect three hits. » October 1, 1978: With the Yankees a game ahead and one to play, Cleveland's Rick Waits stops New York on five hits to win 9–2. Meanwhile, Boston takes their finale, their 8th in a row, on Luis Tiant's 5–0 shutout of the Blue Jays. Boston has two unearned runs in the 5th, a two-run homer by Rick Burleson in the 7th, and Jim Rice's 46th homer in the 8th for their scoring. Both teams end the season with identical 99–63 records, with a one-game playoff to determine the divisional champ. » November 7, 1978: Boston's Jim Rice outpoints New York's Ron Guidry, 353-291, to win the American League MVP Award. Rice led the league in hits (213), triples (15), home runs (46), RBI (139), and slugging (.600), and became the first AL player to accumulate 400 total bases in a season since Joe DiMaggio in 1937. » July 9, 1979: The fans elect three Red Sox to start in the American League outfield for the All-Star Game: Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice and Fred Lynn. » August 11, 1979: Against the Brewers at Fenway, Jim Rice belts his 30th homer, giving him three straight seasons with 30 or more homers. Only three Red Sox, Jimmy Foxx (5 straight years) and Williams (4 straight), have done it. But Milwaukee wins, 9–6. » September 9, 1979: The first place Orioles romp to their 7th win in a row, larruping the Red Sox, 16–4. Rick Dempsey hits a grand slam for the Birds in their 6-run 6th, and Al Bumbry adds a home run in the same frame. Jim Rice homers for the Bosox. Sox C Bob Montgomery is 1-for-2 in his last ML game. He is the last ML batter to wear a hard liner in his cap instead of a batting helmet. » April 28, 1984: At Comiskey, Boston wins on an error in the 9th, 8–7. Jose Cruz homers and drives in four runs for Chicago, while Jim Rice and Tony Armas homer for Boston. Armas's clout is a 500 foot blast into the CF bleachers. » July 4, 1984: Jim Rice caps a 5-for-6 day with a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Boston a 13–9 win over Oakland. » August 30, 1984: In a 9–3 win over the Twins, Red Sox slugger Jim Rice grounds into his 33rd double play of the season to break the major-league record set by Jackie Jensen in 1954. By season's end, Rice will extend his new record to 36. » April 8, 1985: At Fenway, 46-year-old Phil Niekro starts for the Yankees, the 2nd oldest pitcher ever to start an Opener: only Jack Quinn, for Brooklyn in 1931, was older at age 47. Boston chases Niekro after four innings and behind the pitching of Oil Can Boyd coasts to a 9–2 win. Niekro walks four in the 3rd inning, including two with the bases loaded, to lose his 7th opener in a row (6 with Atlanta), the worst opening day record ever. Tony Armas, Dwight Evans, and Jim Rice stroke homers for Boston. » April 18, 1985: At Kansas City, Jim Rice hits a home run with two out in the 14th to give the Red Sox a 4–3 win over the Royals. » October 18, 1986: Boston wins Game One of the World Series 1–0 when Tim Teufel botches Rich Gedman's routine grounder in the 7th inning, allowing Jim Rice to score the game's only run. Bruce Hurst and Calvin Schiraldi combine on a 4-hitter for the Red Sox. » June 1, 1987: Dwight Evans hits his 300th career home run in Boston's 9–5 loss to the Twins, joining teammates Jim Rice and Don Baylor in the 300-HR club. » June 13, 1988: In a 12–6 loss to the Yankees, Jim Rice hits his 200th Fenway home run, joining Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as the only three to do it. » July 21, 1988: Red Sox veteran Jim Rice is suspended for three games by the club for shoving manager Joe Morgan. Rice was angered when Morgan replaced him with pinch hitter Spike Owen in the 8th inning of Boston's eventual 9–7 win over Minnesota. » September 25, 1989: The Red Sox say that they will not exercise their option on Jim Rice's contract next season, while Bob Stanley, the team's all-time save leader with 132, announces his retirement. » February 18, 2001: Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor, Jim Rice, and Robin Yount are inducted into Ted Williams' Hitters Hall of Fame in Hernando, Florida.