100 Greatest Phillies: 30 – Fred Luderus

Fred Luderus
First Baseman
1910-1920

Career w/Phillies: .277 AVG / 83 HR / 630 RBI / 55 SB

Bill Foxen had a great rookie season in 1908, yet the Phillies decided to trade him to Chicago for Fred Luderus, an unproven 24-year-old infielder from Milwaukee. Luderus immediately responded, ending the 1910 season on high note before launching into a strong career. For the next nine seasons, Luderus would average more than 140 hits per season. In an era where hitting was at a premium, Luderus was one of the league’s steadiest contact hitters. He finished in the top 10 of National League home runs eight times, of doubles seven times and of RBI four times. He slugged .403 for his career, which in his time was very good. And just as good, he walked (414 times) almost as much as he struck out (421). His best season was the 1915 National League championship year, when he hit .315 with a .376 on-base percentage.

Comment: An early star for the Phillies, Luderus was able to come up big in an era where offense suffered. A steady bat who was extremely consistent for his career, he makes it this high with a strong combination of quality and stability.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.