100 Greatest Phillies: 11 – Sherry Magee
Outfielder
1904-1914
Career w/Phillies: .299 AVG / 75 HR / 886 RBI / 387 SB
Born in Clarendon, Sherwood Magee became one of the most underrated hitters of all time, leading the Phillies through the Dead Ball Era with a high combination of power, speed and contact. Signed in 1904, Magee immediately made a mark, hitting .277. His average would dip below that only once more. Seven times he finished in the top 10 in National League home runs; seven times as a Phillie he finished in the top 10 in triples. His slugging percentage twice crept above .500; his on-base percentage once crept above .440. He was an RBI machine, leading the league three times. He was a stolen base machine, reaching the top 10 multiple times. He racked up bases, he scored runs. 1910 was probably his best year, when he hit .331 to lead the National League. While forgotten to an extent, Magee was given the chance to make the Hall of Fame because of a veterans committee effort; he didn’t get enough votes. Still, his unbelievable offensive consistency is almost second to none in Phillie history.
Comment: Another early-day Phillie with great offensive numbers, Magee simply hit the ball well. Is he a Hall of Famer? Maybe. But the Dead Ball Era doesn’t get the respect it might deserve. Still, we know Magee is a legend, and maybe not quite a top 10 player. But right on the cusp.
And starting tomorrow, we’ll begin the top 10. If you know your Phillies, you know which 10 are remaining. We’ll unveil No. 10 tomorrow at the St. Patrick’s Day tailgate party at Bright House Field.
