Darrell Evans
| Birthdate | 05/26/1947 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1969 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Braves, Giants, Tigers |
| Positions | Designated Hitter, First Base, Third Base |
SABRmetric star Bill James described Darrell Evans as “the most underrated player in baseball history, absolutely number one on the list”.
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As of 2021, Darrell Evans ranks 12 on the all time walks list
As of 2021, Darrell Evans ranks 12 on the all time walks list
Darrell Evans would certainly get more love if he played in today’s SABR-minded environment. He drew over 100 walks in five seasons with a career high of 126 in 1974.
As of the start of the 2021 season Evans ranked 12th on the all-time career walk list ahead of hitters like Pete Rose, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, and Hank Aaron.
Evans hit over 20 homers in 10 different seasons. He was the first player to hit 40 or more homers in each league and at age 38 he became the oldest player to lead the American League in homers.
Evans also set an MLB record (since broken) by hitting 60 homers after turning 40. When he retired, only he and Reggie Jackson hit 100 or more homers with three different clubs.
SARBmetrician Bill James identified Evans as, “the most underrated player in baseball history, absolutely number one on the list“.
Shown here is a contract between Evans and the Autograph Baseball Company signed in 1969, the year of his big league debut. Evans agreed to have his facsimile signature included on souvenir baseballs with stamped autographs. The terms of the deal? Evans received one cent per ball sold.
Evans hit 414 homers and finished with a .361 on-base percentage
Evans hit 414 homers and finished with a .361 on-base percentage
The Major League Baseball Players Association sent out questionnaires like this one to its players to determine what endorsements each man had. Today’s players complement their baseball salary with off field endorsement. That wasn’t always the case.
This document filled out by Darrell Evans on July 12, 1973 shows him to have no endorsements whatsoever.
It was a fine year for Evans who played in his first All Star game 12 days after penning his signature here. Evans finished his career year of 1973 with career highs in batting average (.281), homers (41), and RBI (104). For good measure the Atlanta third baseman posted a .403 on-base percentage.
That season Evans joined Hank Aaron and Davey Johnson to form baseball’s first trio of teammates to hit at least 40 homers each. Evans finished his career with 414 career homers and a respectable .361 on-base percentage.
Evans' finest season came in 1973 with a 9.0 WAR
Evans' finest season came in 1973 with a 9.0 WAR
Darrell Evans’ career year came in 1973. Among major league position players, only Joe Morgan had a higher WAR.
Evans led the league in walks and placed third in homers, total bases, and RBI. Teammates Davey Johnson and Hank Aaron hit 43 and 40 homers respectively. Evans hit 41 bombs as the Atlanta threesome became the first trio of teammates to top the 40-homer mark.
The three men also represented the Braves in the ’73 All Star Game. Evans appeared as a pinch hitter in the top of the third inning and drew a base on balls from Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven. In the regular season, Evans earned 124 free passes.
As was custom at the time, the team arranged their flights and paid their way to the July 23rd contest. Three days after the Mid Summer Classic, the Braves sent the letter shown here to NL Secretary-Treasurer Fred Fleig asking for reimbursement. Below the letter is a copy of the check from league to the Atlanta club for $453.81.
