Joe Judge had an outstanding 20-year big league career that spanned from 1915-1934. When he retired he was among the greatest first baseman in American League history.
Judge broke in with the Senators in 1915 and became an everyday player the following season. From 1916-1930 as Washington’s regular first baseman, Judge hit .300 with a .381 on-base percentage. During the run he had four 4-WAR seasons and 10 campaigns with at least 200 total bases.
The high point of Judge’s career came when he helped the Senators win back-to-back American League pennants starting in 1924. That season he hit .324 with a career-high 38 doubles. The Senators triumphed over John McGraw and the New York Giants to earn their only World Series title in Washington. Judge followed up with a nice showing in ’25 when he hit .314 with a .406 on-base percentage.
Revered in Washington, the first baseman was honored with Joe Judge Day at Griffith Stadium in 1930. In the midst of the Great Depression, fans flocked to the park and gave him over $10,000.
Judge played in D.C. through 1932 before moving to the NL with Brooklyn in ’33. Released on July 25th, Judge was picked up by the Red Sox with whom he remained for the rest of the season. Boston used him in just ten games in ’34 before releasing him in May to end his playing career. He left the game with twice as many walks as strikeouts.
At the time of his retirement Judge ranked in the top ten among American League batters in hits (2,328), doubles (431), triples (158), and walks (958). Defensively he held many records for AL first basemen. His 2,056 games, 19,021 putouts, 2,184 assists, 1,476 double plays, and .993 fielding percentage all were tops in Junior Circuit history. His eight seasons leading AL first basemen in fielding percentage was also a record.
Since 2000, Judge’s grandson Mark Judge has written a number or articles advocating for his grandfather’s inclusion to the Hall of Fame.
In the collection is this government postcard signed by Judge in 1951.