View source for Rick Ferrell

{{Short description|American baseball player (1905–1995)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Rick Ferrell
|image=Rick Ferrell Browns.jpg
|caption=Ferrell in 1941
|position=[[Catcher]]
|birth_date={{Birth date|1905|10|12}}
|birth_place=[[Durham, North Carolina]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1995|7|27|1905|10|12}}
|death_place=[[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]], U.S.
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 19
|debutyear=1929
|debutteam=St. Louis Browns
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 14
|finalyear=1947
|finalteam=Washington Senators
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.281
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=28
|stat3label=[[Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=734
|teams=
* [[St. Louis Browns]] ({{mlby|1929}}–{{mlby|1933}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|1933}}–{{mlby|1937}})
* [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1937}}–{{mlby|1941}})
* [[St. Louis Browns]] ({{mlby|1941}}–{{mlby|1943}})
* [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1944}}–{{mlby|1945}}, {{mlby|1947}})
|highlights=
* 8× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1933]]–[[1938 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1938]], [[1944 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1944]], [[1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1945]])
* [[Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]]
* [[Washington Nationals#Ring of Honor|Washington Nationals Ring of Honor]] 
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[1984 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1984]]
|hofmethod=Veterans Committee
}}
'''Richard Benjamin Ferrell''' (October 12, 1905 – July 27, 1995) was an American professional [[baseball]] player, [[Coach (baseball)|coach]], [[Scout (sports)|scout]], and [[General manager (baseball)|executive]]. He played for 18 seasons as a [[catcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) from 1929 through 1947 for the [[St. Louis Browns]], [[Boston Red Sox]], and [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]]. His brother, [[Wes Ferrell]], was a major league pitcher for 15&nbsp;seasons, and they were teammates from 1933 through part of 1938 on the Red Sox and Senators. Following his three seasons in [[minor league baseball]], he appealed to the [[Commissioner of Baseball]] to become a [[free agent]], claiming that he was being held in the minors though he deserved promotion. The Commissioner agreed, and he was granted free agency; he signed with the St. Louis Browns.

Ferrell was regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball during the 1930s and early 1940s. While playing for the Red Sox in 1933, he and his brother Wes were selected to play for the [[American League]] (AL) team in the inaugural [[1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game]] held on July 6, 1933. His 1,806 games played as a catcher set an AL longevity record which stood for more than 40 years. A seven-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]],{{#tag:ref|MLB cancelled the 1945 All-Star Game and did not name All-Stars that season.|group=lower-alpha}} Ferrell was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[1984 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1984]] by the [[Veterans Committee]]. After his playing career, he became a coach with the Senators, and later a [[Scout (sport)|scout]] and [[General manager (baseball)|general manager]] with the [[Detroit Tigers]]. He died in July 1995 at the age of 89.

==Early life==
Ferrell was born on October 12, 1905, in [[Durham, North Carolina]], to Rufus and Alice, and grew up on a 160-acre [[dairy]] farm near [[Greensboro, North Carolina]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell">{{cite web|url=http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1957&pid=4360|title=The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell|author=Stevens, Brian|publisher=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]|work=sabr.org|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics">{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/F/Pferrr101.htm|title=Rick Ferrell|publisher=[[Retrosheet]], Inc|work=retrosheet.org|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> He was one of seven boys, and two of his brothers enjoyed long careers in baseball.<ref name=wesferrellsabr>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Mark|title=The Baseball Biography Project: Wes Ferrell|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/81a7570e|work=sabr.org|publisher=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]|access-date=June 9, 2014}}</ref> [[Wes Ferrell]] reached the major leagues as a [[pitcher]] while another brother,<ref name="Wes Ferrell statistics">{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/F/Pferrw101.htm|title=Wes Ferrell|publisher=[[Retrosheet]], Inc|work=retrosheet.org|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> George Ferrell, played as an [[outfielder]] in [[minor league baseball]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref name="George Ferrell statistics">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=ferrel001geo|title=George Ferrell (minors)|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]].com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> Rick attended [[Guilford College]] in Greensboro where he played both baseball and [[basketball]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/>

In 1926, he was signed by the [[Detroit Tigers]] of the [[American League]]&nbsp;(AL),<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> and was assigned to play for the [[Kinston Eagles (Virginia League)|Kinston Eagles]] of the [[Virginia League]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell minors">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=ferrel001ric|title=Rick Ferrell (minors)|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> Shortly afterward, he was promoted to the [[Columbus Senators]] of the [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]], and in 1928 he posted a .333&nbsp;[[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] with them.<ref name="Rick Ferrell minors"/> His performance that season earned him an American Association All-Star position.<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 9">{{cite book|last1=Ferrell|first1=Kerrie; William M. Anderson|title=Rick Ferrell, Knuckleball Catcher: A Hall of Famer's Life Behind the Plate and in the Front Office|date=2010|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=9780786458370|page=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vrSeqPavccEC&q=Rick+Ferrell}}</ref>

During the season, he personally asked Detroit's owner, [[Frank Navin]], if the organization had a plan in place to bring him up to the Tigers. Navin told him to be patient and return to Columbus.<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 9"/> When the season concluded, another Columbus catcher, [[Hugh McMullen]], was called up to the major leagues, but to the [[Cincinnati Reds]] instead of the Tigers. Confused as to who actually owned his contract, Ferrell inquired with the Reds about his status with the organization, and was again told to return to Columbus.<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 9"/> After reading through his contract, he believed he was being unfairly held in the minor leagues, so he petitioned the [[Commissioner of Baseball]], [[Kenesaw Mountain Landis]], to grant him a hearing.<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 10">Ferrell; Anderson, Pg. 10</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=How Navin Took Carr for a Ride|author=Salsinger, H.G.|author-link=H. G. Salsinger|publisher=Grandstand Publishing, LLC|date=January 1949|work=[[Baseball Digest]]}}</ref> It was discovered that Columbus owner, [[Joseph Carr]], had been shopping Ferrell's contract, receiving offers as high as $50,000 ({{Inflation|US|50000|1929|r=-3|fmt=eq}}), though none were formally presented on paper. Navin protested to Landis, claiming he was unaware of what Carr was doing.

After the Commissioner completed his investigation, he determined that the Tigers and Reds had colluded to keep Ferrell in the minor leagues, and directed Carr to shop for buyers. This move by the two teams effectively hid him from the other major league teams' draft rights to increase Ferrell's sale price.<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 10"/> This was a common, although illegal, practice during this era, so Landis declared Ferrell a [[free agent]], allowing him to sign a contract with any team he chose, except the Tigers.<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 10"/> After receiving offers from many major league clubs, he signed a contract with the St. Louis Browns of the AL for $25,000 ({{Inflation|US|25000|1929|r=-3|fmt=eq}}).<ref name="Ferrell Anderson, Pg 10"/>

==Major leagues==
Ferrell made his major league debut with the Browns at the age of 23 on April&nbsp;19, [[1929 St. Louis Browns season|1929]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> He spent the 1929&nbsp;season as a reserve catcher backing up veteran [[Wally Schang]], and had a .229&nbsp;batting average in 64&nbsp;games.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SLB/1929.shtml|title=1929 St. Louis Browns|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> New Browns [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] and former catcher, [[Bill Killefer]], made Ferrell his starting catcher for the next three seasons, and he would catch in more than 100&nbsp;games in each.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> His batting average rose to .306 in [[1931 St. Louis Browns season|1931]], elevating him one to one of the best catchers in the American League.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> Although he led the league's catchers in [[Error (baseball)|errors]] and [[passed ball]]s, he also led the league in [[Assist (baseball)|assists]].<ref name="Ferrell Baseball Reference">{{cite web|title=Rick Ferrell|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/ferreri01.shtml|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> In [[1932 St. Louis Browns season|1932]], Ferrell hit .315, the best among American League catchers, with 30&nbsp;[[Double (baseball)|doubles]] and 65&nbsp;[[runs batted in]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> He ended the season ranked 13th in voting for the 1932&nbsp;American League [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1932.shtml#ALmvp|title=1932 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:RickFerrellGoudeycard.jpg|thumb|left|Ferrell in 1934]]
On May&nbsp;10, [[1933 Boston Red Sox season|1933]], the financially strained Browns traded Ferrell, along with [[Lloyd Brown (baseball)|Lloyd Brown]] to the [[Boston Red Sox]], in exchange for [[Merv Shea]] and some cash.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> Two months later, Ferrell was selected along with his brother to play for the American League team in the inaugural [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game]] held on July&nbsp;6, [[1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1933]].<ref name="1933 All-Star Game">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS193307060.shtml|title=1933 All-Star Game|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> American League manager [[Connie Mack]] used Ferrell to catch the entire game in a 4–2&nbsp;American League victory, even though future [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] catcher [[Bill Dickey]] was also on the team.<ref name="1933 All-Star Game"/><ref name="Dickey Hall">{{cite web|title=Bill Dickey|url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/Dickey-Bill|website=baseballhall.org|publisher=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|access-date=October 22, 2014}}</ref> When the Red Sox played the [[1933 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] two weeks later on July&nbsp;19, 1933, Ferrell hit a [[home run]] against his brother Wes, who later hit a home run off Boston pitcher [[Hank Johnson (baseball)|Hank Johnson]], marking the first time in major league history that brothers on opposing teams had hit home runs in the same game.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS193307190.shtml|title=July 19, 1933 Indians-Red Sox box score|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> Ferrell ended the year with a .290&nbsp;batting average along with a career-high 77&nbsp;runs batted in.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> Although Ferrell once again led American League catchers in errors, he also led in assists and in baserunners [[caught stealing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1933-fielding-leaders.shtml|title=1933 American League Fielding Leaders|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> Despite the Red Sox' seventh-place finish, Ferrell ranked 12th in voting for the 1933 American League Most Valuable Player Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1933.shtml#ALmvp|title=1933 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>

In [[1934 Boston Red Sox season|1934]], the Red Sox signed Ferrell's brother Wes, forming a formidable [[Battery (baseball)|battery]] for the next {{frac|3|1|2}} seasons.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> Rick ended the year with a .297&nbsp;batting average and led the league's catchers in [[fielding percentage]] and in [[putout]]s and finished second in assists.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> With Ferrell calling the pitches in [[1935 Boston Red Sox season|1935]], his brother pitched to a 25–14&nbsp;won–loss record,<ref name="Wes Ferrell statistics"/> and was runner-up to [[Hank Greenberg]] in voting for the 1935 American League Most Valuable Player Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1935.shtml#ALmvp|title=1935 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> Ferrell posted a .301&nbsp;batting average for the year and led the league in baserunners caught stealing.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/>

Ferrell had another good year in [[1936 Boston Red Sox season|1936]], leading the league with a .439&nbsp;batting average at the beginning of May to earn the starting catcher's berth for the American League team in the [[1936 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1936 All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bosox Catcher Rises Fast To Top|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[Spartanburg Herald-Journal]]|page=13|date=May 3, 1936|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3FMsAAAAIBAJ&pg=4593,332550&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS193607070.shtml|title=1936 All-Star Game|publisher=Sports Reference, LLC|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> He ended the season with a .312&nbsp;batting average along with career-highs in home runs&nbsp;(8) and in [[on-base percentage]]&nbsp;(.406).<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> He also led the league's catchers in putouts and finished second in fielding percentage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1936-fielding-leaders.shtml|title=1936 American League Fielding Leaders|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> In June [[1937 Washington Senators season|1937]], Ferrell was hitting for a .308&nbsp;batting average when he was traded to the Washington Senators along with his brother and [[Mel Almada]] for pitcher [[Bobo Newsom]] and outfielder [[Ben Chapman (baseball)|Ben Chapman]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> Between 1933 and 1936, Ferrell broke Red Sox catchers' records in batting average, doubles, home runs and runs batted in.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> His .302&nbsp;batting average with Boston is currently 15th on the club's all-time list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=bos#sortColumn=avg&sectionType=sp&playerType=ALL&statType=hitting&season=2014&season_type=ALL&game_type=%27R%27&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&league_code=%27MLB%27&page=1&ts=1401126965140|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216191002/http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=bos#sortColumn=avg&sectionType=sp&playerType=ALL&statType=hitting&season=2014&season_type=ALL&game_type=%27R%27&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&league_code=%27MLB%27&page=1&ts=1401126965140|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2013|title=Boston Red Sox Batting Average Leaders|publisher=MLB Advanced Media, LP|work=boston.redsox.mlb.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Rick Ferrell 1936.jpeg|thumb|right|Ferrell in 1936]]
Playing with a broken right hand, he ended the year with the Senators and batted .244 over the course of the season.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> Ferrell rebounded in [[1938 Washington Senators season|1938]] with a .298&nbsp;batting average and led the league in baserunners caught stealing.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> The Senators released his brother Wes in August&nbsp;1938.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> In May&nbsp;[[1941 St. Louis Browns season|1941]], Ferrell was traded back to the St. Louis Browns, in exchange for [[Vern Kennedy]], and went on to catch 100&nbsp;games for the sixth-place Browns.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SLB/1941.shtml|title=1941 St. Louis Browns|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> In [[1942 St. Louis Browns season|1942]], the 36-year-old Ferrell shared catching duties with [[Frankie Hayes]] as the Browns improved to an 82–69&nbsp;won-loss record to finish the year in third place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SLB/1942.shtml|title=1942 St. Louis Browns|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>

Ferrell was once again traded; this time he returned to the Senators in March&nbsp;[[1944 Washington Senators season|1944]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> He earned a reputation as one of the best [[knuckleball]] catchers in baseball when he had the arduous task of catching for a Senators' starting pitching staff made up entirely of knuckleball pitchers.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> [[Dutch Leonard (right-handed pitcher)|Dutch Leonard]], [[Johnny Niggeling]], [[Roger Wolff]], and [[Mickey Haefner]] all threw the notoriously difficult-to-catch knuckleball, making Ferrell the first catcher in major league history to accomplish the feat.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> Although Ferrell led the league in passed balls due to the unpredictability of the knuckleball, he was still named to his seventh [[1944 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> The Senators ended the season in last place while Ferrell's former team, the [[1944 St. Louis Browns season|St. Louis Browns]] won the 1944&nbsp;American League pennant.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1944.shtml|title=1944 American League Standings|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>

Ferrell shared catching duties with [[Al Evans]] in [[1945 Washington Senators season|1945]] as the Senators started to win regularly.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSH/1945.shtml|title=1945 Washington Senators|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> On July 6,&nbsp;1945, Ferrell broke [[Ray Schalk]]'s American League record for most games caught with 1,721.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rick Hangs Up Catching Mark|agency=Associated Press|work=[[Toronto Star|The Toronto Daily Star]]|page=10|date=July 7, 1945|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QLE7AAAAIBAJ&pg=2574,20121362&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref> The [[1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1945 All-Star Game]] which was supposed to be played on July 10 was cancelled on April 24 due to wartime travel restrictions, and no All-Stars were officially named that season.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref name="goldenrankings.com">Baseball Did You Know? – VII, ''1945 All Star Game Replacements'' [http://goldenrankings.com/baseballdidyouknow7.htm] Retrieved July 28, 2015</ref> In place of the All-Star Game, seven out of eight scheduled interleague games were played on July 9 and 10 that raised funds for the [[American Red Cross]] and War Relief Fund.<ref name="goldenrankings.com"/> In the final week of the 1945&nbsp;season, the Senators came within {{frac|1|1|2}} games of winning the American League pennant, ultimately clinched by the [[1945 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSH/1945-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1945 Washington Senators schedule and results|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref> Ferrell retired as a player to become a Senators' coach for the [[1946 Washington Senators season|1946]] season. However, he returned to play as a catcher for 37&nbsp;games in [[1947 Washington Senators season|1947]], hitting for a .303&nbsp;batting average.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Rick Ferrell Will Coach Nat Catchers|agency=Associated Press|work=[[Tampa Bay Times|St. Petersburg Times]]|page=7|date=February 13, 1946|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TscvAAAAIBAJ&pg=5165,2181747&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref> He played his final major league game on September&nbsp;14, 1947 at the age of 41.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/>

==Post-playing career and legacy==
[[File:Rick Ferrell plaque.jpg|thumb|upright|right|110px|Plaque of Rick Ferrell at the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]]]]
In an 18-year career, Ferrell played in 1,884&nbsp;games, accumulating 1,692&nbsp;hits in 6,028&nbsp;at bats for a .281&nbsp;career batting average along with 28&nbsp;home runs, 734&nbsp;runs batted in and an impressive on-base percentage of .378.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> He hit over .300&nbsp;four times during his career, and his on-base percentage is eighth all-time among the 50&nbsp;catchers with 3,000&nbsp;at bats.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> A patient hitter, Ferrell logged just 277&nbsp;strikeouts during his career, along with 931&nbsp;[[base on balls|bases on balls]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> He ended his career with a .984&nbsp;fielding percentage.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> An eight-time All-Star with a strong throwing arm, he led American League catchers four times in baserunners caught stealing, and twice in assists and putouts.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/> Ferrell retired having caught 1,806&nbsp;games, an American League record that stood until [[Carlton Fisk]] surpassed it in 1988.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> He currently ranks 12th all-time in games played as a catcher.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/Gm_c_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Def. Games as Catcher|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref>

Ferrell continued as a coach for the Senators in [[1948 Washington Senators season|1948]] and [[1949 Washington Senators season|1949]]. He then joined the Detroit Tigers as a coach from [[1950 Detroit Tigers season|1950]] to [[1954 Detroit Tigers season|1954]] before retiring from the field altogether.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Coach Ferrell|agency=Associated Press|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]|page=17|date=December 27, 1949|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TN4wAAAAIBAJ&pg=2358,1273614&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref> Afterwards, he served as a [[Scout (sport)|scout]] then as the scouting director for the Tigers before becoming the [[General manager (baseball)|general manager]] and vice president in [[1959 Detroit Tigers season|1959]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Ferrell Confirmed as G.M.|agency=Associated Press|work=[[The Windsor Daily Star]]|page=1|date=April 10, 1959|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lSc_AAAAIBAJ&pg=6362,3366830&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref> He held the position for four years, with veteran executive [[Bill DeWitt]] taking the leading role in baseball operations from late {{mlby|1959}} through the {{mlby|1960}} season as club president, before turning the general manager role over to [[Jim Campbell (baseball executive)|Jim Campbell]] at the close of the {{mlby|1962}} campaign. Ferrell remained with the team as a senior member of its front office. During his tenure as a Tigers executive, the team won two [[World Series]] championships, in [[1968 World Series|1968]] and in [[1984 World Series|1984]], and won two [[American League East|American League Eastern Division]] titles in [[1972 Detroit Tigers season|1972]] and in [[1987 Detroit Tigers season|1987]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/>

In his 1985 book, ''[[The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract]]'', baseball historian [[Bill James]] ranked Ferrell as the third best catcher in the American League during his career, behind only Mickey Cochrane and Bill Dickey.<ref name="The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract">{{cite book|author=James, Bill|title=[[The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract]]|publisher=Free Press|location=New York|year=2001|page=[https://archive.org/details/newbilljameshist00jame/page/408 408]|isbn=0-684-80697-5}}</ref> Ferrell was elected by the [[Veterans Committee]], along with [[Pee Wee Reese]], to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1984|1984]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell at The Baseball Hall of Fame">{{cite web|url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/ferrell-rick|title=Rick Ferrell at The Baseball Hall of Fame|publisher=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|work=baseballhall.org|access-date=May 26, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Pee Wee Reese, Rick Ferrell make it to Baseball's Hall of Fame, finally|agency=Associated Press|work=[[Deseret News]]|page=1|date=March 5, 1984|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=48UoAAAAIBAJ&pg=1513,2054352&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref> He retired in {{mlby|1992}} at the age of 87 after 42&nbsp;years with the Tigers organization.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/>

Ferrell was married to Ruth Virginia Wilson from 1941 until her death in 1968.<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> Together they had four children, two sons and two daughters.<ref name="Rick Ferrell Obit">{{cite news|last1=Corio|first1=Ray|title=Rick Ferrell, Hall of Famer, 89, Catching Half of Brothers' Pair|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/29/obituaries/rick-ferrell-hall-of-famer-89-catching-half-of-brothers-pair.html|access-date=October 18, 2014|work=The New York Times|date=July 29, 1995}}</ref> His family first lived in Greensboro, then later in [[Grosse Pointe, Michigan]].<ref name="The Baseball Biography Project: Rick Ferrell"/> He lived in [[Troy, Michigan]], for the remaining 18 years of his life, until he was admitted into a nursing home in [[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]].<ref name="Rick Ferrell Obit"/> It was here that he died of [[Cardiac dysrhythmia|arrhythmia]] on July 27, 1995, and is interred at New Garden Cemetery in Greensboro, North Carolina.<ref name="Rick Ferrell statistics"/><ref name="Rick Ferrell Obit"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Rick Ferrell, last of first All-Stars, served Tigers from 1950–92|agency=Associated Press|work=[[Argus-Press]]|page=5|date=July 28, 1995|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oUAiAAAAIBAJ&pg=2969,2166374&dq=rick+ferrell&hl=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{bbhof|ferrell-rick}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=114086 |espn=21511 |br=f/ferreri01 |fangraphs=1004007 |brm=ferrel001ric |retro=F/Pferrr101}}
*{{Find a Grave|8211}}

{{Detroit Tigers general managers}}
{{1984 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}
{{Boston Red Sox HOF}}
{{Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame}}
{{Minnesota Twins HOF}}
{{Washington Nationals Ring of Honor}}
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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrell, Rick}}
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
[[Category:American League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Durham, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Columbus Senators players]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers coaches]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers executives]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers scouts]]
[[Category:Guilford Quakers baseball players]]
[[Category:Guilford Quakers men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Kinston Eagles players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball catchers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball general managers]]
[[Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Durham, North Carolina]]
[[Category:St. Louis Browns players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) coaches]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) players]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]