The City of Anderson salutes Jim Ed Rice, he is a former Major League Baseball left fielder and designated hitter. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, 2009. Rice played his entire 16-year baseball career for the Boston Red Sox. Rice was an eight-time American League All-Star and was named the league’s MVP in 1978 after becoming the first major league player in 19 years to hit for 400 total bases. Rice led the American League in home runs three times, in1977, 1978 and 1983. Rice hit at least 39 home runs in a season four times. He finished his 16-year career with a .298 batting average, 373 doubles, 79 triples, 382 home runs, 1,451 runs batted in, 1,249 runs scored, 2,452 hits, 670 walks and 4,129 total bases. He was an American League All-Star eight times from 1977–1980 and 1983–1986. In addition to winning the American League MVP award in 1978, he finished in the top five in MVP voting five other times. In 1984 he set a major league single-season record by hitting into 36 double plays. Rice could hit for both power and average and was included in Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig’s book “The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time” Rice was associated with various charitable organizations during his career, primarily on behalf of children, some of which have carried on into his retirement. Rice is also remembered for his actions during a nationally televised game on August 7, 1982, when he rushed into the stands to help a young boy who was struck in the head with a baseball. Rice left the dugout, entered the stands and helped the four-year-old. Rice carried the boy onto the field, and into the clubhouse, where the young boy was immediately treated by the Red Sox medical staff. Rice even paid the hospital bill, and the young boy made a full recovery. Rice served as a batting coach from 1992–1994, a hitting instructor from 1995–2000, and has remained an instructional batting coach with the Red Sox organization since 2001.
To learn more about this great African American baseball heroes, visit the Anderson County Museum at 202 East Greenville Street in Anderson.
