Ted Kluszewski Biography

Theodore Bernard Kluszewski played as a first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1950s and was recognized for his power hitting. He played from 1947 through 1961 with four teams in Major League Baseball, spending 11 of those 15 seasons with the Reds. Kluszewski was a four-time National League All-Star who hit at least .300 seven times and 40 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons. During the World Series, Kluszewski recorded a .391 batting average, hit three home runs, and had 10 RBIs in six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kluszewski ranks among the all-time Reds leaders in home runs (sixth), slugging percentage (sixth), on-base plus slugging percentage (eighth), and RBIs (ninth). Kluszewski impressed Reds groundskeeper Matty Schwab by hitting baseballs over a nearby embankment, with distances exceeding 500 feet. Early in the 1948 season, the 6 ft 2 in, 225-pound Kluszewski became a regular player.