Who He Was: Played 1915 to 1934 for the Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians A masterful hitter with a lifetime .322 batting average, Rice just missed the 3000 hit mark, accumulating 2987 hits. At various times in his career, he led the American League in hits, triples, and stolen bases. Although his offensive stats put Rice among the greatest hitters of all time, he began his career as a relief pitcher, though he soon moved to the outfield. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1963.