MVP Profile: Eddie Collins, 1914

Second Baseman, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  27 (May 2)

8^th season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 175

Prior to 1914:

A native of upstate New York, Collins was raised in Tarrytown before entering Columbia University, where he played football, despite his small size, as well as baseball. While in college, he also played baseball on a semipro basis. The Athletics signed him to a contract in 1907, at the point he had been declared ineligible to continue his college ballplaying due to his semipro activities, although he had already briefly played for the A’s under an assumed name in 1906. Collins appeared in 14 games in ’07 as a shortstop, his original position. He played more regularly for the A’s in 1908, appearing in 102 games at second base, shortstop, and in the outfield. He batted .273. He became the regular second baseman in 1909, hitting .347 with 30 doubles, 10 triples, 3 home runs, 56 RBIs, and 63 stolen bases. The A’s won the AL pennant in 1910 and Collins topped the circuit with 81 stolen bases as well as contributing a .324 average with 16 doubles, 15 triples, 3 home runs, and 81 RBIs. In the World Series triumph over the Cubs he hit .429. As part of “the $100,000 infield” along with first baseman Stuffy McInnis, shortstop Jack Barry, and third baseman Frank “Home Run” Baker in 1911, Collins batted .365 with 22 doubles, 13 triples, 3 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases as the A’s repeated as AL and World Series champions. Nicknamed “Cocky” due to his demeanor, Collins was an intelligent as well as highly skilled player, with an excellent batting eye and speed on the base paths as well as excellent defensive ability. His overly self-confident behavior alienated some teammates and caused dissension on the club. The A’s dropped to third place in 1912, although Collins had another outstanding season, batting .348 and topping the league with 137 runs scored. The club returned to the pinnacle in 1913 with the star second baseman hitting .345 and again leading the AL in runs scored with 125 while also knocking in 73 RBIs and stealing 55 bases. 

1914 Season Summary

Appeared in 152 games

2B – 152

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 659 [7]

At Bats – 526 [20, tied with Chick Gandil]

Runs – 122 [1]

Hits – 181 [4, tied with Stuffy McInnis]

Doubles – 23 [8, tied with four others]

Triples – 14 [6, tied with Bobby Veach]

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 85 [5]

Bases on Balls – 97 [2]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 31

Stolen Bases – 58 [2]

Caught Stealing – 30 [4]

Average - .344 [1]

OBP - .452 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .452 [4]

Total Bases – 238 [5]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 6 [11, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 28 [8]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +21 ahead of runners-up Eddie Murphy & Tris Speaker

League-leading batting avg. was +.006 ahead of runners-up Tris Speaker & Joe Jackson

League-leading OBP was +.029 ahead of runner-up Tris Speaker

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 10, 3B – 6, HR - 1, RBI - 24, AVG - .328, OBP - .428

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cleveland 6/12

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 2 AB) vs. Bos. Red Sox 6/29, (in 4 AB) vs. Detroit 8/20

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Detroit 8/20

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 764

Put Outs – 354

Assists – 387

Errors – 23

DP – 55

Pct. - .970

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. Boston Braves)

PA – 17, AB – 14, R – 0, H – 3, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 1, BB – 2, IBB – N/A, SO – 1, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .214, OBP - .313, SLG - .214, TB – 3, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: Chalmers Award

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Eddie Collins, PhilaA.: 63 pts. - 98% share

Sam Crawford, Det.: 35 pts. – 55% share

Frank Baker, PhilaA.: 17 pts. – 27% share

Donie Bush, Det.: 17 pts. – 27% share

Joe Jackson, Clev.: 15 pts. – 23% share

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A’s went 99-53 to win the AL pennant by 8.5 games over the Boston Red Sox while leading the league in runs scored (749), hits (1392), home runs (29), RBIs (627), batting (.272), on-base percentage (.348), slugging (.352), and total bases (1804). Lost World Series to the Boston Braves, 4 games to 0.

Aftermath of ‘14:

Following the stunning World Series defeat, Connie Mack began dismantling the A’s, part of which involved selling Collins to the Chicago White Sox for $50,000. With his new team in 1915, he continued to excel, hitting .332 with 77 RBIs and 118 runs scored. He also led all AL second basemen with 487 assists and a .974 fielding percentage. The White Sox contended in 1916, finishing a close second to the Red Sox. Collins contributed a .308 average along with 17 triples, 40 stolen bases, 52 RBIs, and 87 runs scored. In the field he topped all AL second basemen with 75 DPs and a .976 fielding percentage. The team won the pennant in 1917 while Collins batted .289, scored 91 runs, and was once again outstanding in the field. He hit .409 in the six-game World Series triumph over the New York Giants. He and the White Sox had a lesser year during the war-shortened 1918 season, after which he joined the Marines for the wrap-up to World War I. Discharged just prior to spring training in 1919, Collins was captain of the White Sox team that won the AL pennant and contained players that conspired to throw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, although he was not one of the conspirators. While the franchise reeled from the effects of the “Black Sox” scandal after 1920, Collins remained an effective player for several more seasons, even being the team’s player/manager for a time in 1924 and then full-time in 1925 and ’26. Following his dismissal as both manager and player after the 1926 season, he returned to the Athletics, where he was a reserve and pinch-hitter primarily in 1927, and a coach and occasional player from 1928 to ’30, after which he retired as a player at age 43.  Overall for his career, Collins batted .333 with 3315 hits that included 438 doubles, 187 triples, and 47 home runs. He further accumulated 1299 RBIs, scored 1821 runs, and stole 741 bases. With the A’s his numbers were a .337 average with 1308 hits, 172 doubles, 85 triples, 16 home runs, 496 RBIs, 756 runs scored, and 373 stolen bases. In World Series play he hit .328 in 34 games. Following his playing career, he became vice-president and general manager of the Boston Red Sox until 1947, four years prior to his death at 63. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. His son Eddie Jr. played for three undistinguished seasons for the Athletics.     

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.