Highlighted Year: Roy Thomas, 1902

Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  28

4^th season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’11” Weight: 145

Prior to 1902:

A native of Norristown, Pennsylvania, Thomas was raised by strict Christian parents who did not allow him to play baseball on Sundays, a practice he maintained even during his professional career. Following graduation from the Univ. of Pennsylvania, he played semipro ball locally until signing with the Phillies in 1899. A slender singles hitter with speed and no power, Thomas was an excellent bunter who was also adept at fouling off pitches that resulted in lengthy at bats and large numbers of walks, making him an ideal leadoff hitter. As a rookie he scored 137 runs, a record for a first-year player. He also batted .325 with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 47 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, and a .457 on-base percentage thanks to his drawing 115 walks. In 1900, Thomas led the NL in runs scored (132) and walks drawn (115) while hitting .316 with a .451 OBP. The NL adopted the foul-strike rule in 1901 which counted the first two foul balls in a plate appearance as strikes and a third bunt foul as an out to curtail batters from being able to foul off pitches endlessly to either draw a walk or wear down the pitcher, a common practice at the time. The rule did not curtail Thomas’ ability to draw walks as he again topped the league with 100 in 1901 while batting .309 with a .437 OBP and 27 stolen bases. One of his eight extra-base hits was a home run, the first of his career.  

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

CF – 138

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 626 [2]

At Bats – 500 [20]

Runs – 89 [6]

Hits – 143 [16, tied with Tommy Leach]

Doubles – 4

Triples – 7 [11, tied with five others]

Home Runs – 0

RBI – 24

Bases on Balls – 107 [1]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 53 [7, tied with Cozy Dolan & Billy Lauder]

Stolen Bases – 17

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .286 [18, tied with George Browne]

OBP - .414 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .322

Total Bases – 161

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 17 [10, tied with Homer Smoot & John Barry]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading bases on balls drawn were +31 ahead of runner-up Billy Lush

League-leading OBP was +.005 ahead of runner-up Fred Tenney

 Midseason snapshot: 3B – 4, HR - 0, RBI – 10, SB – 11, AVG - .295, OBP – .431

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Cards 7/14

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

Most HR, game – 0

HR at home – 0

HR on road – 0

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 on four occasions

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 308

Put Outs – 277

Assists – 23

Errors – 8

DP – 3

Pct. - .974

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The Phillies went 56-81 to finish seventh in the NL, 46 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates, while leading the league in fewest doubles (110), fewest home runs (5), and fewest stolen bases (108). Having suffered further defections to the American League, the Phillies, following a 5-1 start, struggled during May and after climbing to 28-31 by the end of June, suffered through a difficult July and August to settle into seventh place to stay.

Aftermath of 1902:

Thomas continued to be the National League’s walk and on-base percentage king in 1903, drawing 107 bases on balls and producing a .453 OBP. He also batted .327 with 14 extra-base hits and 17 stolen bases. A capable defensive outfielder, he led the league’s center fielders with 318 putouts and 19 assists. Thomas typically hit the ball to short left field and opposing teams utilized shifts against him. His speed and bunting ability helped to mitigate the effects of the defensive shifting, along with his ability to draw walks. And he continued to lead the NL in walks drawn in 1904 with 102. Batting .290 he had an OBP of .416, which ranked second in the league. His string of five straight seasons leading the NL in walks drawn was broken in 1905 when his total of 93 placed third. He hit .317 with a .417 OBP. Thomas returned to the top in 1906 with 107 walks drawn while his average dropped to .254 which led to a .393 OBP. His average dropped further to .243 in 1907 although his 83 walks drawn again led the circuit, but his OBP fell to .374. He remained a top center fielder. With his performance continuing to decline at age 34 in 1908, the Phillies sold Thomas to the Pittsburgh Pirates in June. He went on to bat .251 for the year with a .341 OBP. Waived by the Pirates during the 1909 season, he was picked up by the Boston Doves (now Atlanta Braves) and played in 82 games, hitting .263 with a .369 OBP. He returned to the Phillies in 1910 and batted .183 with a .266 OBP in 23 games at which point he retired. When injuries depleted the Phillies outfield in 1911, Thomas returned to the club and provided negligible production prior to retiring for good at age 37. For his major league career, spent almost entirely with the Phillies, Thomas batted .290 with 1537 hits that included 100 doubles, 53 triples, and 7 home runs. He further scored 1011 runs while drawing 1042 walks (leading the NL seven times) and compiling 299 RBIs, 244 stolen bases, and a .413 OBP. He became the only regular player in major league history to score three times as many runs as he accumulated in RBIs. His RBI total is the lowest of any player with over 1500 hits. 89.6 % of his hits were singles, also a record. Any analysis of his batting statistics provide a number of other anomalies, but his ability to get on base and score runs made him a star. He also had a career fielding percentage of .972. Following his playing career, Thomas coached at Penn and Haverford College. He was involved in several businesses both during and after his playing days. He died in 1959 at age 85.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Elmer Flick, 1901

Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies

Age:  25

4^th season with Phillies

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 168 

Prior to 1901:

A native of Bedford, Ohio, Flick was the son of a skilled mechanic and Civil War veteran. A fine natural athlete, he played several sports but preferred baseball and was a star hard-hitting catcher on the Bedford High School team. He joined the town team at age 15 and moved on to the Youngstown Puddlers of the Inter-State League in 1896. Shifted to the outfield, he made his own baseball bat which he used to good effect by batting .438. His play in the outfield was far less impressive. In 1897 he switched to the Dayton Old Soldiers, also of the Inter-State League. He performed better in left field and hit .386 while leading the league with 20 triples among his 183 hits that included 42 doubles and 10 home runs. He further scored 135 runs in 126 games and stole 25 bases. Signed by the Phillies in 1898, he started the season as an outfield reserve and then moved into the lineup due to an injury to right fielder Sam Thompson. Combining power with speed, the small and solidly built Flick batted .302 as a rookie with 16 doubles, 13 triples, 8 home runs, 81 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, and a .430 on-base percentage, which was helped by drawing 86 walks. In 1899 he hit .342 with 98 runs scored, 22 doubles, 11 triples, 2 home runs, 98 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .407 OBP. Flick topped the NL with 110 RBIs in 1900 while batting .367 with 32 doubles, 16 triples, 11 home runs, a .441 OBP, and a .545 slugging percentage.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 138 games

RF – 138

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 616 [9]

At Bats – 540 [13, tied with Claude Ritchey]

Runs – 112 [6]

Hits – 180 [9]

Doubles – 32 [6]

Triples – 17 [2]

Home Runs – 8 [4, tied with Ed Delahanty & Ginger Beaumont]

RBI – 88 [8]

Bases on Balls – 52 [9, tied with George Magoon & Monte Cross]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 56 [9, tied with Roy Thomas, Barry McCormick & Herman Long]

Stolen Bases – 30 [10]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .333 [9]

OBP - .399 [8]

Slugging Pct. - .500 [5]

Total Bases – 270 [5, tied with Sam Crawford]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 7 [15, tied with seven others]

Sac Hits – 13 [13, tied with five others]

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, 3B – 11, HR - 6, RBI – 52, SB – 13, AVG - .324, OBP – .393, SLG – .526

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Chi. Orphans 6/27, (in 5 AB) at St. Louis Cards 7/6, (in 5 AB) vs. Brooklyn 7/27

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 on eight occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 5

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Pittsburgh 5/16, vs. Cincinnati 6/24

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances – 313

Put Outs – 278

Assists – 23

Errors – 12

DP – 7

Pct. - .962 

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The Phillies went 83-57 to finish second in the NL, 7.5 games behind the pennant-winning Pittsburgh Pirates while leading the league in bases on balls drawn (430). Despite key player defections to the American League, the Phillies remained competitive through a 38-31 first half. Despite a 16-win September, they could gain no ground on the surging Pirates, who accounted for five of their 9 September losses. Having become adept at playing a shallow right field in the Baker Bowl, with its short dimensions, he also co-led NL outfielders with 23 assists.

Aftermath of 1901:

Making the jump to the AL in 1902, Flick signed with the Philadelphia Athletics but spent only 11 games with them before being sold to Cleveland, seeking to avoid the legal problems of others who jumped from the Phillies to the A’s. Playing in 110 games with Cleveland, he hit .297 with 19 doubles, 11 triples (including a record three in one game), 2 home runs, 61 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, and a .371 OBP. The production was strong again in 1903 as Flick batted .296 with 23 doubles, 16 triples, 2 home runs, 51 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. In 1904 he led the AL with 38 stolen bases while hitting .306 with 31 doubles, 17 triples, 6 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .371 OBP. Flick won the AL batting title in 1905 with a .308 average that remained the lowest for an AL/NL batting champion until 1968. He also led the league in triples (18), slugging (.462), and was second in OBP (.383). In 1906 he led in plate appearances (707), at bats (624), runs scored (98), triples (22), and stolen bases (39). Modest and a team player, he was liked by teammates and opponents alike, and was a fan favorite. At some point around 1907, the Tigers offered to trade outfielder Ty Cobb to the Naps (as the Cleveland team was called at the time) even-up for Flick, which the Naps turned down. Flick was beginning to develop health problems by this point that would soon shorten his career. 1907 proved to be his last outstanding season as he batted .302 with a league-high 18 triples, and a .386 OBP. A gastrointestinal illness sidelined him for all but nine games in 1908. Having lost weight, his batting power and speed were diminished. He hit .255 in 66 games in 1909 and .265 in 24 appearances in 1910 before being released in July, which ended his playing career. For his major league career, Flick batted .313 with 1752 hits that included 268 doubles, 164 triples, and 48 home runs. He scored 950 runs and compiled 756 RBIs, 330 stolen bases, a .389 OBP, and a .445 slugging percentage. With the Phillies he batted .338 with 683 hits, 400 runs scored, 102 doubles, 57 triples, 29 home runs, 377 RBIs, 119 stolen bases, a .419 OBP, and a .487 slugging percentage. Flick was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963. and died at the age of 94 in 1971. He was also inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. A statue was erected in his honor in the town square of Bedford, Ohio.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Danny Cater, 1968

First Baseman, Oakland Athletics

Age:  28

3^rd season with Athletics (2^nd complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 1968:

A native of Austin, Texas, Cater played football, as well as baseball, at William B. Travis High School. Following graduation in 1958, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a reported $24,000. Starting out with Johnson City of the Class D Appalachian League he played shortstop and was the short-season league’s Player of the Year after leading the circuit in runs scored (70), home runs (14), and RBIs (68). Earning a promotion in 1959 to Bakersfield of the Class C California League, Cater was shifted to second base and batted .308 with 38 doubles, 7 triples, 11 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .364 on-base percentage, and a .451 slugging percentage. Advancing to Williamsport of the Class A Eastern League in 1960, he hit .266 with 33 doubles, 12 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .303 OBP, and a .404 slugging percentage. He also played at first base and led all Eastern League first sackers with a .990 fielding percentage. Remaining with Williamsport in 1961, Cater made another position change, this time to second base, which didn’t bother his hitting as he batted .343 with 28 doubles, 9 triples, 16 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .382 OBP, and a .511 slugging percentage. He was named a league All-Star and in 1962 was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons of the Class AAA International League where he played third base and hit .288 with 21 doubles, 7 triples, 12 home runs, 67 RBIs, a .320 OBP, and a .424 slugging percentage. Low-key and laid back, he was told in the minors that he needed to be more of a “holler guy”, which did not fit his nature. With a high-pitched voice, he was referred to by teammates as the “Texas Tenor”. But his bat and versatility in the field worked in his favor. Staying in the International League with the Arkansas Travelers in 1963, Cater played in the outfield and batted .291 with 23 doubles, 5 triples, 14 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .324 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. A line-drive hitter with a closed stance, Cater made the Phillies as a utility player in 1964, seeing most of his action in left field and as a pinch-hitter. He appeared in 60 games and batted .296 as a rookie with 9 doubles, a home run, 13 RBIs, and a .325 OBP, although he missed significant time during the summer due to a broken arm. In the offseason he was sent to the Chicago White Sox as part of a trade for RHP Ray Herbert. Seeing considerable action in left field in 1965, Cater got off to a fast start with his hitting and finished at .270 with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a .316 OBP. His laid-back demeanor got him on the wrong side of new manager Eddie Stanky in 1966. Little used, he was hitting .183 when dealt to the then-Kansas City A’s late in May. Used regularly at first and third base as well as left field, he batted .292 for the A’s and ended up at .278 with 17 doubles, 7 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .317 OBP.  1967 was a chaotic season for the A’s off-the-field, which led to disappointing results on the field. Cater started the season at first base and eventually split time at third base and left field. Off to a good start offensively, he cooled off and finished at .270 with 17 doubles, 4 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .317 OBP. A beaning ended his season in mid-September. The franchise moved west to Oakland in 1968.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

1B – 121, LF – 19, PH – 16, RF – 2, 2B – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 550

At Bats – 504

Runs – 53

Hits – 146 [15, tied with Willie Horton & Del Unser]

Doubles – 28 [7, tied with Frank Howard]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 6

RBI – 62 [15, tied with Ken McMullen & Roy White]

Bases on Balls – 35

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 43

Stolen Bases – 8

Caught Stealing – 7 [14, tied with ten others]

Average - .290 [2]

OBP - .336 [15, tied with Joe Foy]

Slugging Pct. - .393 [20]

Total Bases – 198

GDP – 21 [2]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 4 [20, tied with twenty-one others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, HR - 3, RBI - 24, AVG - .263, OBP - .333

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Boston 7/15, (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/13, (in 5 AB) at California 9/1, (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 9/8

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 1 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Boston 5/29

Pinch-hitting – 5 for 12 (.417) with 3 R, 3 2B, 1 RBI & 3 BB

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 1058

Put Outs – 985

Assists – 68

Errors – 5

DP – 89

Pct. - .995

Awards & Honors:

19^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Tony Oliva, Minn. (5 points, 2% share)

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The relocated Athletics went 82-80 to finish sixth in the AL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in hits (1300), stolen bases (147), and batting (.240). The resurgent A’s.climbed as high as third place in June prior to a seven-game losing streak that moved them back into the middle of the pack. Still, they finished with their best record since 1952, when they were still in Philadelphia, which was not enough to save manager Bob Kennedy’s job. Attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a disappointing 837,466, presaging many years of mediocre returns at the gate. Cater became the regular first baseman during May and, in a season dominated by pitching, he challenged for the AL batting title. His .290 average placed second to Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski who won the batting championship with a record low figure of .301. He excelled defensively at first base where his .995 fielding percentage topped all AL first sackers.

Aftermath of 1968:

Cater was unable to sustain a strong start in 1969 and finished at .262 with 24 doubles, 10 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .296 OBP, while again performing well in the field. In the offseason he was traded to the New York Yankees for LHP Al Downing and catcher Frank Fernandez. He primarily started at first base in 1970, but also saw action at third. At bat he was leading the Yankees in batting and RBIs by the end of June and ended up hitting .301 with 26 doubles, 6 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .340 OBP, and a .393 slugging percentage. In 1971 Cater again split time between first and third base and batted .276 with 25 extra-base hits that included 16 doubles and 4 home runs, 50 RBIs, and a .308 OBP. Prior to the 1972 season Cater was dealt to the Boston Red Sox for relief pitcher Sparky Lyle. Playing at first base, he hit a disappointing .237 with 8 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .270 OBP. He was benched for a time in August. With Lyle starring for the Yankees, Cater became a target of fan disappointment. 20 pounds lighter in 1973, he saw scant action in returning to a utility role but batted a solid .313 with 24 RBIs and a .348 OBP. Following one more insignificant season with the Red Sox in 1974, Cater was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975 to back up young first baseman Keith Hernandez. Seeing scant action and being sent down to Class AAA, he was released in July, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career Cater batted .276 with 1229 hits that included 191 doubles, 29 triples, and 66 home runs. He scored 491 runs and compiled 519 RBIs, a .316 OBP, and a .377 slugging percentage. With the Athletics he batted .277 with 566 hits, 85 doubles, 12 triples, 27 home runs, 236 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .370 slugging percentage. Cater never appeared in the postseason and only received MVP votes in 1968. Following his playing career he worked in the Texas comptroller’s office. A versatile player who was typically a decent hitter, he came close to winning a batting championship in a pitching-dominated season.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Vic Power, 1955

First Baseman, Kansas City Athletics

Age:  27

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 186 

Prior to 1955:

A native of Arecibo in Puerto Rico, Power was born Victor Felipe Pellot and had his surname accidentally changed to Power by his first grade teacher. He played sandlot baseball and was signed to play for Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League at age 15 for $100 per week. Mentored by former Negro League player Quincy Trouppe he went to Quebec, Canada in 1949 to play for the Drummondville Cubs of the independent Provincial League where he drew the interest of a scout for the New York Yankees and signed a contract. Assigned to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League in 1951, Power batted .294 with 22 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .350 on-base percentage. Moving on to Kansas City of the Class AAA American Association in 1952, he played out of position in the outfield and at third base due to the presence of first baseman Bill Skowron. A line-drive hitter to all fields out of his low crouching stance, he batted .331 with 40 doubles, 17 triples, 16 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .553 slugging percentage. Agile, with excellent reflexes, and flashy in the field, he would make one-handed catches with a sweeping motion and was labeled a “showboat” or “hot dog” for his style. Power had another strong season with Kansas City in 1953, leading the league in batting (.349) and hits (217) while also producing 39 doubles, 10 triples, 16 home runs, 93 RBIs, a .380 OBP, and a .521 slugging percentage. His flashy style of play continued to draw criticism and Yankee GM George Weiss referred to him as “impudent” (he responded to rude criticism with sarcasm) and inappropriate in his conduct for dating white women. In the offseason he was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics as part of a multi-player swap. Utilized in the outfield as a rookie in 1954 Power batted a disappointing .255 with 17 doubles, 5 triples, 8 home runs, 38 RBIs, and a .287 OBP. With the move of the franchise to Kansas City in 1955, Power returned to the city where he had his most impressive minor league seasons and was now stationed full-time at first base.

1955 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

1B – 144, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 639 [9]

At Bats – 596 [6]

Runs – 91 [10, tied with Larry Doby]

Hits – 190 [3, tied with Harvey Kuenn]

Doubles – 34 [2]

Triples – 10 [3]

Home Runs – 19 [14, tied with Walt Dropo]

RBI – 76 [16]

Bases on Balls – 35

Int. BB – 6 [10, tied with nine others]

Strikeouts – 27

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 2

Average - .319 [2]

OBP - .354 [20, tied with Gene Woodling]

Slugging Pct. - .505 [4, tied with Larry Doby]

Total Bases – 301 [3]

GDP – 12

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 5 [18, tied with nine others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 18, 3B – 4, HR - 11, RBI - 42, AVG - .305, SLG - .500, OBP - .345

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 4/19, (in 4 AB) at Baltimore 8/4, (in 5 AB) at Boston 8/6

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 7

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 6 AB) vs. Detroit 7/3 – 14 innings

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Detroit 7/3 – 14 innings

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 3 (.333) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 1421

Put Outs – 1281

Assists – 130

Errors – 10

DP – 140

Pct. – .993

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

9^th in AL MVP voting (53 points – 1 first place vote, 16% share)

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The relocated Athletics went 63-91 to finish sixth in the AL, 33 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees, while leading the league in fewest stolen bases (22) and fewest walks drawn (462). The pitching-poor A’s lost seven of their first nine games which set the tone for a season in which they still finished higher than their final Philadelphia year and drew a healthy 1,393,054 fans to Municipal Stadium, which was over a million more than they drew in ’54.

Aftermath of 1955:

The arrival of veteran first baseman Eddie Robinson had Power appearing in 47 games at second base and still receiving an All-Star nod as he batted .309 with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, a .340 OBP, and a .447 slugging percentage. Primarily playing at first base in 1957, Power continued to excel defensively as he put together a 69-game errorless streak and committed only two miscues all year for a .998 fielding percentage while also leading the league’s first sackers with 99 assists. Nevertheless, his batting production dipped to .259 with 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .291 OBP. Still maligned for being temperamental and a malcontent (although not by teammates), he was traded to the Cleveland Indians during the 1958 season along with outfielder Woody Held for three players that included up-and-coming outfielder Roger Maris. Hitting .302 and In the midst of a 22-game hitting streak at the time of the deal, he ended up batting .312 with 37 doubles, a league-leading 10 triples, 16 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .332 OBP, and .490 slugging percentage. Two of his three steals were of home in the same game against Detroit, a rare feat and highlighted that he was a smart baserunner if not an especially fast one. He received a Gold Glove for his play at first base although he also saw significant time at second base with Cleveland. With the Indians contending in 1959, Power went on to another Gold Glove performance at first base but, following a fast start offensively, he finished at .289 with 31 doubles, 6 triples, 10 home runs, 60 RBIs, a .334 OBP, and a .412 slugging percentage. He performed well again in 1960, hitting .288 with 26 doubles, 10 home runs, 84 RBIs, a .313 OBP, and a .395 slugging percentage. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove recipient once again. In 1961 Power’s average dropped to .268 with 34 doubles, 5 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .309 OBP, although he remained a Gold Glove performer at first base. Just prior to the 1962 season Power was dealt to the Minnesota Twins along with LHP Dick Stigman for RHP Pedro Ramos. He proved to be a stabilizing influence with his outstanding defense that saved many errant throws from the club’s young infielders from becoming errors and also batted .290 with 28 doubles, 16 home runs, 63 RBIs, a .316 OBP, and a .421 slugging percentage. The Twins rose to second place. Power played very deep at first base and encouraged the infielders to throw to the base rather than to him directly. While his fielding remained solid in 1963 his batting production dropped to .270 with 28 doubles, 10 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .297 OBP. He started the 1964 season with the Twins but was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in June. Hitting .244 in September he was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies who had a pressing need for a veteran first baseman down the stretch as they attempted to nail down the NL pennant. For the year Power batted .239 with 17 RBIs and a .269 OBP. Reacquired by the Angels in the offseason, he was strictly a part-time player in his final major league season in 1965, hitting .259 with a .281 OBP while appearing in 124 games. For his major league career, Power batted .284 with 1716 hits that included 290 doubles, 49 triples, and 126 home runs. He scored 765 runs and compiled 658 RBIs, a .315 OBP, and a .411 slugging percentage. With the A’s he batted .290 with 655 hits, 287 runs scored, 100 doubles, 25 triples, 59 home runs, 246 RBIs, a .321 OBP, and a .435 slugging percentage. Power never appeared in the postseason. A six-time All-Star, he was awarded seven consecutive Gold Gloves. Following his playing career he returned to Puerto Rico where he conducted youth baseball clinics, managed a team, and scouted for the Angels. He died in 2005 at the age of 78. Baseball historians continue to recognize Power for his defensive excellence at first base.   

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Nap Lajoie, 1901

Second Baseman, Philadelphia Athletics

Age:  27 (Sept. 5)

1^st season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1901:

A Rhode Island native, Napoleon Lajoie (pronounced LAJ-way) was the son of a French-Canadian immigrant (and he thus was said to prefer the French pronunciation of his name as Lah-ZHWA). Due to his father’s early death, Lajoie had to drop out of school to go to work in a textile mill in 1885. Becoming interested in baseball, by 1894 he was playing semi-pro ball in the Woonsocket area while working part-time for an auctioneer. He later became a teamster while playing baseball on the side and became known locally as “the Slugging Cabby”. In 1896 he joined the Fall River Indians of the New England League where he played center field and batted .429 with 15 home runs before his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies for $1500. Converted to first base by the Phillies he appeared in 39 games and batted .326 with 12 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs, 42 RBIs, 7 stolen bases, a .330 on-base percentage, and a .543 slugging percentage. In his first full major league season in 1897 Lajoie led the NL in slugging percentage (.569) and total bases (310) while hitting .361 with 197 hits, 107 runs scored, 40 doubles, 23 triples, 9 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a .392 OBP. In 1898 he was shifted to second base where the graceful fielder excelled defensively and led the league’s second sackers with 442 putouts. He also led the NL in doubles (43) and RBIs (127) while batting .324 with 197 hits, 113 runs scored, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 25 stolen bases, a .354 OBP, and a .461 slugging percentage. With a smooth swing that allowed him to hit to all fields with decent power while rarely striking out, Lajoie continued his development in 1899, although an injury limited him to 77 games in which he hit .378 with 19 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 70 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, a .419 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. In 1900 he was sidelined for five weeks as the result of a broken thumb suffered during a fight with teammate Elmer Flick. In 102 games he batted .337 with 33 doubles, 12 triples, 7 home runs, 92 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, a .362 OBP, and a .510 slugging percentage. Incensed upon learning that he was being paid $400 less than teammate Ed Delahanty (despite the preseason assurances by Phillies owner John Rogers that they would be paid the same), Lajoie jumped to the American League in 1901, signing with the Athletics. While the Phillies went to court to stop the deal, Lajoie played for the A’s in 1901 while the case made its way through the court system.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 131 games

2B – 119, SS – 12, SS – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 582

At Bats – 544 [16]

Runs – 145 [1]

Hits – 232 [1]

Doubles – 48 [1]

Triples – 14 [8, tied with Socks Seybold]

Home Runs – 14 [1]

RBI – 125 [1]

Bases on Balls – 24

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 9

Stolen Bases – 27 [16, tied with Billy Hoy]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .426 [1]

OBP - .463 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .643 [1]

Total Bases – 350 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 13 [3]

Sac Hits – 1

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading runs scored were +25 ahead of runner-up Fielder Jones

League-leading hits were +42 ahead of runner-up John Anderson

League-leading doubles were +2 ahead of runner-up John Anderson

League-leading home runs were +2 ahead of runner-up Buck Freeman

League-leading RBIs were +11 ahead of runner-up Buck Freeman

League-leading batting average was +.086 ahead of runner-up Mike Donlin

League-leading OBP was +.051 ahead of runner-up Fielder Jones

League-leading slugging percentage was +.123 ahead of runner-up Buck Freeman

League-leading total bases were +71 ahead of runner-up Jimmy Collins

Midseason snapshot: 2B –24, 3B – 8,  HR - 5, RBI – 59, AVG – .421, OBP - .459, SLG - .624

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Washington 8/9

Longest hitting streak – 17 games

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 9

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Washington 8/9, (in 3 AB) at Washington 8/10

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 6 at Washington 7/1, at Cleveland 7/30

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (2B)

Chances – 808

Put Outs – 395

Assists – 381

Errors – 32

DP – 60

Pct. – .960

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In their first year of existence in a new league, the Athletics went 74-62 to finish fourth in the AL, 9 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago White Sox while leading the league in hits (1409), doubles (239), RBIs (665), and total bases (1927). The A’s languished in fifth and sixth place throughout July and August until rising to fourth during an 18-10 September capped by an 11-2 finish. RHP Eddie Plank quickly became a key component in the pitching staff, while Lajoie’s outstanding hitting boosted the offense. Hampered by bad weather, they drew 206,329 fans to Columbia Park,28,608 less than the NL Phillies, who finished second in their league.

Aftermath of 1901:

Prior to the 1902 season the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that Lajoie could not play in the state for any other team than the Phillies. While he played in one game for the A’s at the start of the 1902 season, A’s president and manager Connie Mack arranged for his transfer to Cleveland in order to keep him in the American League, although he was forced to sit out any games played in Philadelphia. He again won the AL batting championship (.378) while also hitting 35 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and producing 65 RBIs, a .419 OBP, and a .565 slugging percentage. The peace agreement between the NL and AL in the offseason ended any claim the Phillies had on Lajoie. To great popular demand the club began to be called the Naps in honor of its star player. He won the 1903 league batting title by batting .344. He also topped the league in slugging (.518). In addition, he produced 41 doubles, 11 triples, 7 home runs, 93 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .379 OBP. In 1904 he topped the circuit in batting (.376), OBP (.413), slugging (.546), hits (208), doubles (49), RBIs (102), and total bases (302). Lajoie, also commonly referred to as Larry, missed some games in 1904 due to being suspended after an altercation with an umpire. He would miss more games in 1905 after a spike wound in one leg led to blood poisoning from the blue dye in his sock which nearly led to amputation. His leg recovered, and limited to 65 games, he hit .329 with a .377 OBP and .418 slugging percentage. By this point Lajoie was the player/manager of the Naps, a position that would have a negative effect on his batting production over time, although in 1906 he led the AL in hits (214) and doubles (48) while batting .355 with a .392 OBP and .465 slugging percentage. His manner of hand signaling pitches to his outfielders from behind his back was easily discernible to opponents and he lacked the ability to instruct his players in aspects of the game that came easily to him (a commonality with great players who became managers). With a talented club he was unable to win the AL pennant as manager, although Cleveland was typically competitive. In 1907 he hit .301 with a .347 OBP and .395 slugging percentage and in 1908, a season in which the Naps closely contended for the pennant, he hit only .289 with a .352 OBP and .375 slugging percentage. During the 1909 season Lajoie resigned as manager as the club dropped to sixth place. Lajoie the player hit .324 with 33 doubles, 7 triples, a home run, 47 RBIs, a .378 OBP, and a .431 slugging percentage. He returned to top batting form in 1910, a season in which he became embroiled in controversy. Battling Detroit’s Ty Cobb for the AL batting championship late in the season, and with a new Chalmers auto to be awarded to the winner, Lajoie and the Naps played a double-header against the St. Louis Browns on the season’s last day and Lajoie trailing Cobb. St. Louis manager Jack O’Connor, not wanting Cobb to win, ordered his third baseman to play deep which allowed Lajoie to beat out seven straight bunts down the third base line for hits. He also hit a triple and one more bunt was ruled a sacrifice. Despite the effort to assist Lajoie, Cobb was awarded the batting title by the closest of margins although later research showed that Cobb was erroneously credited with two additional base hits. In 1981, following the discovery of the error, Commissioner Kuhn refused to retroactively award Lajoie the 1910 AL batting title even though the adjusted figures put him in front of Cobb, .383 to .382. Chalmers chose to award cars to both players, and although Lajoie initially resisted accepting the vehicle, his wife insisted and he received the car. In 1911 a tendon injury limited Lajoie to 90 games and he hit .365 with a .420 OBP. He stayed with Cleveland through 1914 when his average dropped to .258 due to declining eyesight. Sold to the Athletics, he played two last seasons in 1915 and ’16 as his production continued to drop. For his major league career, Lajoie batted .338 with 3243 hits that included 657 doubles, 163 triples, and 82 home runs. He scored 1504 runs and compiled 1599 RBIs, 380 stolen bases, a .380 OBP, and a .466 slugging percentage. Lajoie never appeared in the postseason. He was a minor league player/manager for a time and commissioner of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League. His record as a major league manager was 377-309. Lajoie was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. He died in 1959 at age 84.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Luis Arroyo, 1961

Pitcher, New York Yankees

Age:  34

2^nd season with Yankees

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 5’8”    Weight: 178 

Prior to 1961:

A native of Puerto Rico, Arroyo grew up in the Tallaboa section of Peñuelas and came to be nicknamed “El Zurdo de Tallaboa” (the Tallaboa Lefty) as well as “Tite”. For financial reasons he left high school in 1947 to accept a $500 bonus to pitch for Ponce of the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he would go on to have a long career. He lost both of his decisions and had a 4.19 ERA in his first winter season but improved in 1947-48 to 1-4 and a 2.46 ERA. A 1948 trip to a Florida baseball school resulted in his joining Greenville of the Class D Coastal Plain League where he posted a 9-13 record and 4.34 ERA with 170 strikeouts and 114 walks over 166 innings. Finishing the year with Greensboro of the Class C Carolina League, he compiled a 5-3 tally with a 3.04 ERA, 8 complete games, and 67 strikeouts with 39 walks over 93 innings. Back with Greensboro in 1949, Arroyo, who was nicknamed “Yo-Yo” as a play on his last name, had a fine season in which he went 21-10, including a no-hitter, with a 3.67 ERA and 228 strikeouts over 270 innings. Taken by the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason in the minor league draft, he was assigned to the Columbus Red Birds of the Class AAA American Association in 1950. But first, he pitched as usual in Puerto Rico during the winter and posted an 11-5 tally with a 1.82 ERA. With Columbus he appeared in 33 games (8 of them starts) and had a record of 4-4 and a 4.11 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 77 walks over 116 innings. It was back to Puerto Rico in the winter, and he had a fine season with a 13-8 tally and 2.48 ERA. With Columbus and Rochester in 1951 Arroyo’s record dropped off to 3-2 in 24 appearances with a 5.63 ERA. During the winter in Puerto Rico he put together a 10-10 tally and 3.09 ERA. He missed all of 1952 and ’53 due to a sore arm that deprived him of his fastball. When he returned to action in 1954 it was with the Columbus Cardinals of the Class A South Atlantic (or Sally) League where in 27 games (14 of them starts) he was 8-6 with a 2.49 ERA before being promoted to Houston of the Class AA Texas League where his record was 8-3 with a 2.35 ERA. He threw a no-hitter against Dallas and was now featuring a screwball, which would become his best pitch. In 1955 he made it on to the Cardinals pitching staff and got off to a fast 10-3 start that led to his being selected as an All-Star. A second-half slump left his season record at 11-8 with a 4.19 ERA, 9 complete games, and 68 strikeouts over 159 innings. Ineffective in 1956 spring training, Arroyo was sent down to Omaha of the Class AAA American Association from where he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in May. Splitting time between the Hollywood Stars of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he produced a 7-5 mark and 2.82 ERA and the Pirates, who were in need of lefthanded pitchers, he was 3-3 in 18 appearances with a 4.71 ERA. Arroyo spent all of 1957 with the Pirates and appeared in 54 games (10 starts) and compiled a 3-11 record and 4.68 ERA with 101 strikeouts over 130.2 innings. In 1958 Arroyo was back in Class AAA with the Columbus Jets of the International League where he made 61 appearances, almost exclusively in relief, and posted a 10-3 record and 4.01 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 110 innings. In the offseason he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds and spent most of 1959 with the Havana Sugar Kings of the International League where he pitched in 41 games and had an 8-9 tally with a 1.15 ERA and 94 strikeouts over 117 innings. In a brief July stint with the Reds he made 10 appearances and was 1-0 with a 3.95 ERA. After a successful winter season in Puerto Rico, Arroyo started 1960 with Jersey City (the relocated Havana club in the International League) until he was purchased by the Yankees in July. He performed well out of the bullpen during the remainder of the season, appearing in 29 games and producing a 5-1 record with 7 saves, a 2.88 ERA, and 29 strikeouts over 40.2 innings. He also got his first taste of postseason action in the World Series against Pittsburgh, facing four batters and giving up one run in his lone appearance.    

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 65 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 65 [1]

Games Started – 0

Games Finished – 54 [1]

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 15 [6, tied with five others]

Losses – 5

PCT - .750 [3]

Saves – 29 [1]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 119

Hits – 83

Runs – 34

Earned Runs – 29

Home Runs – 5

Bases on Balls – 49

Strikeouts – 87

ERA – 2.19 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 3

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading games pitched were +6 ahead of runners-up Turk Lown & Tom Morgan

League-leading games finished were +11 ahead of runners-up Frank Funk & Hoyt Wilhelm

League-leading saves were +11 ahead of runner-up Hoyt Wilhelm

Midseason Snapshot: 3-3, ERA - 2.01, G – 33, SV – 18, SO - 39 in 53.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 6 (in 3 IP) vs. Boston 7/8, (in 6.2 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/30, (in 4.2 IP) at Detroit 9/17

10+ strikeout games – 0

Batting

PA – 28, AB – 25, R – 2, H – 7, 2B – 2, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .280, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 18

Put Outs – 2

Assists – 15

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .944

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (World Series vs. Cincinnati)

GS – 0, GF – 2, CG – 0, Record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4, H – 4, R – 2, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 2, SO – 3, ERA – 2.25, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

6^th in AL MVP voting (95 points – 1 first place vote, 34% share)

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The Yankees went 109-53 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers. The pitching staff led the league in saves (39). The Yankees surged to the pennant in a season dominated by the home run race between outfielders Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. They won the World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1.

Aftermath of 1961:

The Yankees paid Arroyo $10,000 to not play winter ball following the 1961 season and, prone to be chunky, he put on weight in the offseason. An elbow injury limited him to 27 appearances and a 1-3 tally with a 4.81 ERA and 7 saves. He saw no action in the World Series against the Giants. Convincing the Yankees that it would be to his benefit, he pitched in Puerto Rico during the winter and was effective. Appearing in only six games for the Yankees in 1963, Arroyo was sent down to Richmond of the Class AAA International League in June and went on to pitch in 35 games. In September he announced his retirement and was hired as a scout by the Yankees. For his major league career, he appeared in 244 games and produced a 40-32 record with a 3.93 ERA, 45 saves, and 336 strikeouts over 531.1 innings. With the Yankees he made 127 appearances for a 22-10 tally and 3.12 ERA with 43 saves and 142 strikeouts over 199.1 innings. In addition, he won 110 games over 19 seasons in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Appearing in three World Series games, Arroyo went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA and 4 strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Arroyo was a two-time All-Star. Following his playing career, Arroyo managed in Puerto Rico in addition to his scouting duties. He died in 2016 at the age of 88. He would long be remembered as the star bullpen closer for the 1961 champion Yankees.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Al Orth, 1906

Pitcher, New York Highlanders

Age:  34 (Sept. 5)

3^rd season with Highlanders (2^nd complete)

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1906:

Born in Missouri and raised in Danville, Indiana, Orth pitched for DePauw University and then went on to play professionally for the Lynchburg Hill Climbers of the Virginia League in 1895 where he posted a 24-7 record with a 2.51 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 269 innings pitched. The Hill Climbers sold his contract to the Philadelphia Phillies for $1000. He pitched in 11 games (10 of them starts) in the remainder of the 1895 NL season with the Phillies and had an 8-1 tally and 3.89 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 88 innings. With the eighth place Phillies in 1896, his record was 15-10 with a 4.41 ERA, 19 complete games, and 23 strikeouts over 196 innings. With a deceptively easy delivery and excellent control, Orth’s pitches appeared to be slow and hittable, but his ability to change speeds managed to get hitters out with regularity. He was called “the Curveless Wonder” due to his lack of a breaking pitch and was a very good hitting pitcher who was occasionally used in the outfield between starts to keep his bat in the lineup. The Phillies remained a losing team again in 1897 and Orth’s record slipped to 14-19 and a 4.62 ERA with 64 strikeouts over 282.1 innings. The club improved to register a winning record in 1898 and Orth went 15-13 with a 3.02 ERA and 52 strikeouts with 53 walks over 250 innings. Along the way he pitched and won both games in a doubleheader against Brooklyn. In 1899 the Phillies finished in third place and Orth produced a 14-3 tally and 2.49 ERA with a mere 35 strikeouts and 19 walks across 144.2 innings. In 1900 he went 14-14 with a 3.78 ERA and 68 strikeouts over 262 innings. Orth posted a 20-12 tally in 1901 along with a 2.27 ERA and led the league by averaging 1.0 walks per nine innings with his total of 32 over 281.2 innings. He also tied for the NL lead in shutouts with 6. In the offseason he jumped to the new American League and signed with the Washington Senators. He had a disappointing season with Washington in 1902, producing a 19-18 record with a 3.97 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 324 innings pitched. He also led the league by surrendering 18 home runs, a huge number by “Dead Ball Era” standards. He still kept his walks to a minimum by averaging 1.1 bases on balls per nine innings with his total of 40. In 1903 Orth compiled a 10-22 tally and 4.34 ERA with 30 complete games and 88 strikeouts over 279.2 innings while walking 88 batters. Off to a 3-4 start in 1904, he was traded to the Highlanders in July and went a solid 11-6 the rest of the way for a combined record of 14-10 with a 3.41 ERA, 18 complete games, 70 strikeouts and 34 walks over 211.1 innings. He also learned to throw a spitball (a legal pitch at the time) and proved to be adept at using it, since it tended to break sideways rather than down. A contending team in 1904, the Highlanders dropped to sixth in 1905 but Orth, relying on his new pitch more, had a solid 18-16 tally with a 2.86 ERA, 26 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 121 strikeouts over 305.1 innings.  

1906 Season Summary

Appeared in 47 games

P – 45, RF – 1, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 45 [2]

Games Started – 39 [3]

Complete Games – 36 [1]

Wins – 27 [1]

Losses – 17 [7, tied with four others]

PCT - .614 [8]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [16, tied with five others]

Innings Pitched – 338.2 [1]

Hits – 317 [1]

Runs – 115 [8]

Earned Runs – 88 [7]

Home Runs – 2

Bases on Balls – 66 [15]

Strikeouts – 133 [9]

ERA – 2.34 [14]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 1 [1, tied with ten others]

Wild Pitches – 7 [8, tied with Jack Chesbro]

League-leading complete games were +1 ahead of runner-up George Mullin

League-leading wins were +4 ahead of runner-up Jack Chesbro

League-leading innings pitched were +5 ahead of runner-up Otto Hess

League-leading hits allowed were +2 ahead of runner-up George Mullin

Midseason Snapshot: 13-8, ERA – N/A, SO – 71 in 160.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) at Bos. Americans 9/4

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 8 IP) at Chi. White Sox 6/10

Batting

PA – 144, AB – 135, R – 12, H – 37, 2B – 2, 3B – 2, HR – 1, RBI – 17, BB – 6, SO – 8, SB – 2, CS – N/A, AVG - .274, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 122

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 101

Errors – 8

DP – 1

Pct. - .934

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The Highlanders went 90-61 to finish second in the AL, 3 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago White Sox. The Highlanders got off to a 3-0 start before going 2-8 for the remainder of April to drop into the league cellar. An 18-win May in which Orth went 6-1 pulled them into contention. Entering August at 54-34 and 1.5 games out of first, by mid-month they were locked in a tight battle with the White Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, and Cleveland Naps, but they slumped, most notably in losing four straight games at home to the White Sox while suffering from several key defensive lapses. A 15-game winning streak carried the club into September and that 20-win month’s surge included winning three of four games in a series in Chicago which could not keep them from ultimately losing out to the White Sox.

Aftermath of 1906:

The Highlanders dropped to 70-78 in 1907 and Orth posted a 14-21 record to lead the league in losses a year after topping the circuit in wins. His ERA was a respectable 2.61 and he pitched 21 complete games with 78 strikeouts over 248.2 innings. Orth was 2-13 with a 3.42 ERA in 1908 when the Highlanders released him in August. Returning to his home in Lynchburg, Virginia he became a part-owner and player/manager for the team. He returned to the Highlanders in 1909 as a second baseman and pinch-hitter who made only one ineffectual pitching appearance. Making 40 plate appearances he batted .265 with a .359 OBP in his final major league season. For his major league career Orth compiled a 204-189 record and 3.37 ERA with 324 complete games, 31 shutouts, 6 saves, and 948 strikeouts over 3354.2 innings. He issued only 661 walks to average 1.8 per nine innings. With the Highlanders he went 72-73 with a 2.72 ERA, 102 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 402 strikeouts over 1172.2 innings. He walked 230 batters for an average of 1.8 per nine innings. The good-hitting pitcher batted .273 with 61 doubles, 30 triples, 12 home runs, 184 RBIs, and a .289 on-base percentage. Following his playing career, he was a National League umpire for several seasons and was a coach at Washington & Lee University and VMI. He also served as a YMCA athletic director for troops stationed in France during World War I. Orth died in 1948 at the age of 76.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.