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. 

Highlighted Year: Norman “Kid” Elberfeld, 1904

Shortstop, New York Highlanders

Age: 29 (April 13)

2^nd season with Highlanders (first complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’7”    Weight: 158 

Prior to 1904:

An Ohio native who grew up in Cincinnati, Norman Elberfeld had little formal schooling and played hockey and baseball in his youth. After playing for an independent team in Clarksville, Tennessee in 1895, he joined the Dallas Navigators of the Texas Association in 1896 until a leg injury in May prematurely ended his season. Moving on to Richmond of the Atlantic League in 1897, he batted .335 with 45 stolen bases and the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies purchased his contract. A knee injury delayed Elberfeld’s first appearance with the Phillies in 1898 until May 30. He played in only 14 games for the Phillies until being sold to the Tigers (a club in the minor Western League at the time) where he hit .238 and established his reputation for aggressive and scrappy play. With Detroit in 1899, Elberfeld batted .308 with 23 stolen bases before the Cincinnati Reds bought his contract in August. Hindered by a back injury and experiencing difficulties with his fielding, he hit .261 and was unimpressive. Returning to Detroit in 1900, which was now part of the not-yet-major American League, he excelled in the field while batting .263 with 28 stolen bases. With the American League now a major league in 1901, Elberfeld was a key component of the “most aggressive and scrappiest” club in the new circuit as he hit .308 with 21 doubles, 11 triples, 3 home runs, 76 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, a .397 OBP, and a .428 slugging percentage. He led the AL’s shortstops in putouts (332) and double plays (62). Nicknamed “Kid” because he was an undersized player who played aggressively, Elberfeld followed up in 1902 by batting .260 with a .348 on-base percentage and ranked second among AL shortstops in putouts (67) and fourth in assists (459) and double plays (63). The NL’s New York Giants raided the Detroit roster and reportedly signed Elberfeld, whose temperament and style of play appealed to Giants manager John McGraw. The 1903 peace agreement between the leagues voided the deal and Elberfeld returned to the Tigers. He got off to a good start in 1903 but slumped both at bat and defensively, running afoul of manager Ed Barrow, who suspended him for “loaferish conduct” on June 2 and dealt him to the New York Highlanders (now Yankees) a few days later. He finished strong with the Highlanders, batting .287 in 90 games with a .346 OBP, 18 doubles, 5 triples, 45 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. Elberfeld got in trouble off the field by being charged with disorderly conduct for throwing a bottle (or knife) at a waiter in a hotel. A New York sportswriter dubbed him “the Tabasco Kid” for his hot temper and “peppery” style of play.

1904 Season Summary

Appeared in 122 games

SS – 122

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 512

At Bats – 445

Runs – 55

Hits – 117

Doubles – 13

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 2 [20, tied with sixteen others]

RBI – 46

Bases on Balls – 37

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 20

Stolen Bases – 18

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .263

OBP - .337 [14]

Slugging Pct. - .328

Total Bases – 146

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 13 [3]

Sac Hits – 16

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 6, HR – 2, RBI – 24, AVG - .292,. OBP - .367

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 5/14

Longest hitting streak – 6 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. Cleveland 5/11, (in 3 AB) vs. Detroit 7/20

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Cleveland 5/14

Fielding

Chances – 717

Put Outs – 237

Assists – 432

Errors – 48

DP – 44

Pct. - .933

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The Highlanders went 92-59 to finish second in the AL, 1.5 games behind the pennant-winning Boston Americans while leading the league in hits (1354) and fewest batting strikeouts (552). The scrappy Highlanders contended from the start and were locked in a tight battle with the Americans and Chicago White Sox in August. By September the race was between the Highlanders and Boston, as each took turns in first place. A half-game behind following two losses in a mid-September road trip to Boston, RHP Jack Chesbro, pitching on two days’ rest, put them ahead by a half-game with a home win in the climactic series against the Americans. With the team’s co-owner having rented out Hilltop Park to Columbia University for a football game, the next game in the series was transferred to Boston, creating a double-header to make up for a June rainout. Chesbro, instructed by manager Clark Griffith to remain in New York and rest up, took the train to Boston, insisted on starting, and was rocked by the Americans in the first game of the double-header.  Boston won the darkness-shortened nightcap as well to go up by 1.5 games as the clubs returned to New York for a season-capping double-header, which the Highlanders needed to sweep to capture the pennant. With Chesbro on the mound and the score tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth and a Boston runner on third, Chesbro uncorked a spitball that went over the catcher’s head and was scored a wild pitch, allowing the Americans to take the lead. New York was unable to score in the bottom of the ninth, giving Boston a 3-2 win and the pennant. (Later claims that Chesbro’s wayward pitch should have been ruled a passed ball on catcher Jack Kleinow, Elberfeld, who had an excellent vantage point to see the pitch from his shortstop position, was quoted as saying “that ball rode so far over Kleinow’s head that he couldn’t have caught it standing on a stepladder.”)  The Highlanders won the meaningless nightcap in 10 innings to finish 1.5 games back. Elberfeld damaged the club’s pennant chances due to missing numerous games due to injuries and suspensions for his conduct on the field.

Aftermath of 1904:

Elberfeld was adept at getting on base by being hit by pitches, all while appearing to be seeking to avoid being struck, and then berating the offending hurlers after being hit. In 1905 he batted .262 with a .329 OBP, 18 doubles, 18 stolen bases, and 53 RBIs. The Highlanders were strong pennant contenders in 1906, but Elberfeld was suspended for eight key September games following the second of two incidents involving him and umpire Silk O’Laughlin. For the year he hit .306 in 99 games with a .378 OBP. Fearless in the face of oncoming baserunners in turning double plays, Elberfeld was often spiked and began wearing a shin guard on his right leg in 1907. He also feuded with several teammates and ran afoul of owner Frank Farrell, who suspended him for several weeks in July and August due to lackadaisical play until he apologized to manager Clark Griffith. For the season he batted .271 with a .343 OBP, placed third among AL shortstops in putouts (295), and second in errors (52). Offered a $2700 contract in 1908, with a $1000 incentive bonus for staying out of trouble, Elberfeld suffered an injury that effectively ended his season on May 1. But with the forced resignation of Griffith as manager in June, “the Tabasco Kid” was named manager of the Highlanders with disastrous results. The club went 27-71 under his direction and he was replaced in 1909, although he remained as a player. Often playing at third base to reduce wear on his oft-injured legs, he hit .237 and was sold to the Washington Senators in the offseason. He lasted two seasons with Washington before being sold to Montgomery of the Southern Association in 1912. He played and managed for several more minor league seasons and proved effective at developing young talent. For his major-league career, Elberfeld batted .271 with 1235 hits that included 169 doubles, 56 triples, and 10 home runs. He scored 647 runs and compiled 535 RBIs, 213 stolen bases, 427 walks, and was hit by 165 pitches. His OBP was .355. With the Highlanders he batted .268 with 647 hits, 330 runs scored, 89 doubles, 28 triples, 4 home runs, 257 RBIs, 117 stolen bases, 182 walks, a .340 OBP, and was hit by 81 pitches. A fiery, aggressive, and temperamental player, he proved surprisingly adept at working with youths, and regularly directed baseball camps until his death at age 68 due to pneumonia in 1944. His five daughters were also very athletic and competed in various sports, forming a basketball team in Chattanooga called the “Elberfeld Sisters”. One wonders if they were as aggressive as their father.

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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.