Highlighted Year: Russ Ford, 1911

Pitcher, New York Highlanders

Age:  28 (April 25)

2^nd season with Highlanders

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1911:

A native of the Canadian province of Manitoba, Ford moved with his family to Minnesota. After high school he played for several minor league teams. Following a season in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in which he was with Springfield and Cedar Rapids, he broke out with an outstanding season for Cedar Rapids in 1906 in which he produced a 22-9 record. Moving on to the Atlanta Crackers of the Class A Southern Association in 1907 he compiled a 15-10 tally. Reliant on his spitball (a legal pitch at the time), in 1908 he began experimenting with a scuff ball, roughening the ball’s surface to cause it to dip oddly. Still with Atlanta he went 16-14 and was drafted by the Highlanders in 1909. Ford appeared in one game with New York in 1909 and pitched poorly, causing him to be sent to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Eastern League where he worked on his scuff pitch, concealing an emery board in his glove. His record for Jersey City was 13-13 with a 2.41 ERA and 189 strikeouts over 276 innings. He returned to the Highlanders in 1910 with far better results, posting a 26-6 tally with a 1.65 ERA, 29 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 209 strikeouts over 299.2 innings. In addition to his spitter and scuff ball, Ford threw a fastball and knuckleball.

1911 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37 [11, tied with Bob Groom]

Games Started – 33 [4, tied with Joe Wood]

Complete Games – 26 [3, tied with Jack Coombs]

Wins – 22 [7]

Losses – 11 [20, tied with four others]

PCT - .667 [7]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [19, tied with twenty others]

Innings Pitched – 281.1 [4]

Hits – 251 [6, tied with Tom Hughes]

Runs – 119 [8, tied with Walter Johnson]

Earned Runs – 71 [20, tied with Hippo Vaughn & Doc White]

Home Runs – 3 [19, tied with nine others]

Bases on Balls – 76 [11, tied with Joe Wood]

Strikeouts – 158 [5]

ERA – 2.27 [7]

Hit Batters – 4

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [19, tied with eight others]

Midseason Snapshot: 11-5, ERA – 2.30, SO - 69 in 133 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) at Cleveland 5/15, (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 9/30

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Detroit 5/11

Batting

PA – 112, AB – 102, R – 10, H – 20, 2B – 2, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 31, SB – 2, CS – N/A, AVG - .196, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 4, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 91

Put Outs – 16

Assists – 70

Errors – 5

DP – 0

Pct. - .945

Awards & Honors:

18^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Jack Barry, PhilA (3 points – 5% share)

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The Highlanders went 76-76 to finish sixth in the AL, 44 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in fewest shutouts (5). The Highlanders entered June at 18-21, having lost four straight games to the Athletics and Washington. A seven-game June winning streak (including one by Ford) pulled them up to third place, where they remained until July 8. The streaky club languished in fourth and stayed around .500 until they closed out the season with five straight losses.

Aftermath of 1911:

Ford slumped in 1912 and went 13-21 with a 3.55 ERA, 30 complete games, and 112 strikeouts over 291.2 innings. He topped the American League in the negative categories of earned runs surrendered (115) and home runs surrendered (11). His ERA dropped to 2.66 in 1913 but his won-lost record was a mediocre 13-18 as he dealt with a sore arm. Jumping to the Federal League in 1914, Ford produced a 21-6 tally and 1.82 ERA for Buffalo. With the emery pitch banned by the Federal League in 1915, his record dropped to 5-9 and a 4.52 ERA prior to being released in late August. He pitched for two more years in the minors before his playing career came to an end. For his major league career, Ford produced a 100-71 record with a 2.59 ERA, 126 complete games, 15 shutouts, 8 saves, and 710 strikeouts over 1487.1 innings. With the Highlanders/Yankees his totals were 74-56 with a 2.54 ERA, 100 complete games, 10 shutouts, 2 saves, and 553 strikeouts over 1112.2 innings. He died in 1960 at age 76. Ford was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. His brother Gene briefly pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1905. Thanks to his mastery of the scuff ball, Ford was an outstanding pitcher with the Highlanders for a short time.

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

Highlighted Year: Birdie Cree, 1911

Outfielder, New York Highlanders

Age: 28

3^rd season with Highlanders

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’6”    Weight: 150 

Prior to 1911:

A Pennsylvania native from a small town some 50 miles south of Pittsburgh, William F. Cree played football and baseball while pursuing a teaching degree at Southwestern State Normal School (now part of Pennsylvania Western University) in California, Pennsylvania. Graduating in 1903 he became a teacher prior to receiving a scholarship to Penn State in 1904. While playing baseball for a team in Washington, Pennsylvania during the summer prior to entering Penn State, Cree suffered an injury to his collarbone which was aggravated when he started football practice in the fall, which sidelined him for the season. Playing baseball for Penn State in 1905, he earned the nickname "Birdie”, likely due to his small size. Cree played semipro ball in the summer, using the name “Burde” as an alias. Continuing to earn money on the side during summers, he played for Burlington in the Northern independent League in 1906 and the Williamsport Millionaires of the Tri-State League in 1907 where he batted .297 with 35 stolen bases. Purchased by the Philadelphia Athletics following the season, he stayed with Williamsport in 1908, this time hitting .332 with 23 doubles, 14 triples, 3 home runs, and 26 stolen bases. Due to the club having an overabundance of shortstops, which had always been Cree’s position, he was shifted to the outfield. During the season he was sold by the Athletics to the Detroit Tigers, who traded him to the Highlanders. He appeared in 21 games with New York in 1908 and batted .269 with 2 triples, 4 RBIs, and a .345 on-base percentage. Appearing at all three outfield positions in 1909, Cree hit .262 with 11 extra-base hits, 27 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. In 1910 his production improved to .287 with 19 doubles, 16 triples, 4 home runs, 73 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, a .353 OBP, and a .422 slugging percentage. Along the way, he was beaned and knocked out by a fastball from Washington’s star RHP Walter Johnson but returned to the lineup the following day with no lingering effects.

1911 Season Summary

Appeared in 137 games

LF – 121, CF – 8, RF – 4, SS – 4, 2B – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 589

At Bats – 520 [20]

Runs – 90 [13]

Hits – 181 [8]

Doubles – 30 [10, tied with Jim Delahanty]

Triples – 22 [2]

Home Runs – 4 [8, tied with six others]

RBI – 88 [7]

Bases on Balls – 56 [16, tied with Jim Delahanty & Joe Jackson]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 61 [13]

Stolen Bases – 48 [3]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .348 [5]

OBP - .415 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .513 [4]

Total Bases – 267 [5]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3

Sac Hits – 9

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 15, 3B – 14, HR – 2, RBI – 45, SB – 26, AVG - .339, OBP - .403, SLG – .503

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Phila. A’s 5/27

Longest hitting streak – 16 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on four occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Washington 6/24

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 1 (1.000) with 1 2B & 2 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 274

Put Outs – 245

Assists – 19

Errors – 10

DP – 2

Pct. - .964

Awards & Honors:

6^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Tris Speaker, BosRS (16 points – 25% share)

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The Highlanders went 76-76 to finish sixth in the AL, 44 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in triples (96, tied with Detroit). The Highlanders entered June at 18-21, having lost four straight games to the Athletics and Washington. A seven-game June winning streak pulled them up to third place, where they remained until July 8. The streaky club languished in fourth and stayed around .500 until they closed out the season with five straight losses. Cree was tried again at shortstop, with disappointing results, before settling into left field.

Aftermath of 1911:

Battling a bad cold that caused him to briefly be hospitalized at the start of the 1912 season, Cree performed well once he returned to action until a broken wrist finished him for the year. Limited to 50 games, he batted .332 with 11 doubles, 6 triples, 22 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, a .409 OBP, and a .453 slugging percentage. The Highlanders were rechristened the Yankees in 1913 and Cree, still affected by wrist soreness, hit .272 with 25 doubles, 6 triples, one home run (which was a grand slam), 63 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, and a .338 OBP. He had an exceptional year defensively and led all AL outfielders with a .988 fielding percentage. In 1914 he reported to spring training overweight and out of shape and the Yankees, unable to work out a trade, released him to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. An offer of a three-year contract by Pittsburgh of the Federal League fell through but Cree batted .356 with a .406 OBP in 72 games for Baltimore although he was sold back to the Yankees in July. For the year with the Yankees he hit .309 in 77 games with 18 doubles,5 triples, 40 RBIs, and a .389 OBP. In 1915, he suffered a broken nose when hit by a ball during warmups and went on to a disappointing season in which he was limited to 74 games and batted .214 with 10 extra-base hits and a .353 OBP. Still overweight and with his performance deteriorating, Cree was released in 1916, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, played entirely with the Highlanders/Yankees, Cree batted .292 with 761 hits that included 117 doubles, 62 triples, and 11 home runs. He scored 345 runs and compiled 332 RBIs, 132 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. His performance in 1911 remained his best single season. Cree worked for a bank in Sunbury, Pennsylvania following his playing career and remained physically active while playing tennis and golf. He was also a fine billiards player and died in 1942 at age 60.

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

Highlighted Year: Russ Ford, 1910

Pitcher, New York Highlanders

Age:  27 (April 25)

1^st season with Highlanders

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1910:

A native of the Canadian province of Manitoba, Ford moved with his family to Minnesota. After high school he played for several minor league teams. Following a season in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in which he was with Springfield and Cedar Rapids, he broke out with an outstanding season for Cedar Rapids in 1906 in which he produced a 22-9 record. Moving on to the Atlanta Crackers of the Class A Southern Association in 1907 he compiled a 15-10 tally. Reliant on his spitball (a legal pitch at the time), in 1908 he began experimenting with a scuff ball, roughening the ball’s surface to cause it to dip oddly. Still with Atlanta he went 16-14 and was drafted by the Highlanders in 1909. Ford appeared in one game with New York in 1909 and pitched poorly, causing him to be sent to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Eastern League where he worked on his scuff pitch, concealing an emery board in his glove. His record for Jersey City was 13-13 with a 2.41 ERA and 189 strikeouts over 276 innings. He returned to the Highlanders in 1910 with far better results. 

1910 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36 [10, tied with Eddie Cicotte & Cy Morgan]

Games Started – 33 [5]

Complete Games – 29 [4]

Wins – 26 [2]

Losses – 6

PCT - .813 [2]

Saves – 1 [9, tied with twenty-one others]

Shutouts – 8 [2, tied with Walter Johnson]

Innings Pitched – 299.2 [4]

Hits – 194 [17]

Runs – 69

Earned Runs – 55

Home Runs – 4 [9, tied with six others]

Bases on Balls – 70 [14, tied with Barney Pelty]

Strikeouts – 209 [4]

ERA – 1.65 [7]

Hit Batters – 8 [17, tied with six others]

Balks – 1 [2, tied with ten others]

Wild Pitches – 5 [18, tied with six others]

Midseason Snapshot: 11-4, ERA – N/A, SO - 89 in 147.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/19, (in 9 IP) vs. Cleveland 8/30

10+ strikeout games – 4

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. St. Louis Browns 7/19

Batting

PA – 112, AB – 96, R – 8, H – 20, 2B – 1, 3B – 5, HR – 0, RBI – 7, BB – 9, SO – 33, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .208, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 6, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 89

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 75

Errors – 7

DP – 4

Pct. - .921

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The Highlanders went 88-63 to finish second in the AL, 14.5 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in saves (8) and fewest walks issued (364). Paced by Ford’s pitching, the Highlanders bounced between third and fourth place until mid-May, when they jumped into second. In first place from June 5 to 12 and then briefly on June 15, they were at 36-21 entering July. The club battled to stay in contention through August, and taking advantage of Detroit’s collapse, took over second place to stay on Sept. 27, although they remained well behind the Athletics.

Aftermath of 1910:

The Highlanders dropped in the standings in 1911, but Ford had another solid season as he posted a 22-11 record and 2.27 ERA with 26 complete games and 158 strikeouts over 281.1 innings. In addition to his spitter and scuff ball, he threw a fastball and knuckleball. Ford slumped in 1912 and went 13-21 with a 3.55 ERA, 30 complete games, and 112 strikeouts over 291.2 innings. He topped the American League in the negative categories of earned runs surrendered (115) and home runs surrendered (11). His ERA dropped to 2.66 in 1913 but his won-lost record was a mediocre 13-18 as he dealt with a sore arm. Jumping to the Federal League in 1914, Ford produced a 21-6 tally and 1.82 ERA for Buffalo. With the emery pitch banned by the Federal League in 1915, his record dropped to 5-9 and a 4.52 ERA prior to being released in late August. He pitched for two more years in the minors before his playing career came to an end. For his major league career, Ford produced a 100-71 record with a 2.59 ERA, 126 complete games, 15 shutouts, 8 saves, and 710 strikeouts over 1487.1 innings. With the Highlanders/Yankees his totals were 74-56 with a 2.54 ERA, 100 complete games, 10 shutouts, 2 saves, and 553 strikeouts over 1112.2 innings. He died in 1960 at age 76. Ford was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. His brother Gene briefly pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1905. Thanks to his mastery of the scuff ball, Ford was an outstanding pitcher with the Highlanders for a short time.

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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. 

Highlighted Year: Patsy Dougherty, 1904

Outfielder, Boston Americans/New York Highlanders

Age:  27

3^rd season with Americans

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1904:

A native of New York state, Patrick “Patsy” Dougherty was the son of an Irish immigrant who made a fortune thanks to the oil boom in the southwest of New York in the 1880s. The family moved to the town of Bolivar where Dougherty played high school baseball with Frank Gannett, who became the founder of the Gannett newspaper chain. From 1896 to 1901, the brawny and red-haired Dougherty played for several minor league teams in the Northeast. Originally a pitcher who played in the outfield when not on the mound, his hitting and speed caused him to become a full-time outfielder. Following the 1901 season he went to play winter ball in California (a common practice at the time). Joining a Los Angeles-based team managed by Jimmy Collins, the player/manager of the new American League’s Boston Americans (now Red Sox). The impressed Collins brought Dougherty back east to play left field for Boston in 1902. Despite missing some 30 games due to assorted injuries, Dougherty’s rookie major league season was a success as he batted .342 with a .407 on-base percentage, 20 stolen bases, and 77 runs scored, although his defense was far less impressive. A good hitter and excellent bunter, he followed up with an outstanding season in 1903, batting .331 while leading the AL with 195 hits and 107 runs scored. His .372 OBP ranked sixth. Boston won the AL pennant and Dougherty had the distinction of hitting two home runs and accounting for 5 RBIs as the Americans topped the NL-champion Pittsburgh Pirates. The Americans had new ownership in 1904 which led to a clash over salary with Dougherty, who was traded to the Highlanders in June for utility infielder Bob Unglaub in a deal which might well have been facilitated by AL president Ban Johnson to improve the league’s New York franchise, although Boston’s president declared that Dougherty was traded due to his poor defense and a quarrelsome attitude. 

1904 Season Summary

Appeared in 155 games (Boston – 49 /NYH – 106)

LF – 155

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 703 [2] (BOS – 224/ NYH – 479)

At Bats – 647 [1] (BOS – 195/ NYH – 452)

Runs – 113 [1] (BOS – 33/NYH - 80)

Hits – 181 [4] (BOS – 53/ NYH – 128)

Doubles – 18 (BOS – 5/NYH – 13)

Triples – 14 [10] (BOS – 4/NYH – 10)

Home Runs – 6 [4, tied with five others] (NYH)

RBI – 26 (BOS – 4/ NYH – 22)

Bases on Balls – 44 [13, tied with Sam Crawford & Matty McIntyre] (BOS – 25/NYH – 19)

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 64 [15, tied with Jesse Burkett] (BOS – 20/NYH – 44)

Stolen Bases – 21 [16, tied with Willie Keeler] (BOS – 10/ NYH – 11)

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .280 [11, tied with Buck Freeman] (BOS – .272/NYH – .283)

OBP - .329 [19, tied with Buck Freeman] (BOS – .355/NYH – .316)

Slugging Pct. - .379 [14, tied with Lave Cross & Jimmy Collins] (BOS – .338/NYH – .396)

Total Bases – 245 [5, tied with Danny Murphy] (BOS – 66/ NYH – 179)

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3 (NYH)

Sac Hits – 7 (BOS – 3/ NYH – 4)

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading at bats were +16 ahead of runner-up Jimmy Collins

League-leading runs scored were +16 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

Midseason snapshot: 3B – 8, HR - 2, RBI - 10, SB – 13, AVG - .282, OBP – .352

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 6 AB) at Washington 6/22

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 6

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 2 vs. Bos. Americans 7/11, at Washington 6/22

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (combined)

Chances – 268

Put Outs – 230

Assists – 18

Errors – 20

DP – 4

Pct. – .925

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The Americans (aka Pilgrims) went 95-59 to win the AL pennant by 1.5 games over the New York Highlanders, while leading the league in triples (105). The Americans started fast and were in first place from April 19 to August 4, weathering the unpopular June trade of Dougherty to New York with no ill effects. From that point they were locked in a tight battle with the Highlanders and White Sox. Heading into September the race narrowed to the Americans and Highlanders, as each took turns in first place. A half-game in front following a three-game sweep of the White Sox, the Americans headed to New York for a season-ending series.  New York pulled ahead by a half-game with a win in the first game. With New York’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. Boston swept the Saturday double-header to go up by 1.5 games as the clubs returned to New York for a season-capping double header on Monday, with the Americans needing just one win to secure the pennant. With 41-game winner Jack Chesbro on the mound for New York 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. The Highlanders won the meaningless nightcap in 10 innings.

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 as Dougherty struck out for the final out with a runner on second, giving Boston a 3-2 win and the pennant. The Highlanders won the meaningless nightcap in 10 innings to finish 1.5 games back.

Aftermath of 1904:

In a season in which AL batting averages in general dropped, Dougherty’s fell to .263 with a .319 OBP and 56 runs scored in 1905 as the Highlanders dropped to sixth place. With his offense and defensive performance continuing to slide in 1906, Dougherty clashed with manager Clark Griffith (including a fistfight on one occasion). Hitting only .192 after 12 games, he quit the team and was suspended by the American League. The Chicago White Sox, managed by Fielder Jones, who had known Dougherty since their days playing for town teams in New York state, purchased his contract in July and got him reinstated. In 75 games for the White Sox Dougherty hit .233 and improved his play in the outfield. Chicago’s “Hitless Wonders”, getting by on speed and defense, won the AL pennant. In the World Series upset of the Cubs, Dougherty had only two hits in 20 at bats (.100) and his three walks pulled his OBP up to .217. In 1907 his batting improved to .270 with a .322 OBP and 33 stolen bases as the White Sox remained in contention until the last week of the season. The White Sox became involved in a hot pennant race in 1908 with Detroit and Cleveland and Dougherty hit .278 with a .367 OBP and led the league with 47 stolen bases. For the second time in his career, he broke up a no-hitter when his seventh-inning single ended a no-hit bid by Joe Lake of the Highlanders. In 1909 he was the top hitter for the fourth-place White Sox, batting .285 with 23 doubles, 13 triples, 55 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .359 OBP helped by drawing 51 walks. With the White Sox embarking on a youth movement in 1910, the 33-year-old Dougherty was the oldest regular starting player and hit .248 with 43 RBIs and a .318 OBP. He was afflicted by health problems that lingered into 1911, although he batted .289 in 76 games in what proved to be his final season. He retired as one of the wealthiest major league players at the time due to his investment in oil wells and various businesses in Bolivar, New York. For his major league career, he batted .284 with 1294 hits that included 138 doubles, 78 triples, and 17 home runs. He scored 678 runs and compiled 413 RBIs, 261 stolen bases, and a .346 OBP. With the Highlanders he batted .269 with 248 hits, 139 runs scored, 55 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and a .311 OBP. He went into banking following his playing career, also serving as president of the Class D Inter-State League in 1916. He died of a heart attack in 1940 at age 63.

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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: Jack Chesbro, 1904

Pitcher, New York Highlanders

Age:  30 (June 5)

2^nd season with Highlanders

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 163 

Prior to 1904:

A Massachusetts native, Chesbro was called “Chad” by his family. Performing well for amateur baseball teams, he joined a team in Middletown, New York called the Asylums (because it represented the state mental hospital) in 1894. He worked with patients and pitched for the team, developing his skills. He also acquired his long-lasting nickname of “Happy Jack” due to his pleasant disposition. He went professional in 1895 with Albany of the New York State League and was 5-1 at the point the club folded in May. He then caught on with Jamestown in the same league and went 2-9 before the circuit disbanded in July. Signing on next with Springfield of the Eastern League, Chesbro lasted only seven games before being released. Despite a 3-0 record, he walked 23 batters and gave up 34 hits in 33 innings pitched. After finishing up the year pitching semipro ball, he joined Roanoke of the Virginia League in 1896. He produced an 8-11 tally with a 1.81 ERA prior to the team folding in August, and returned to Cooperstown, New York to pitch semiprofessionally. Signing on with Richmond of the Atlantic League in 1897, Chesbro went 16-18 with a 1.80 ERA and 99 strikeouts over 289.1 innings. With Richmond in 1898 he compiled a 23-15 record and was drafted by Baltimore of the National League. He didn’t sign and returned to Richmond in 1899. With a 17-4 tally by July, his contract was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates. His record in 19 appearances with the Pirates was a disappointing 6-9 with a 4.11 ERA and 28 strikeouts along with 59 walks over 149 innings. Traded to Louisville in the offseason, he found himself back with Pittsburgh when the National League dissolved the Louisville club as part of the contraction from 12 to 8 teams, and Chesbro was returned to the Pirates. Initially refusing to report for spring training in 1900 (not reporting to spring training on time and threatening retirement became a regular routine during his major league career), he eventually joined the club and went on to an improved performance in 1900, finishing at 15-13 with a 3.67 ERA, 20 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 56 strikeouts in 215.2 innings pitched. “Happy Jack” was 21-10 for the pennant-winning Pirates in 1901 with a 2.38 ERA and tied for the league lead with 6 shutouts. He also recorded 129 strikeouts in 287.2 innings pitched. Pittsburgh again finished on top of the NL in 1902 and Chesbro again co-led the NL in shutouts with 8 to go along with a 28-6 record, 31 complete games, and 136 strikeouts over the course of 286.1 innings. Participating in an all-star tour of the west coast in the offseason, he was first shown how to throw a spitball (a legal pitch at that time). Up to this time he had been relying on his outstanding fastball. Jumping to the American League Highlanders in 1903, he produced a 21-15 tally with 33 complete games and 147 strikeouts as he added his new pitch to his arsenal. New York manager Clark Griffith disliked the spitball and didn’t give permission to Chesbro to use it as his primary pitch until the 1904 season. Having slimmed down from his usual playing weight of 180 pounds, he also added a very effective change-of-pace “slow ball” to his repertoire along with his fastball and spitter.  

1904 Season Summary

Appeared in 56 games

P – 55, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 55 [1]

Games Started – 51 [1]

Complete Games – 48 [1]

Wins – 41 [1]

Losses – 12

PCT - .774 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 6 [6, tied with Nick Altrock, Red Donahue & Fred Glade]

Innings Pitched – 454.2 [1]

Hits – 338 [4]

Runs – 128 [7]

Earned Runs – 92 [10]

Home Runs – 4 [14, tied with George Winter]

Bases on Balls – 88 [7]

Strikeouts – 239 [2]

ERA – 1.82 [4]

Hit Batters – 7

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 9 [6, tied with Barney Pelty, Norwood Gibson & Ed Siever

League-leading games pitched were +8 ahead of runner-up Jack Powell

League-leading games started were +5 ahead of runner-up Rube Waddell

League-leading complete games were +6 ahead of runner-up George Mullin

League-leading wins were +15 ahead of runners-up Cy Young & Eddie Plank

League-leading win percentage was +.118 ahead of runner-up Jesse Tannehill

League-leading innings pitched were +64.1 ahead of runner-up Jack Powell

Midseason Snapshot: 21-5, ERA - 1.95, SO - 111 in 235 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) at Detroit 8/3

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) at Washington 4/22

Batting

PA – 182, AB – 174, R – 17, H – 41, 2B – 9, 3B – 3, HR – 1, RBI – 17, BB – 4, SO – 43, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .236, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 3, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 202

Put Outs – 24

Assists – 166

Errors – 12

DP – 7

Pct. - .941

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The Highlanders went 92-59 to finish second in the AL, 1.5 games behind the pennant-winning Boston Americans. The scrappy Highlanders contended from the start and were locked in a tight battle with the Americans and Chicago White Sox in August, aided by Chesbro winning 14 straight decisions from May 14 to July 4. 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, 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. The Highlanders won the meaningless nightcap in 10 innings to finish 1.5 games back. In the resulting controversy over Chesbro’s wild pitch, some blamed the catcher, and other witnesses insisted that the catcher could not possibly have reached the wayward pitch that lost a pennant for the Highlanders.

Aftermath of 1904:

Having demonstrated his durability with his outstanding 1904 season, a sore arm prevented Chesbro from going on an offseason tour. He also missed spring training in 1905 to coach at Harvard and his weight rose to 200 pounds. Insisting that the spitball and resulting alteration of his pitching motion, was not the cause of his arm trouble, Chesbro struggled to a 19-15 record in 1905 with a 2.20 ERA and 156 strikeouts while accumulating 303.1 innings. Reporting to spring training on time in 1906 he produced a 23-17 tally with a 2.96 ERA and 152 strikeouts over 325 innings pitched. Threatening to retire in 1907 to tend to his business interests that included a farm and a sawmill, Chesbro joined the Highlanders two weeks into the season and had a disappointing 10-10 record with a 2.53 ERA, while pitching 206 innings and striking out 78 batters. His 1908 tally with the last-place Highlanders was 14-20 with a 2.93 ERA, 288.2 innings pitched, and 124 strikeouts. Appearing in only nine games with a 0-4 mark in 1909, he was waived by the Highlanders in September and made one appearance with the Red Sox, which was a loss and effectively marked the end of his major league career. Unwanted by either club in 1910, and refusing an assignment to the minors, he stayed home in Massachusetts and pitched for a semipro team. For his major league career, Chesbro produced a 198-132 record and a 2.68 ERA with 260 complete games, 35 shutouts, and 1265 strikeouts over 2896.2 innings. With the Highlanders he was 128-93 with a 2.58 ERA, 168 complete games, 18 shutouts, and 913 strikeouts in 1952 innings pitched. His impressive 1904 performance was his best despite the disappointing ending. He coached at Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts) in 1911 and attempted a comeback as a major league pitcher in 1912 but was unable to catch on with a team. His last job in organized baseball was as a coach for the Washington Senators in 1924. He died of a heart attack in 1931 at age 57, 15 years before he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. His widow wrote articles and letters insisting that his infamous 1904 wild pitch should have been ruled a passed ball, to no avail.

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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.