1.
American League
–
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League, is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a league based in the Great Lakes states. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season,25 years after the formation of the National League. At the end of season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion. Through 2016, American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903, the 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles, the most in the history, followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Originally a minor league known as the Western League, the American League later developed into a major league after the American Association disbanded, in its early history, the Western League struggled until 1894, when Ban Johnson became the president of the league. Johnson led the Western League into major league status and soon became the president of the newly renamed American League, babe Ruth, noted as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history, spent the majority of his career in the American League. The American League has one notable difference versus the National League, in 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St. Louis and were renamed the St. Louis Browns. In 1902, The Cleveland Bluebirds were also renamed the Cleveland Broncos, in 1903, the Broncos were renamed the Cleveland Naps. In 1915, the Naps were renamed the Cleveland Indians, in 1903, the Baltimore Orioles moved to New York and were renamed the New York Highlanders. In 1913, the Highlanders were renamed the New York Yankees, in 1904, the Chicago White Stockings were renamed the Chicago White Sox. In 1908, the Boston Americans were renamed the Boston Red Sox, in 1954, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and were renamed as the Baltimore Orioles. In 1955, the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City and were renamed as the Kansas City Athletics, in 1961, the league expanded and added two teams as the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators, expanding the league to 10 teams. The original Senators team moved to Minneapolis/St, Paul in 1961 and were renamed as the Minnesota Twins. The Angels team name changed to the California Angels in 1966, then to the Anaheim Angels in 1997, the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots were added to the American League, expanding the league to 12 teams. In 1970, the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee and were renamed the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1972, the Washington Senators relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and were renamed the Texas Rangers. In 1977, the league expanded to fourteen teams, when the Seattle Mariners, in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays was added to the American League and at the same time, the Milwaukee Brewers were switched to the National League, leaving the American League with 14 teams
2.
Bennett Park (Detroit)
–
Bennett Park was a ballpark, named after Charlie Bennett, that formerly existed in Detroit, Michigan, at Michigan and Trumbull. It was home to the Detroit Tigers, the ballclub began play here in the minor Western League with a 17-2 win over the Columbus Senators on April 28,1896. That league was renamed the American League in 1900 but was officially a minor league. The AL declared itself a major starting in 1901. Bennett Park was home to the first nighttime game in Detroit. On September 24,1896, the Tigers played their last game of their first season at Bennett Park, Tigers owner George Arthur Vanderbeck had workers string lights above the stadium for the nighttime game. Nighttime baseball wouldnt return to Detroit until June 15,1948, the ballpark sat 5,000 when opened in 1896 and was gradually expanded to 14,000 by the time it was closed after the 1911 season. That did not count the wildcat bleachers that were built on the rooftops of houses behind the left field fence and this small ballpark enjoyed some big success, as the Tigers and their young sensation Ty Cobb won three consecutive pennants during 1907–1909. Unfortunately, their success ran out in the post-season on each occasion and this ballpark is hallowed ground to fans of the Chicago Cubs, as it was on this site in both 1907 and 1908 that the Cubs clinched their first two World Series championships. Baseball-Almanac. com Past Tigers Venues A New Field of Dreams for Detroit
3.
Detroit
–
Detroit is the most populous city in the U. S. state of Michigan, the fourth-largest city in the Midwest and the largest city on the United States–Canada border. It is the seat of Wayne County, the most populous county in the state, the municipality of Detroit had a 2015 estimated population of 677,116, making it the 21st-most populous city in the United States. Roughly one-half of Michigans population lives in Metro Detroit alone, the Detroit–Windsor area, a commercial link straddling the Canada–U. S. Border, has a population of about 5.7 million. Detroit is a port on the Detroit River, a strait that connects the Great Lakes system to the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The Detroit Metropolitan Airport is among the most important hubs in the United States, the City of Detroit anchors the second-largest economic region in the Midwest, behind Chicago, and the thirteenth-largest in the United States. Detroit and its neighboring Canadian city Windsor are connected through a tunnel and various bridges, Detroit was founded on July 24,1701 by the French explorer and adventurer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and a party of settlers. During the 19th century, it became an important industrial hub at the center of the Great Lakes region, with expansion of the American automobile industry in the early 20th century, the Detroit area emerged as a significant metropolitan region within the United States. The city became the fourth-largest in the country for a period, in the 1950s and 1960s, suburban expansion continued with construction of a regional freeway system. A great portion of Detroits public transport was abandoned in favour of becoming a city in the post-war period. Due to industrial restructuring and loss of jobs in the auto industry, between 2000 and 2010 the citys population fell by 25 percent, changing its ranking from the nations 10th-largest city to 18th. In 2010, the city had a population of 713,777 and this resulted from suburbanization, corruption, industrial restructuring and the decline of Detroits auto industry. In 2013, the state of Michigan declared an emergency for the city. Detroit has experienced urban decay as its population and jobs have shifted to its suburbs or elsewhere, conservation efforts managed to save many architectural pieces since the 2000s and allowed several large-scale revitalisations. More recently, the population of Downtown Detroit, Midtown Detroit, paleo-Indian people inhabited areas near Detroit as early as 11,000 years ago. In the 17th century, the region was inhabited by Huron, Odawa, Potawatomi, for the next hundred years, virtually no British, colonist, or French action was contemplated without consultation with, or consideration of the Iroquois likely response. When the French and Indian War evicted the Kingdom of France from Canada, the 1798 raids and resultant 1799 decisive Sullivan Expedition reopened the Ohio Country to westward emigration, which began almost immediately, and by 1800 white settlers were pouring westwards. By 1773, the population of Detroit was 1,400, by 1778, its population was up to 2,144 and it was the third-largest city in the Province of Quebec
4.
Michigan
–
Michigan /ˈmɪʃᵻɡən/ is a state in the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of the United States. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, Michigan is the tenth most populous of the 50 United States, with the 11th most extensive total area. Its capital is Lansing, and its largest city is Detroit, Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is noted to be shaped like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, the two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge. The state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, as a result, it is one of the leading U. S. states for recreational boating. Michigan also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds, a person in the state is never more than six miles from a natural water source or more than 85 miles from a Great Lakes shoreline. What is now the state of Michigan was first settled by Native American tribes before being colonized by French explorers in the 17th century, the area was organized as part of the larger Northwest Territory until 1800, when western Michigan became part of the Indiana Territory. Eventually, in 1805, the Michigan Territory was formed, which lasted until it was admitted into the Union on January 26,1837, the state of Michigan soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region and a popular immigrant destination. Though Michigan has come to develop an economy, it is widely known as the center of the U. S. automotive industry. When the first European explorers arrived, the most populous tribes were Algonquian peoples, which include the Anishinaabe groups of Ojibwe, Odaawaa/Odawa, the three nations co-existed peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires. The Ojibwe, whose numbers are estimated to have been between 25,000 and 35,000, were the largest, French voyageurs and coureurs des bois explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what became Michigan were those of Étienne Brûlés expedition in 1622, the first permanent European settlement was founded in 1668 on the site where Père Jacques Marquette established Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan as a base for Catholic missions, missionaries in 1671–75 founded outlying stations at Saint Ignace and Marquette. Jesuit missionaries were received by the areas Indian populations, with relatively few difficulties or hostilities. In 1679, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle built Fort Miami at present-day St. Joseph, in 1691, the French established a trading post and Fort St. Joseph along the St. Joseph River at the present day city of Niles. The hundred soldiers and workers who accompanied Cadillac built a fort enclosing one arpent, cadillacs wife, Marie Thérèse Guyon, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of the first European women to settle in the Michigan wilderness. The town quickly became a major fur-trading and shipping post, the Église de Saint-Anne was founded the same year
5.
Samuel F. Angus
–
Samuel Floyd Angus was an American business owner and professional sports team owner. He was the owner of the Detroit Tigers of the American League from November 1901 through October 1903. Angus began his career as an agent in Ohio. He subsequently entered the insurance business, first as an agent. In November 1901, he led a syndicate that acquired the Detroit Tigers from James D. Burns and he purchased majority interest in 1902 and owned the team until late 1903. Angus was born in 1855 at Prairie Depot in Monroe County, Ohio and he was the son of Stephen and Lillie Angus. He began his career as an agent, traveling through Ohio. Angus later credited his work as an agent with his development as a businessman. It was a road to travel and necessitated close study of human nature. I learned to read mens faces, to know their moods and it necessitated a great deal of reading as well, for I found the great way to draw men out and get them interested was to catch them by sounding their favorite style of books. I had to be well informed to talk intelligently, and I think the experience had much to do toward broadening my views of life generally. In his work as an agent, he was located variously in Toledo, Wheeling. While living in Cleveland, Angus became involved in the insurance business. He moved to Detroit in 1892 or 1893 where he continued to work as an insurance agent. He ultimately became regional manager for National Life Insurance Co. Angus also became involved in promoting and building electric railways in Ohio and Michigan. In 1899, Angus, along with partner Henry A. Haigh, built the Toledo, the Toledo line was an interurban railway running 61 miles from Toledo to Fremont, Ohio, with Angus serving as the railways first president. It later became part of the Lake Shore Electric Railway, in approximately 1898, Angus also promoted and built the Detroit, Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor & Jackson Railway. The Ypsi-Ann allowed passengers to take cars from Detroit to stops 79 miles west of the city, including Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Chelsea
6.
Ed Barrow
–
Edward Grant Barrow was an American manager and front office executive in Major League Baseball. He served as the manager of the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. He served as manager of the New York Yankees from 1921 to 1939 and as team president from 1939 to 1945. Barrow was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, born in a covered wagon in Springfield, Illinois, Barrow worked as a journalist and soap salesman before entering the business of baseball by selling concessions at games. From there, Barrow purchased minor league teams, also serving as team manager. After managing the Tigers in 1903 and 1904 and returning to the leagues, Barrow became disenchanted with baseball. Barrow returned to baseball in 1910 as president of the Eastern League, after a seven-year tenure, Barrow managed the Red Sox from 1918 through 1920, leading the team to victory in the 1918 World Series. When Red Sox owner Harry Frazee began to sell his star players, during his quarter-century as their baseball operations chief, the Yankees won 14 AL pennants and 10 World Series titles. Barrow was born in Springfield, Illinois, the oldest of four children, all male, born to Effie Ann Vinson-Heller, Barrows father fought in the Ohio Volunteer Militia during the American Civil War. Following the war, Barrows parents, with Johns mother, brothers, the Barrows lived in Nebraska for six years before moving to Des Moines, Iowa. His middle name, Grant, was bestowed on him in honor of Ulysses S. Grant, Barrow worked as mailing clerk for the Des Moines News in 1887, receiving a promotion to circulation manager within a year. He became a reporter for the Des Moines Leader after graduating high school. He became city editor, earning $35 a week, in his last two years living in Des Moines, Barrow established a baseball team, which included future baseball stars Fred Clarke, Ducky Holmes, and Herm McFarland. Barrow moved to Pittsburgh in 1889, where he worked as a soap salesman, however, Barrow lost all of money in this business, and went to work as a desk clerk in a Pittsburgh hotel. Barrow partnered with Harry Stevens in 1894 to sell concessions at baseball games and he helped George Moreland form the Interstate League, a Class-C minor league, in 1894. Barrow, with Stevens and Al Buckenberger, purchased the Wheeling Nailers of the Interstate League in 1896, Barrow served as field manager until the collapse of the league that season. The team continued in the Iron and Oil League for the rest of the year, Barrow then bought the Paterson Silk Weavers of the Class-A Atlantic League, managing them for the rest of the 1896 season. Barrow discovered Honus Wagner throwing lumps of coal at a station in Pennsylvania
7.
Detroit Tigers
–
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. One of the ALs eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in 1901 and they are the oldest continuous one-name, one-city franchise in the AL. The Tigers have won four World Series championships,11 AL pennants, the Tigers also won division titles in 1972,1984 and 1987 while members of the AL East. The team currently plays its games at Comerica Park in Downtown Detroit. The Tigers constructed Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Avenue in Corktown, in 1912, the team moved into Navin Field, which was built on the same location. It was expanded in 1938 and renamed Briggs Stadium and it was renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961 and the Tigers played there until moving to Comerica Park in 2000. The club is a member of the American League, one of four clubs still located in its original city. It was established as a member in 1901. The Tigers played their first game as a league team at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 25,1901. After entering the ninth inning behind 13–4, the team staged a comeback to win 14–13. The team finished third in the eight-team league,11 years later, an elegant stadium was constructed on the site of Bennett Park and named Navin Field for owner Frank Navin. In 1938, it was improved and named Briggs Stadium, and was subsequently renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961, Tiger Stadium was used by the Tigers until the end of the 1999 season. Since 2000, they have played in Comerica Park, there are various legends about how the Tigers got their nickname. One involves the orange stripes they wore on their black stockings, Tigers manager George Stallings took credit for the name, however, the name appeared in newspapers before Stallings was manager. Another legend concerns a sportswriter equating the 1901 teams opening day victory with the ferocity of his alma mater and they had played significant roles in certain Civil War battles and in the 1898 Spanish–American War. The baseball team was informally called both Wolverines and Tigers in the news. The earliest known use of the name Tigers in the media was in the Detroit Free Press on April 16,1895, upon entry into the majors, the ballclub sought and received formal permission from the Light Guard to use its trademark
8.
1903 Boston Americans season
–
The 1903 Boston Americans season was the third season for the professional baseball franchise that later became known as the Boston Red Sox. The Americans finished first in the American League with a record of 91 wins and 47 losses and they went on to participate in the first World Series held between the AL and National League champions. The Americans won the 1903 World Series in eight games over the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team was managed by Jimmy Collins and played their home games at Huntington Avenue Grounds. The 1903 Boston Americans won the American League championship by finishing 14½ games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics, the Americans were led by Buck Freeman, who hit 13 home runs and drove in 104 runs, his third straight 100-RBI campaign for the Boston club. Meanwhile, they won 10 straight games in early June to put themselves in the AL lead for good and they met the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first modern World Series, an agreement between the AL and the NL as a post-season tournament. The Amerks won the series in 8 games, winning the 8th game at Huntington Avenue Grounds to clinch the championship. Note, Pos = position, G = Games played, AB = At Bats, H = Hits, Avg. com 1903 Boston Americans at Fueled by Sports
9.
Road (sports)
–
A road game or away game is a sports game where the specified team is not the host and must travel to another venue. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions, each team has a location where it practices during the season and where it hosts games. When a team is not the host, it must travel to games. Thus, when a team is not hosting a game, the team is described as the team, the visiting team, or the away team. The venue in which the game is played is described as the stadium or the road. The host team is said to be the home team, major sporting events, if not held at a neutral venue, are often over several legs at each teams home ground, so that neither team has an advantage over the other. Occasionally, the team may not have to travel very far at all to a road game. These matches often become local derbies, a few times a year, a road team may even be lucky enough to have the road game played at their own home stadium or arena. This is prevalent in college athletics where many schools will play in regional leagues or groundshare. The related term true road game has seen increasing use in U. S. college sports in the 21st century, while regular-season tournaments and other special events have been part of college sports from their creation, the 21st century has seen a proliferation of such events. These are typically held at sites, with some of them taking place outside the contiguous U. S. or even outside the country entirely. In turn, this has led to the use of true road game to refer to contests played at one home venue. In some association football leagues, particularly in Europe, the teams fans sit in their own section. Depending on the stadium, they will either sit in a designated section or be separated from the home fans by a cordon of police officers. However, in the leagues in England, supporters may be free to mix. When games are played at a site, for instance the FA Cup final in England which is always played at Wembley Stadium. This results in each team occupying one half of the stadium and this is different from other sports, particularly in North America, where very few fans travel to games played away from their home stadium. Home and away fans are not separated at these games
10.
1903 Philadelphia Athletics season
–
The 1903 Philadelphia Athletics season was a season in American baseball. The team finished 2nd in the American League with a record of 75 wins and 60 losses, february 1903, Ollie Pickering was purchased by the Athletics from the Cleveland Naps. Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. baseball-almanac. com
11.
1903 Cleveland Naps season
–
The 1903 Cleveland Naps season was the third Major League Baseball season for the Cleveland American League team. After two seasons as the Bluebirds – unofficially known as the Blues in 1901 and the Bronchos in 1902 – the team was renamed for the 1903 season in honor of star second baseman Nap Lajoie. The team finished third in the league with a record of 77–63,15 games behind the Boston Americans, february 1903, Ollie Pickering was purchased from the Naps by the Philadelphia Athletics. Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg
12.
1903 New York Highlanders season
–
The New York Highlanders 1903 season finished with the team in 4th place in the American League with a record of 72–62. The team was managed by Clark Griffith and played its games at Hilltop Park. The season began with the Baltimore Orioles relocating to New York, the club was at first officially the Greater New York baseball club, in deference to the established New York Giants. The club was also derisively called Invaders in 1903, presumably by writers favorable to the Giants, the New York press was creative with analogous nicknames for teams. In addition to Highlanders, the team would acquire the alternate nickname Yankees. That word is a synonym for American in general, and short for American Leaguers or Americans in this case, New York writers had similarly coined both the established nickname Brooklyn Dodgers and the nickname Superbas that the denizens of Flatbush carried for a while. As with the Highlanders, the latter was based on something unrelated, namely a circus act called Hanlons Superbas, prior to 1903 season, Jack OConnor jumped to the Highlanders from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. baseball-almanac. com
13.
Bill Donovan
–
William Edward Donovan, nicknamed Wild Bill, was an American right-handed pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball. He played eighteen seasons with the Washington Senators, Brooklyn Superbas, Detroit Tigers, born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Donovan won his Wild Bill nickname while playing for Hartford in the minors. When Hartford teammate Cy Seymour was returned to the Major Leagues after throwing wildly over a fence behind home plate, Donovan received a $10 fine and a new nickname. Donovan served as the football coach at Georgetown University in 1898. Donovan made his league debut on April 22,1898. During his first three seasons, he was a seldom used reliever on Superbas teams that won consecutive National League pennants, in 1899 and 1900. Donovan moved to the American Leagues Detroit Tigers in 1903, where he would continue his pitching success alongside teammates George Mullin, Sam Crawford, appearing in three World Series, he went 1–4 with a 2.88 ERA. Donovan also became the first pitcher to lose consecutive deciding games in the World Series in 1908–09, on May 7,1906, Donovan accomplished a rare feat even for the best base stealers. He stole second base, third, and on the front end of a double steal and he also hit a triple in the same game. An arm injury ended Donovans career in 1912, Donovan was player–manager for the Yankees from 1915 to 1917 and a coach for the Tigers in 1918. He made several appearances for the Yankees and Tigers, including one final start on the last day of the 1918 season. He later served as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies for part of the 1921 season, being replaced after 44 games by Kaiser Wilhelm. In December 1923, while traveling on the 20th Century Limited train to Chicago for Major League meetings, Donovan, New Haven president George Weiss had swapped berths with Donovan and escaped with a minor injury. Phillies owner William F. Baker was also on the train, in 378 career games, Donovan had a 186–139 won–loss total and threw 2964⅔ innings with 289 complete games and a 2.69 ERA
14.
Mal Eason
–
Malcolm Wayne Eason was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Orphans, Boston Beaneaters, Detroit Tigers and Brooklyn Superbas. He was born in Brookville, Pennsylvania, from 1901 to 1902 Eason went 8–17 and 10–12, while pitching for awful teams. Despite his losing records, he registered 3.59 and 2.61 ERAs respectively and his most productive season came in 1906, when he posted a 10–17 mark with a 3.25 ERA. It was his last season as an active player and that July 20, Eason no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0. Earlier in the season, he had been the losing pitcher in the last no-hitter before this one, not until Bill McCahan in 1947 would another pitcher hurl a no-hitter after being on the losing end of the last no-hitter before it. In a six-season career, Eason posted a 36–73 record with 274 strikeouts and he completed 90 of 114 starts, including ten shutouts. Eason is recorded as having umpired three games in 1902, after his retirement as a player, he worked as a National League umpire from 1910 to 1917. Eason died in a fire in Douglas, Arizona, at the age of 91. List of Major League Baseball no-hitters Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference Baseball Almanac Baseball Library Retrosheet
15.
Rube Kisinger
–
Charles Samuel Rube Kisinger was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Adrian, Michigan, Kisinger played baseball at his hometown Adrian College before signing with the Detroit Tigers and he debuted with the Tigers at the end of the 1902 season on September 10,1902. As a 25-year-old rookie, Kisinger pitched in five games and had a record of 2–3 with an ERA of 3.12, in 1903, he appeared in 16 games and had a record of 7–9 with an ERA of 2.96 in 118-2/3 innings pitched. Kisinger played in his last major league game on September 24,1903, in October 1903, Kisinger was traded by the Tigers with other players to the Buffalo Bisons of the Eastern League for Cy Ferry and Matty McIntyre. Kisinger also made his appearance on a baseball card while playing for Buffalo. The International League Hall of Fame inducted Kisinger as a member in 2009 and he died at age 64 in a train accident in Huron, Ohio while acting as a railroad engineer. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference
16.
Frank Kitson (baseball)
–
Frank R. Kitson was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played ten seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Brooklyn Superbas, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, and New York Highlanders. Born in Hopkins, Michigan, Kitsons major league career got off to a roller coaster start, in his first start on May 19,1898, he shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates. Six days later, the Cubs scored 20 runs off Kitson, Kitson won 15 or more games for five straight years from 1899 to 1903, including 22 wins with the Baltimore Orioles in 1899. In 1899, he was among the National League leaders in ERA, wins, winning percentage, Kitson was one of the top left-handed pitchers at the turn of the century. After winning 22 games for the Orioles, he had consecutive 19-win seasons for Brooklyn in 1901 and 1902, in 1903, he jumped to the American League, where he did not have as much success. Born in Hopkins, Michigan, he led the National League in saves in 1900 with 4, in 249 career games, Kitson posted a 128–117 record with a 3.18 ERA. He died at age 60 in 1930 in Allegan, Michigan and was interred in Hudson Corners Cemetery, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference Baseball Almanac Baseball Library Obituary from The New York Times
17.
George Mullin (baseball)
–
Mullin holds the Detroit Tigers franchise record for innings pitched and has the second most wins in the teams history. Yet, as one author noted, The pitching prowess and significant achievements of George Mullin seem to have faded away on the pages of baseball history. Not even in the Motor City, is the name of George Mullin, the burly right-hander from Wabash, Indiana, mentioned. Mullin was a powerfully built right-hander with a fastball. He was known to try to keep opposing batters off balance by talking to them when they came to bat, and with a runner on third base at Bennett Park, Mullin was known to fake a throw over the head of catcher Boss Schmidt. Schmidt would then fake an attempt to run after the errant pitch, Mullin would then toss the ball to Schmidt for an easy out. He compiled a record of 228–196, ranking 65th in wins in major league history. Born in Toledo, Ohio, Mullin played semi-pro baseball in Wabash, Indiana, in 1901, at age 20, Mullin signed with both the Brooklyn Superbas and Detroit Tigers. Mullin chose the Tigers, wishing to stay closer to his home in Indiana, Mullin played his first twelve seasons with the Tigers. In his rookie season,1902, Mullin won 13 games for the 7th place Tigers, the following season, Mullin won 19 and reduced his ERA to 2.25. In 1903, Mullin was among the American League leaders with 6 shutouts,170 strikeouts, in 1904, Mullin had another strong year, pitching a club record 42 complete games with a 2.40 ERA and 161 strikeouts. However, the Tigers in the era were a weak-hitting team that remained mired in 7th place. In 1905, Mullin won 21 games for his first 20-win season and he started in a career-high 44 games and pitched in a club record 382-1/3 innings. He continued to remain below the average with an ERA of 2.51. The Tigers finished in 6th place in 1906, but Mullin had another year with a record of 21–18 and 35 complete games. Mullin had remarkable stamina as a pitcher and he started 428 games and had 353 complete game—25th highest total in major league history. He was among the American League leaders in complete games nine straight years and his career highs were 42 complete games and 382⅓ innings, both Tigers team records. To this day, Mullin is the Tigers all-time innings pitched leader, Mullin was a powerfully built pitcher with an intimidating fastball, perhaps even more so due to his imperfect control
18.
Fred Buelow
–
Frederick William Alexander Buelow, sometimes referred to as Fritz Buelow, was a German-born baseball player. Buelow was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1876 and he moved to Detroit as a boy. Buelow began playing baseball in the minor leagues with the Columbus Statesman in 1895, the Brockton Shoemakers in 1896. In 1898, he joined the Detroit Tigers of the Western League and he played for the Tigers in 1898 and 1899. In September 1899, he was traded by the Tigers to the St. Louis Perfectos of the National League and he made his major league debut with St. Louis on September 28,1899. In seven games with the Perfectos at the end of the 1899 season and he remained with St. Louis in 1900 and appeared in 17 games, but his batting average dropped by 232 points to.235. He played for Detroit Tigers from 1901 to 1904, the teams first four years as a league club. In May 1902, he was suspended for five days and fined $10 by American League president Ban Johnson on account of his abuse of an umpire. In four seasons with the Tigers, Buelow appeared in 241 games,234 as a catcher, and compiled a.202 batting average, though a weak hitter, Buelow was reputed to be a solid defensive catcher. Detroit owner Frank Navin recalled, Had he been able to hit he would have gone down in the records numbered with the best of them, Buelow led the American Leagues catchers with a.967 fielding percentage in 1901 and also tallied 213 putouts and 84 assists that season. However, he led the league in 1902 with 20 errors by a catcher. He finished his major career with 1,495 putouts,474 assists,83 errors. In July 1904, Buelow signed a contract with the Cleveland Naps and he played for the Naps for three years, appeared in 151 games, and compiled batting averages of.176 in 1904.172 in 1905, and.163 in 1906. Defensively, he led the American Leagues catchers in 1906 when he threw out 54. 2% of the base runners attempting to steal a base, in February 1907, Cleveland traded Buelow to the St. Louis Browns in exchange for Pete OBrien. Buelow appeared in 26 games for the Browns,25 as a catcher and he appeared in his final major league game on July 13,1907. Although his major league career ended in 1907, he played two years in the minor leagues for the Minneapolis Millers in 1908 and for the Montreal Royals in 1909. After an injury ended his career, he served as the manager of the Bay City club in the South Michigan League during the last half of the 1909 season. Buelow lived in Detroit after retiring from baseball and he was a gateman at the grandstand of Navin Field
19.
Deacon McGuire
–
James Thomas Deacon McGuire was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach whose career spanned the years 1883 to 1915. He played 26 seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a catcher and his longest stretches were with the Washington Statesmen/Senators, Brooklyn Superbas and New York Highlanders. He played on Brooklyn teams that won National League pennants in 1899 and 1900 and his assist, caught stealing, and stolen bases allowed totals remain current major league records. During his major league career, he compiled a.278 batting average.341 on-base percentage,770 runs scored,1,750 hits,300 doubles,79 triples,45 home runs,840 RBIs and 118 stolen bases. His best season was 1895 when he caught a major league record 133 games, McGuire was also the manager of the Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. He compiled a 210–287 as a major league manager, McGuire was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1863. He moved as a boy to Cleveland, learned to play baseball on the lots of that city, as a young man, he moved to Albion, Michigan, where he worked as an apprentice in an iron foundry in Albion and played baseball on the weekend. McGuire first gained note playing baseball for a team in Hastings, Michigan, McGuire was reputed to be the only catcher within a 50-mile radius who could handle the left-handed Baldwin and his incendiary fastball and sinuous curve, a so-called snakeball. At age 19, McGuire began his baseball career in 1883 with the Terre Haute, Indiana. McGuire made his league debut in June 1884 with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association. He hit.185 in 151 at bats and appeared in 45 games, at Toledo, he shared the catching responsibilities with Moses Fleetwood Walker, the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. McGuire and Walker each caught 41 games for the Blue Stockings, the Blue Stockings finished in eighth place with a 46–58 record and folded after the 1884 season. McGuire began the 1885 season playing for the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League, McGuire appeared in 16 games for the Hoosiers, who were the dominant team in the Western League, compiling an.880 winning percentage. Sam Thompson later told the story of the Detroit Wolverines acquisition of the Indianapolis players. Detroit sent two representatives to Indianapolis, principally to sign the Hoosiers battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan, the Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers manager and the rest of the teams starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in a hotel there, the next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day, after three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit
20.
Charlie Carr
–
Born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, Carr attended Lehigh University before playing in the major leagues. Over his seven-year major league career, Carr had a.252 batting average with 493 hits,106 extra base hits, and 240 runs batted in. Carr had his best season in 1903 with the Detroit Tigers when he hit.281 in 135 games, scoring 59 runs, and collecting 154 hits,79 RBIs,23 doubles,11 triples, and 10 stolen bases. His 1903 hitting performance was only to Sam Crawford among the Tigers in extra base hits. Carrs 1903 performance also ranked among the American League leaders in at bats, RBIs, singles, Carr also showed great range as a first baseman in 1903, his range factor of 10.27 was higher than that years league average of 7.41. Carr holds the Detroit Tigers team record for fewest base on balls in a season by a player with at least 500 plate appearances, in 1903, he walked only 10 times in 573 plate appearances, a rate of one walk in every 57 at-bats. His major league career appeared to be at an end in 1906, but he continued playing for the Indianapolis Indians for several years. When the Federal League formed a major league, Carr made a comeback. At age 37, Carr hit.295 for the Hoosiers and collected 11 doubles,10 triples,19 stolen bases, after his playing career ended, Carr operated a successful sporting goods manufacturing business, Bradley & Carr, which supplied baseballs to several minor leagues. Carr died in 1932 at age 55 in Memphis, Tennessee and he was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. Specific Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference Baseball Almanac BaseballLibrary. com
21.
Ernie Courtney
–
Edward Ernest Courtney was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Beaneaters, Baltimore Orioles, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. Courtney batted left-handed and threw right-handed and he was born in Des Moines, Iowa. In a six-season career, Courtney posted a.245 batting average with five runs and 200 RBI in 558 games played. He led the National League in games played in 1905, Baseball Almanac Baseball Library Baseball Reference
22.
Kid Elberfeld
–
Norman Arthur Kid Elberfeld was a professional baseball player. Elberfeld played shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, Washington Senators, elberfled also managed the New York Highlanders for the last half of the 1908 season. Elberfeld was given the nickname The Tabasco Kid because of his fiery temper and he was known for his ferocious verbal, and sometimes physical, assaults on umpires. On one occasion, while in the minors, Elberfeld threw a lump of mud into the open mouth. Later in his career, Elberfeld assaulted umpire Silk OLoughlin and had to be removed by police. Although records were not kept, it was said that Elberfeld was thrown out of games than any other player of his era. Elberfeld broke into organized baseball in 1892 in Clarkson, Tennessee and he was so highly regarded as a prospect that a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies recommended signing him over another shortstop prospect, Honus Wagner. Elberfeld played only 14 games for the Phillies in 1898 before being sent to the Detroit Tigers, a year later, Elberfeld was purchased from Detroit by the Cincinnati Reds. Elberfeld lasted only 41 games in Cincinnati, prior to the 1900 season, the Reds sent Elberfeld back to Detroit, then still part of the Western League. Elberfeld remained with Detroit when they joined the newly formed American League in 1901 and he was the Tigers starting shortstop during their first two seasons as a Major League team. In the teams debut, on April 25,1901, the Tigers committed 7 errors, later in the season, Elberfeld had 12 assists in a game on September 2,1901. Elberfeld went on to bat.308 in the Tigers inaugural season, becoming the Tigers first team batting leader, in 1902, Elberfelds batting average dropped to.260, but he started the 1903 season on a hitting tear. In June 1903, with Elberfeld hitting.341 for the Tigers, he was traded to the New York Highlanders for Herman Long, despite his hot hitting, Elberfeld had fallen out of favor in Detroit after being suspended for abusing an umpire. Tiger manager Ed Barrow accused Elberfeld of deliberately throwing games to get himself traded, elbefeld was with the Highlanders from 1903 to 1909. During that time, he broke the.300 mark only once, nevertheless, he was considered an integral part of the Highlanders teams, contributing in many small ways. For example, on May 20,1907, Elberfeld stole home twice in the same game, in late June 1908, New York manager Clark Griffith resigned, and Elberfeld took over as the manager. The Highlanders finished the 1908 season, Elberfelds only season as a Major League manager, in December 1909, Elberfeld was sold to the Washington Senators for $5,000. He played two seasons for the Senators before being released and he signed with Montgomery in the Southern League where he befriended a young Casey Stengel
23.
Herman Long (baseball)
–
Long was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Cowboys, Boston Beaneaters, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies. Long was known for his fielding range as a shortstop. Born in 1866, Long was a native of Chicago and his parents are thought to have been German immigrants, as Long spoke fluent German. Little else is known about Longs life up until he began playing minor league baseball in 1887 for a team in Arkansas City and he played in Kansas City in 1888. After that season, the Kansas City team merged with the league team in the same city. Long played for the Kansas City Cowboys, Boston Beaneaters, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers, between 1904 and 1906, Long was a player and player-manager in minor league baseball. Long holds the league record for most errors in a career. Only three other players have more than 1,000 errors in their careers, Bill Dahlen, Deacon White. Longs total includes a record 1,070 errors committed while playing shortstop, despite the errors, Long actually fielded slightly better than the league average for a shortstop during his career, and he was considered an excellent fielder by his contemporaries. The seeming contradiction between a high rate and exceptional fielding skill is attributable to the fact that Long had a greater fielding range than most shortstops. Of the three other players charged with over 1,000 lifetime errors, Deacon White is in Baseballs Hall of Fame, tim Murnane, a former player-turned-baseball writer, wrote in 1894, Long is the most brilliant ball player on the field at the present time. In 1903, pitcher Kid Nichols said of Long, Herman Long is the greatest shortstop of them all and you can speak of your Jennings, and write of your Glasscocks all you want, but this man Long at his best had them beat by a city block. Jennings was a brilliant ball player, and without one of the leading players of the age. In August 1909, The New York Times reported that Long was very sick, several months earlier, he had moved to Denver, Colorado, because he was suffering from a lung condition. He died of tuberculosis the next month in Denver. com
24.
Sport McAllister
–
Lewis William Sport McAllister was a professional baseball player. He played seven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cleveland Spiders, Detroit Tigers and he was a versatile switch hitter who played every position during his major league career. He played 147 games in the outfield,83 at catcher,65 at first base,62 at shortstop,27 at third base and he also pitched in 17 games, including 10 complete games. In seven major league seasons, McAllister had a.247 batting average, with 358 hits,61 extra base hits,32 stolen bases and his best season was 1901, the first season of the American League as a major league. He played 90 games for the Detroit Tigers and batted.301, McAllister and Kid Elberfeld became the first.300 hitters for the Tigers. McAllister also was the umpire in a July 15,1900 minor league game between Cleveland and Detroit, after hostilities with the umpire the previous day, Tigers manager Tommy Burns feared that the crowd would injure umpire Joe Cantillon. Burns forfeited the game, but Cleveland manager Jimmy McAleer agreed to play using reserve player McAllister as the umpire, McAllister died in Wyandotte, Michigan, a southern suburb of Detroit in 1962 at age 87. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
25.
Simon Nicholls (baseball)
–
Simon Burdette Nicholls was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played for six seasons. A native of Boyds, Maryland, he attended the Maryland Agricultural College and he was signed as an emergency replacement by the Detroit Tigers during a road trip to Washington in 1903 and played both games of a doubleheader for the Tigers. He was a member of the Philadelphia Athletics from 1906 to 1909 and he appeared for the Cleveland Naps in only three games at the beginning of the 1910 season. He spent most of season with the minor-league Baltimore Orioles and was named the teams captain. He died of complications from fever in Baltimore before the beginning of the 1911 season. Simon Burdette Nicholls was born on July 18,1882, in Germantown, Maryland and he had one younger brother, Roger Darby Nicholls, a native of Gaithersburg, Maryland. His father raised Simon and Roger on the farm after Courtney died when Simon was five. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference Campbell Gibson, Simon Nicholls, SABR Baseball Biography Project
26.
Heinie Smith
–
George Henry Heinie Smith was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball who played for the Louisville Colonels, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants and Detroit Tigers. In his best season in 1902, Smith hit.252 and posted career-highs in games, runs batted in, hits, doubles, runs, and stolen bases. Also during that year, Smith took over as manager of the New York Giants. Smith then returned to being a full-time player, in his career, Smith posted a.238 batting average with three home runs and 91 RBIs in 311 games played. Following his majors career, Smith played and managed in the International League for the Buffalo Bisons, Smith died in Buffalo, New York at the age of 67. Heinie was a nickname for German baseball players in the early part of the 20th Century. Smith was one of 22 Major League Heinies in the first half of the 20th century and they include Heinie Manush, Heinie Groh, Heinie Zimmerman, Heinie Beckendorf and Heinie Schuble. In the 60-plus years since the end of World War II, list of Major League Baseball player–managers Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference University at Buffalo Libraries – U. B
27.
Joe Yeager
–
Joseph Francis Yeager, nicknamed Little Joe, was a professional baseball player. He played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Superbas, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, and St. Louis Browns. Born in Philadelphia, Little Joe Yeager played in 574 major league games, including 295 as a third baseman,94 as a pitcher,83 as a shortstop,48 as a second baseman, in his rookie season, Yeager was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Superbas. He had 32 complete games and an earned run average. Yeager played for the Detroit Tigers as a starting pitcher during their first major league season in 1901. He pitched 199.2 innings in 1901, with 22 complete games,2 shutouts, and his 2.61 earned run average was 3rd-best in the American League behind Cy Young, and his adjusted ERA+ of 147 was 2nd-best in the league behind Cy Young. Yeager also played 12 games at shortstop for the 1901 Tigers and had an average of.296 with a.343 on-base percentage. After a 6–12 season as a pitcher in 1902, Yeager made the switch from pitcher to third baseman and he was the Tigers starting third baseman in 1903 and went on to play third base for the New York Highlanders and St. Louis Browns. Yeager is credited by some with originating the squeeze play, Yeager died in Detroit, Michigan in 1937. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
28.
Sam Crawford
–
Samuel Earl Sam Crawford, nicknamed Wahoo Sam, was a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers from 1899 to 1917. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957, Crawford batted and threw left-handed, stood 6 ft 0 in tall and weighed 190 pounds. He was one of the greatest sluggers of the era and still holds the Major League records for triples in a career. He has the second best all-time record for most inside-the-park home runs in a career and he finished his career with 2,961 hits and a.309 batting average, and became the first player to lead both American League and the National League in home runs. One of his contemporaries, Fielder Jones, said of Crawford and he stands up at the plate like a brick house and he hits all the pitchers, without playing favorites. Crawford was among the American League leaders in hits, RBI, extra base hits, slugging percentage and total bases for 11 consecutive years, Crawford was born in Wahoo, Nebraska, in 1880, the son of Stephen O. Crawford and Nellie Crawford. In 1901, he married Ada M. Lattin, born circa 1881 in Nebraska and he was listed as a ballplayer in 1910, and had one daughter, Virginia, born circa 1905 in Michigan. Various ship records confirm his birthdate and that of wife Ada, as of the 1920 U. S. census, he was living in Los Angeles, with wife Ada and daughter Virginia, and a new addition, Samuel, born ~1918 in California. In 1898, he joined a traveling team in Wahoo. They traveled on a wagon from town to town for weeks at a time, challenging the locals to baseball games. Crawford was offered an opportunity in the spring of 1899 to play for the Chatham Reds of the Canadian League for $65 per month, Crawford seized the opportunity and left behind his job as a barbers apprentice. From Chatham, Crawford moved on to play for the Grand Rapids Prodigals in the Western League, in September 1899, Grand Rapids sold Crawford to the Cincinnati Reds. Crawford played in 31 games for the Reds at the end of the 1899 season, at age 19, and one year removed from his days playing for Wahoos traveling team, Crawford was playing in the major leagues with future Hall of Famers Jake Beckley and Bid McPhee. Crawford hit.307 in 31 games with the Reds in 1899, in 1900, at age 20, Crawford played in 101 games and was among the National League leaders in triples with 15 and home runs with seven. Crawford proved to be one of the best sluggers in baseball in 1901, batting.330, Crawford was also third in the National League in triples, RBIs and slugging percentage. Crawford had another year in 1902, leading the National League in total bases and triples. Crawford hit 12 inside-the-park home runs in 1901 – a major league record that has never been equaled, at the end of 1902, a bidding war for players developed between the National and American Leagues. Crawford signed contracts with both the Reds and the Detroit Tigers, the competing contracts led to a publicized legal dispute, with a judge ultimately awarding Crawford to the Tigers but requiring $3,000 in compensation to the Reds
