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1908 Detroit Tigers Season
The 1908 Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The team won the American League championship by means of a scheduling quirk, finishing just one-half game ahead of the Cleveland Naps. The two teams won the same number of games, but the Tigers completed and lost one fewer. They then lost to the Chicago Cubs in the 1908 World Series. Regular season The early part of the season was defined in part by Ty Cobb's contract dispute with the team. He claimed that the owners have too much power. Eventually Cobb settled for a $4,800 contract.Crazy '08: How a cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads and Magnates created the Greatest Year in Baseball History, p. 71, by Cait Murphy, Smithsonian Books, a Division of Harper Collins, 2007, After opening day, the Tigers averaged only 4,400 fans per game. Season standings Record vs. opponents Roster Player stats Batting Starters by position ''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting aver ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bennett Park (Detroit)
Bennett Park was a ballpark in Detroit. Located at Michigan and Trumbull Avenues, it was home to the Detroit Tigers and was named after Charlie Bennett, a former player whose career ended after a train accident in 1894. The Tigers began play at Bennett Park 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, and the AL declared itself a major league starting in 1901. History The ballpark sat 5,000 when it opened in 1896 and was gradually expanded to 14,000 by the time it was closed after the 1911 season. When the American League became a major league in 1901 the ballpark seated 8,500, the smallest park in the majors. Private parties built "Wildcat" bleachers on the rooftops of houses behind the left field fence, to the chagrin of Tiger ownership, since people paid to watch games from those bleachers but the Tigers did not get revenue. The park was noted for its dangerous playing sur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Mullin (baseball)
George Joseph Mullin (July 4, 1880 – January 7, 1944), sometimes known by the nickname "Wabash George", was an American right-handed baseball pitcher. Mullin played in Major League Baseball for 14 seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1902 to 1913, Washington Senators in 1913, and the Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper of the Federal League from 1914 to 1915. He compiled a career record of 228–196 with a 2.82 earned run average (ERA) and 1,482 strikeouts. His 1,244 career assists ranks seventh among major league pitchers. Mullin was also a strong hitter, twice batting over .300 for a season and compiling a career batting average of .262. In 12 seasons with Detroit, he helped the team win three consecutive American League pennants from 1907 to 1909. He had five 20-win seasons for the Tigers, led the American League with 29 wins in 1909, and ranks second in Detroit Tigers history with 209 wins. He also holds the Detroit Tigers' all-time club records with 3,394 innings pitched ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charley O'Leary
Charles Timothy O'Leary (October 15, 1875 – January 6, 1941) was an American professional baseball shortstop who played eleven seasons with the Detroit Tigers (1904–1912), St. Louis Cardinals (1913), and St. Louis Browns (1934) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Early life Born in Chicago, Illinois to Irish immigrants Timothy and Ellen O’Leary, who had 16 children (11 boys). O'Leary worked at age 16 for a clothing company and played on the company's semi-pro baseball team. His talent as a middle infielder and scrappy hitter came to the attention of Charles Comiskey, owner of the Chicago White Sox. Though there is no independent verification, O'Leary reportedly signed briefly with the White Sox, only to have his arm broken from a pitched ball thrown by 'fireballer' and Hall of Famer, Rube Waddell. Major leagues O'Leary made his major league debut on April 14, 1904, with the Tigers. He was Detroit's starting shortstop from 1904 to 1907 and became a backup shortstop and utilit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Killefer
Wade Hampton "Red" Killefer (April 13, 1885 – September 4, 1958) was an outfielder and second baseman in Major League Baseball who played seven seasons with the Detroit Tigers (1907–1909), Washington Senators (1909–1910), Cincinnati Reds (1914–1916), and New York Giants (1916). Life and career Born in Bloomingdale, Michigan, Killefer attended the University of Michigan from 1904 to 1907 before joining the Detroit Tigers in September 1907. Killefer led the American League and the National League in being hit by pitches in 1910 (16) and 1915 (19). Killefer batted .248 with 3 home runs in 467 career games. Though he played on the Tigers' American League pennant winning teams in 1907 and 1908, Killefer did not play in either World Series. On August 13, 1909, the Tigers traded Killefer and Germany Schaefer to the Washington Senators for Jim Delahanty. On July 20, 1916, Killefer was traded by the Reds with Buck Herzog to the New York Giants for three future Hall of Famers: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Downs
Jerome Willis "Red" Downs (August 23, 1883 – October 19, 1939), was a Major League Baseball player, who gained notoriety later in life as an armed robber during the Great Depression. Early life and MLB career Downs was born and raised in Neola, Iowa, a small town with a town ball baseball team. Downs played on the Neola team, known as the Neola Erins, as a young man. Between 1903 and 1906, he played minor league baseball on teams in Fort Scott, Kansas ( Fort Scott Giants), Guthrie, Oklahoma ( Guthrie Senators) and Topeka, Kansas ( Topeka White Sox]). In 1906, he led the Western Association with 8 home runs, leading to his signing with the Detroit Tigers. Downs had a batting average of .227 in 241 major league games. Downs and Germany Schaefer platooned at the second base position for the Tigers in 1907 and 1908. Detroit won the American League pennant in both of Downs' years with the team. He played in two games in the 1908 World Series, getting one hit (a double) in 6 at-ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Coughlin
William Paul Coughlin (July 12, 1878 – May 7, 1943), was a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Washington Senators (1901–1904) and Detroit Tigers (1904–1908). Coughlin spent his entire adult life (1899–1943) playing and coaching baseball, as a major league player, minor league coach, and spending his last 23 years as the head baseball coach at Lafayette College, in Easton, Pennsylvania. Playing career Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and nicknamed "Scranton Bill" (also "Rowdy Bill"), Coughlin played nine seasons in the major leagues. Coughlin had a career batting average of .252 with 159 stolen bases and 123 sacrifice hits, including 36 sacrifice hits in 1906 (2nd best in the American League). Coughlin was twice among the AL leaders in home runs during the dead-ball era, with 6 each year in 1901 and 1902. Coughlin began his major league baseball career with Washington's National League club in 1899 but played in only 6 games. Two years later, he joined the new ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Donie Bush
Owen Joseph "Donie" Bush (; October 8, 1887Sources differ as to Bush's date of birth. Sources listing the date as October 8, 1887, include (i) baseball-reference.com, and (ii) findagrave.com. Sources listing the date as October 3, 1887, include (i) United States Social Security Death Index for Owen Bush of Indianapolis (SSN 317-05-4538). Sources listing the date as October 8, 1888, include (i) a World War I Draft Registration Card (showing 10/8/88 date of birth and Indianapolis place of birth) completed by Owen J. Bush, residing at 207 Alcott in Indianapolis, height "short", working as a ball player in Detroit, and (ii) a World War II Draft Registration Card (showing 10/8/88 date of birth and Indianapolis place of birth) completed by Owen Joseph Bush of Indianapolis. – March 28, 1972) was an American professional baseball player, manager, team owner, and scout. He was active in professional baseball from 1905 until his death in 1972. Bush was the starting shortstop for the Det ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ira Thomas
Ira Felix Thomas (January 22, 1881 – October 11, 1958) was an American professional baseball player. He played all or part of ten seasons of Major League Baseball, all in the American League, with the New York Highlanders (1906–07), Detroit Tigers (1908), and Philadelphia Athletics (1909–15), primarily as a catcher. Thomas was born in Ballston Spa, New York, and began his playing career in the minor Connecticut League in 1902. After playing two seasons with the Highlanders in the major leagues, Thomas moved to the Tigers in 1908 and served as backup catcher to Boss Schmidt. In Game 1 of the 1908 World Series, he pinch hit for shortstop Charley O'Leary in the ninth inning and singled for the first pinch base hit in World Series play He played six seasons to finish his career with the Athletics. He was the team captain and shared equal catching duty with Jack Lapp as the Athletics won consecutive World Series in 1910 and 1911. The team also won an American League pennant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Boss Schmidt
Charles "Boss" Schmidt (September 12, 1880 – November 14, 1932) was an American baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) A native of Arkansas, Schmidt played professional baseball from 1901 to 1926, including six seasons in MLB with Detroit from 1906 to 1911. He was the starting catcher on the Detroit teams that won three consecutive American League pennants from 1907 to 1909. He also led the American League in errors by a catcher in each of those seasons. Schmidt had a reputation for toughness enhanced by his grotesque-looking hands, the result of work as a coal miner and prizefighter. Following his MLB career, Schmidt played Minor League Baseball for another 15 seasons. He then coached and managed ballclubs before dying suddenly of an intestinal obstruction in 1932. Early years Schmidt was born on September 12, 1880, in London, Arkansas. His parents were immigrants from Germany. As a young man, Schmidt worked in the local coal mines, "cutting, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fred Payne (baseball)
Frederick Thomas Payne (September 2, 1880 – January 16, 1954) was a Major League Baseball player who played six seasons in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers (1906–1908) and Chicago White Sox (1909–1911). He played in a total of 334 major league games, of which 271 were as a catcher. Early years Payne was born in Camden, New York, in 1880. Professional baseball He began playing professional baseball with the Syracuse Stars in the New York State League. He appeared in 216 games for Syracuse from 1902 to 1904. He also played for Rochester 1905. In October 1905, he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers from Rochester in the Rule 5 draft. He remained with the club from 1906 to 1908, appearing in 145 games, including 110 games at catcher and 23 games in the outfield. In three years with the Tigers, he compiled a .209 batting average He played on the Tigers with Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford that won American League pennants in 1907 and 1908. Payne played two games in the 1907 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Winter (baseball)
George Lovington Winter, nicknamed "Sassafrass" (April 27, 1878 – May 26, 1951), was a professional baseball pitcher. Winter played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1901 through 1908, for the Boston Americans/Red Sox (1901–08) and the Detroit Tigers (1908). Listed at and 155 pounds, Winter batted and threw right-handed. Playing career Amateur career Winter attended Gettysburg College, where he was a teammate of future Hall of Famer Eddie Plank. Professional career Winter was a member of the original Boston American League team, which joined the league in 1901 when it became a major league. The Philadelphia Athletics passed on signing him because their owner and manager, Connie Mack, believed he was too small to pitch in the major leagues. For the second-place Americans in his first season, he won 16 games.The following year, he won 11 games. Late in the season he became seriously ill with typhoid fever, which was nearly fatal. Winter was chosen to star ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ed Willett
Robert Edgar Willett (March 7, 1884 – May 10, 1934), sometimes known by the nickname "Farmer", was a right-handed American baseball pitcher. He played professional baseball for 17 years from 1905 to 1921, including ten seasons in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers of the American League from 1906 to 1913 and the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League from 1914 to 1915. In 274 major league games, Willett compiled a 102–100 win–loss record with 142 complete games, an earned run average (ERA) of 3.08, 600 strikeouts, and 695 assists in 1,773 innings pitched. Early years Willett was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1884. He moved to Caldwell, Kansas, in his youth. Professional baseball career Wichita Jobbers Willett began his professional baseball career in the Western Association, playing for the Wichita Jobbers in 1905 and 1906. He compiled a 10–5 win–loss record with a 2.69 earned run average (ERA) in 16 games during the 1905 season and a 12–17 record ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
