David Meadow Ferriss (December 5, 1921 – November 24, 2016) was an American
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player who
pitched for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
from 1945 through 1950. Ferriss was given the nickname 'Boo' as the result of a childhood inability to pronounce the word 'brother'.
After Ferriss's MLB playing career was over, he returned to the
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta, also known as the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta, or simply the Delta, is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi (and portions of Arkansas and Louisiana) that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo ...
for two stints as the
head baseball coach at
Delta State University
Delta State University (DSU) is a public university in Cleveland, Mississippi
Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 11,199 as of the 2020 United States Census.
Cleveland has a large commercia ...
where he retired as the school's all-time leader in wins with 639. In November 2002, he was inducted into the
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of selected former Boston Red Sox players, coaches and managers, and non-uniformed personnel. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, p ...
.
Playing career
College and minor league baseball
Ferriss received the first full baseball scholarship to
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Unive ...
, where he pitched in 1941 and 1942 and joined the
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international fraternities with currently 318 active chapters and colo ...
fraternity. He was signed by the Red Sox in 1942,
and he appeared in 21 games for the
Greensboro Red Sox
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...
of the Class B
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.
Teams
The following teams were members of the Piedmon ...
, compiling a 7–7 record. Shortly afterward, he was drafted into the Army for service in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, serving for over two years at
Randolph Field
Randolph Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located at Universal City, Texas ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the Uni ...
in
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, where he was able to continue playing baseball in a military league.
After an early discharge in February 1945 due to
asthma
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...
, Ferriss was assigned by the Red Sox to the
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that also played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as ...
, although he did not appear in a game with them. During his college years, Dave was credited with naming the "orange".
Major League Baseball
When the Red Sox started slowly in 1945, Ferriss was called up and made a spectacular major league debut with a five-hit shutout against the Athletics on April 29. He went on to set a longstanding
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL) record for scoreless innings pitched at the start of a career with 22, which stood until 2008, when it was broken by
Brad Ziegler
Brad Gregory Ziegler (born October 10, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, and Miami Marlins. Ziegler was one of th ...
. Ferriss compiled a 21–10
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
for the Red Sox in his rookie season.
Ferriss then compiled a 25–6 record (the best in the AL) that helped the Red Sox win the
AL pennant
Each Major League Baseball (MLB) season, one American League (AL) team wins the pennant (sports), pennant, signifying that they are the league's champion and have the right to play in the World Series against the champion of the National League ( ...
in 1946. He was selected for the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
that season for the first and only time but did not pitch (the
1945 All-Star Game had been cancelled due to World War II). He started two games in the
1946 World Series
The 1946 World Series was played in October 1946 between the St. Louis Cardinals (representing the National League) and the Boston Red Sox (representing the American League). This was the Red Sox's first appearance in a World Series since their c ...
against the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
, and pitched a complete-game shutout in the third game before getting a
no-decision
A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports.
Baseball and softball
A starting pitcher who leaves a game withou ...
in the seventh and deciding game, which was won by the Cardinals.
Ferriss' record in 1947 was 12–11. His arm troubles and
asthma
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...
restricted him to only nine starts and 31 appearances in 1948, and four appearances in 1949. His final major league appearance was on Opening Day of the 1950 season, when he pitched only one inning. Ferriss compiled a career record of 65–30, and shares the MLB record for consecutive home wins to start a season (13, in 1946). He was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2002.
Ferriss was a very good hitting pitcher in his six-year major league career, posting a .250
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(93-for-372) with one
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
, 52
RBIs, and 44
run
Run(s) or RUN may refer to:
Places
* Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia
* Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant
People
* Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
s scored. He had 19 RBIs in each of the 1945 and 1947 seasons. He finished his career with a .979
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
.
Coaching career
Ferriss served as pitching coach for the Red Sox under manager
Pinky Higgins
Michael Franklin "Pinky" Higgins (May 27, 1909 – March 21, 1969) was an American third baseman, manager, front office executive and scout in Major League Baseball who played for three teams and served as manager or general manager of the Boston ...
from 1955 to 1959 before moving on to
Delta State University
Delta State University (DSU) is a public university in Cleveland, Mississippi
Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 11,199 as of the 2020 United States Census.
Cleveland has a large commercia ...
as head coach in 1960. He held that role until early 1967, when he left Delta State to take the role of assistant athletic director at
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Unive ...
.
Ferriss returned to Delta State in mid-1968, and he again served as head coach from 1970 until retiring after the 1988 season.
His 639–387–8 record as Delta State head coach ranks him among all-time national coaching leaders at the
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...
level. He guided Delta State teams to the NCAA Division II playoffs in eight of his last twelve seasons, including three trips to the
NCAA Division II Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division II baseball tournament is an annual college baseball tournament held at the culmination of the spring regular season and which determines the NCAA Division II college baseball champion. The initial rounds of the tournament are ...
resulting in finishes of third (1977), second (1978), and third (1982).
Gulf South Conference
The Gulf South Conference (GSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, which operates in the Southeastern United States.
History
Originally known as the Mid ...
championships came in 1978, 1979, 1985, and 1988, along with a second-place finish in 1981 and third-place in 1982.
Ferriss spent 46 years in baseball at the collegiate and professional levels and was inducted into the
American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1988. He was also inducted into the
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Jackson, Mississippi. The hall of fame was established in 1961 and is currently located in a museum that displays the achievements of Mississippi athletes. The museum opened on July 4, 19 ...
, the Delta State University Sports Hall of Fame (1989), the Mississippi State University Sports Hall of Fame, and the Mississippi Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame (1981). In 1988, he received the United States Baseball Federation Service Award for his contributions to the game. He was named NCAA Regional Coach of the Year three times, and earned similar Gulf South Conference coaching honors three times as well. In 1978 and 1982, he was elected College Baseball Coach of the Year in Mississippi, and was runner-up in 1985.
Under his direction, 20 Delta State players earned All-American honors, 20 earned Academic All-American honors, 49 earned All-Gulf South Conference honors, 23 continued their baseball careers onto the professional level, and 40 former players coached in the high school and college ranks. In addition to coaching at Delta State, Ferriss also served at various times as athletic director and director of the DSU Foundation.
In February 2008, Ferriss welcomed back author
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham Jr. (; born February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas) is an American novelist, lawyer and former member of the 7th district of the Mississippi House of Representatives, known for his popular legal thrillers. According to the Am ...
to Delta State's campus for an athletic fundraiser. Grisham, a Mississippi native, began his career path "thanks to coach Ferriss" after Ferriss had cut Grisham from his team in the fall of 1978. In Grisham's "The Kindest Cut," the author details his time at Delta State and how coach Ferriss handled the difficult task of cutting the would-be outfielder. Also in 2008, Ferriss received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Delta State.
Namings
* The baseball field at Delta State University is named Ferriss Field in his honor.
*The "Boo" Ferriss Baseball Museum – located at the Robert L. Crawford Center at Delta State University – was named after him.
Ferriss Trophy
In the fall of 2003, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame announced its sponsorship of an annual Mississippi Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year award, and that the trophy would bear Ferriss' name and likeness. The award is officially called the
C Spire Ferriss Trophy
The C Spire Ferriss Trophy was created in the fall of 2003 by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame to honor the Mississippi Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year. The trophy bears the name and likeness of Dave Ferriss. The trophy is cosponsored by ...
, including the name of corporate cosponsor
C Spire Wireless
C Spire, formerly known as Cellular South, Inc., is a privately owned technology company headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi. The company consists of three business divisions – C Spire Wireless, C Spire Home Fiber, and C Spire Business.
C ...
.
Personal life
Ferriss lived with his wife, Miriam Izard Ferriss, in
Cleveland, Mississippi
Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 11,199 as of the 2020 United States Census.
Cleveland has a large commercial economy, with numerous restaurants, stores, and services along U.S. 61. Clevelan ...
. They had two children, Dr. David Ferriss and Margaret Ferriss White, and two grandchildren.
He was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church (
PCA) in Cleveland. He died on November 24, 2016, in Cleveland.
References
Further reading
*
University of Southern Mississippi (1997). ''Oral history with Mr. David M. Ferriss''
External links
, o
Dave "Boo" Ferrisspage at The
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of selected former Boston Red Sox players, coaches and managers, and non-uniformed personnel. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, p ...
Dave "Boo" Ferrisspage at th
Delta State University Sports Hall of FameDave "Boo" Ferrisspage at the
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Jackson, Mississippi. The hall of fame was established in 1961 and is currently located in a museum that displays the achievements of Mississippi athletes. The museum opened on July 4, 19 ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferriss, Dave
1921 births
2016 deaths
American League All-Stars
United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
Baseball players from Mississippi
Birmingham Barons players
Boston Red Sox coaches
Boston Red Sox players
Delta State University
Greensboro Red Sox players
Louisville Colonels (minor league) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball pitching coaches
Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball players
People from Shaw, Mississippi