$100,000 infield
Encyclopedia
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
of the Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in the early 1910s. The $100,000 infield consisted of first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Stuffy McInnis
Stuffy McInnis
John Phalen "Stuffy" McInnis was a first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball.McInnis gained his nickname as a youngster in the Boston suburban leagues, where his spectacular playing brought shouts of "that's the stuff, kid".From 1909-27, McInnis played for the Philadelphia Athletics ,...
, second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. , nicknamed "Cocky", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Jack Barry
Jack Barry (baseball)
John Joseph "Jack" Barry was an American shortstop, second baseman, and manager in Major League Baseball, and later a college baseball coach...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Frank Baker
Frank Baker
John Franklin "Home Run" Baker was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1922, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. As a member of the famed $100,000 infield, Baker helped the Philadelphia Athletics win the 1910, 1911 and 1913 World Series...
.
Baseball historian Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
rated the 1914 edition of the $100,000 infield the greatest infield of all time, and also ranked the 1912 and 1913 editions in the top five all time. The $100,000 infield helped the Athletics win four American League
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 minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
championships in five years—, , and —and win the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in 1910
1910 World Series
The 1910 World Series featured the Philadelphia Athletics and the Chicago Cubs, with the Athletics winning in five games to earn their first championship.Jack Coombs of Philadelphia won three games and Eddie Collins supplied timely hitting...
, 1911
1911 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 2:Monday, October 16, 1911 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-Game 3:Tuesday, October 17, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 4:...
and 1913
1913 World Series
In the 1913 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants four games to one.The A's pitching gave the edge to a closer-than-it-looked Series in 1913...
. The group was broken up after losing the 1914 World Series
1914 World Series
In the 1914 World Series, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics in a four-game sweep.A contender for greatest upset of all time, the "Miracle Braves" were in last place on July 4, then roared on to win the National League pennant by games and sweep the stunned Athletics...
as a result of the financial pressures resulting from the emergence of the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
. Two members—Collins and Baker—have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
.
Eddie Collins
Collins was the first member of the $100,000 infield to join the Athletics. He debuted on September 17, 1906, after playing college ball at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In 1906 and 1907, he played 20 games for the Athletics, mostly at shortstop. In 1908, he took over as the Athletics' regular second baseman, replacing Danny Murphy, who moved to the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. During the $100,000 infield years from 1910 to 1914, he played 738 games, getting 922 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 2,677 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s for a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .344. He led the American League in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in 1912, 1913 and 1914, stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 1910, singles
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
in 1913 and times on base in 1914. He also finished in the top ten in the American League in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, stolen bases, singles and times on base every year from 1910 through 1914. In addition, he finished in the top ten in American Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
voting every year from 1911 through 1914, winning the Most Valuable Player award in 1914. He was sold to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
after the 1914 season as Athletics' manager Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
attempted to respond to the financial pressures brought on by the newly formed Federal League, breaking up the $100,000 infield. He returned to Mack and the Athletics in 1927, finishing his career playing 12 games for the Athletics in their 1929 and 1930 World Championship seasons. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Jack Barry
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
. Between 1910 and 1914, Barry played 686 games for the Athletics, getting 607 hits in 2,334 at bats for a batting average of .260. He finished in the American League top ten in sacrifice hit
Sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s every year from 1911 through 1914, and ranked fifth in the American League in runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1913. But his primary contributions were on defense, where he had a strong arm, enormous range and sure hands, and was able to work out innovative plays with his good friend Collins, such a defense against the double steal. He finished in the top 20 in Most Valuable Player voting every year from 1911 through 1914, with his best showing a ninth place finish in 1913. He was sold to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the middle of the 1915 season, where he moved to second base and played on the Red Sox' 1915
1915 World Series
In the 1915 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies four games to one.In their only World Series before , the Phillies won Game 1 before being swept the rest of the way. It was 65 years before the Phillies won their next Series game...
and 1916 World Championship
1916 World Series
In the 1916 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the Brooklyn Robins four games to one.Casey Stengel shone on offense for the Robins in the 1916 Series but the Red Sox pitching core ultimately proved too much for the denizens of Flatbush...
teams. He missed the Red Sox 1918 Championship season
1918 Boston Red Sox season
The 1918 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 1st in the American League with a record of 75 wins and 51 losses. The season was cut short due to World War I. They defeated the Chicago Cubs in 6 games in the World Series...
due to service in the U.S. Navy.
Frank "Home Run" Baker
Baker also joined the Athletics in 1908, debuting on September 21. He became the Athletics regular third baseman in 1909, and led the American League in triples that season. Between 1910 and 1914, Baker played 742 games for the Athletics, getting 929 hits in 2,864 at bats for a batting average of .324. He led the American League in home runHome run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s every year from 1911 through 1914, and led the league in runs batted in during 1912 and 1913. He also finished in the top ten in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and times on base every year from 1911 through 1914, and finished in the top ten in runs scored, hits, double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s, total bases, extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s and runs batted in every year from 1910 through 1914. He finished in the top ten in the American League Most Valuable Player voting every year from 1911 through 1914, finishing third in 1914, his highest showing. Baker was the hero of the 1911 World Series
1911 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 2:Monday, October 16, 1911 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-Game 3:Tuesday, October 17, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 4:...
, hitting two home runs to help the Athletics win the series, which earned him the nickname "Home Run" Baker. Baker held out the 1915 season when manager and owner Connie Mack refused to increase his salary, and was sold to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1916 after American League president Ban Johnson
Ban Johnson
Byron Bancroft "Ban" Johnson , was an American executive in professional baseball who served as the founder and first president of the American League ....
intervened. He finished his career as the third baseman for the Yankees pennant-winning teams in 1921 and 1922. Baker was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Stuffy McInnis
Larry Gardner
William Lawrence "Larry" Gardner was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1908 through 1924, Gardner played for the Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Athletics, and Cleveland Indians . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, Hick Cady
Hick Cady
Forrest Leroy Cady was a backup catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies . Cady batted and threw right-handed...
and Tilly Walker
Tilly Walker
Clarence William "Tilly" Walker was an American left and center fielder in Major League Baseball from 1911-1923. Born in Telford, Tennessee, Walker hit .281, and he was one of the first power hitters, slugging 17 home runs in 1920, 23 in 1921, and 37 in 1922...
, where he played on Boston's 1918 World Championship
1918 World Series
The 1918 World Series featured the Boston Red Sox, who defeated the Chicago Cubs four games to two. The Series victory for the Red Sox was their fifth in five tries, going back to . The Red Sox scored only nine runs in the entire Series; the fewest runs by the winning team in World Series history...
team. He also reteamed with Barry on the 1919 Boston Red Sox
1919 Boston Red Sox season
The 1919 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 66 wins and 71 losses.- Regular season :...
. Before finishing his career in 1927 he also played with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.