Barney McCosky
Encyclopedia
William Barney McCosky was an outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. From 1939 through 1953, he played for the Detroit Tigers
(1939–42, 1946), Philadelphia Athletics
(1946–1948, 1950–1951), Cincinnati Reds
(1951) and Cleveland Indians
(1951–1953). McCosky batted left-handed and threw right-handed. McCosky played in 1170 games, 535 in center field and 477 in left field. He had a career batting average of .312.
, the last of nine children. His mother died when he was one year old, and McCosky moved to Detroit at age 4 with his older brother Tony McCosky. McCosky grew up in Detroit in the midst of the Great Depression
. He later recalled: "Nobody had any money. We took mustard sandwiches and ketchup sandwiches to school." (Richard Bak, "Cobb Would Have Caught It: The Golden Age of Baseball in Detroit" (Wayne State 1991), p. 285.)http://books.google.com/books?id=0AEmKVlDh6MC&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=barney+mccosky&source=web&ots=4r0LPib1E1&sig=E5NUp-MlDh-yClayeOUUGdHHp2c#PPA286,M1 McCosky attended Southwestern High School
in Detroit, Michigan
, where he was All-City and captain in both baseball and basketball. McCosky had a .727 batting average
his senior year—a Detroit public school record. http://books.google.com/books?id=0AEmKVlDh6MC&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=barney+mccosky&source=web&ots=4r0LPib1E1&sig=E5NUp-MlDh-yClayeOUUGdHHp2c#PPA286,M1
In 1936, McCosky was signed out of high school by scout Wish Egan
. In 1936, he hit .400 for Charleston, West Virginia
and led the Mid-Atlantic League his first year in professional baseball. He played next for Beaumont, Texas
, and in 1939 the Tigers invited him to spring training in Lakeland, Florida
. A photograph of McCosky as a rookie in spring training can be seen on the Lakeland Public Library web site.http://www.lakelandgov.net/library/speccoll/exhibits/tigers_pics2g.html McCosky made the team and was the Tigers' starting center fielder on Opening Day in Detroit.
s and 397 RBI
in 1170 games played
. McCosky was a good contact hitter who hit over .300 in six of his first seven seasons. A fine outfielder
with a strong throwing arm, he collected a .984 fielding average with only 41 errors
in 2579 chances
.
In 1939, McCosky's rookie season, he was an immediate success both at bat and in the field. He hit for a .311 batting average
—trailing only Hank Greenberg
and his boyhood hero, Charlie Gehringer
, among the Tigers starters. With great range and speed in the outfield, he also led all American outfielders with 428 putout
s. His 1939 Range factor
of 3.00 was a career-high and 0.65 points above the league average. He was also near the top of the American League
leaderboard in 1939 with 120 runs scored (4th in the AL), 190 hits (4th in the AL), 20 stolen bases (4th in the AL), 262 times on base (5th in the AL), 33 doubles (6th in the AL) and 14 triples (2nd in the AL). He placed No. 27 in the American League Most Valuable Player voting.
His most productive season came for the Detroit Tigers American League
champions, when he was among the AL league leaders with a .340 batting average
(6th in the AL), 200 hits
(tied for 1st in the AL), 19 triples
(1st in the AL), 123 runs
(3rd in the AL), 264 times on base (4th in the AL), and 39 doubles
(7th in the AL). In the World Series
, he hit .304 (7-for-23) with five runs as Detroit lost to the Cincinnati Reds in seven games. McCosky finished No. 16 in the MVP voting for 1940. Since 1940, the only Tiger to exceed McCosky's 19 triples is Curtis Granderson
in 2007.
McCosky had another solid season in 1941, as he hit .324 and finished No. 15 in the American League MVP voting.
McCosky lost three years in the prime of his career (at ages 26–28) to military service during World War II
, as he entered the U.S. Navy in December 1942 and was discharged in October 1945.
McCosky returned to Detroit in 1946. After a disappointing .198 start in 25 games, he was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics in mid-May for George Kell
. In his autobiography, Kell recalled being shocked that the Tigers would trade a "legitimate star" and "hometown boy" like McCosky for an "unknown third baseman." At the time of the trade, McCosky told Kell: "You'll be better off here in Detroit. You're going to love it here. I hate to leave because this is home. I've had good years here." (George Kell, "Hello Everybody, I'm George Kell" (Sports Publishing 1998), pp. 42–43.)
Playing for manager Connie Mack
, McCosky broke out of his early season slump and hit .354 for the A's. And in 1947, McCosky batted .328 (2nd best in the AL) for the Athletics and finished a career-best No. 11 in the AL MVP voting. In 1948, he hit .326 (5th best in the AL), had a .405 on base percentage (6th in the AL), and scored 95 runs.
McCosky missed the entire 1949 season after a back injury, and was never the same batter afterward. He returned to the Athletics in 1950, but his average dropped 86 points from .326 in 1948 to .240 in 1950.
On April 26, 1951, McCosky broke up a no-hitter
bid of Washington Senators
Connie Marrero
with a home run. One week later, McCosky was sold to the Cincinnati Reds
. He was then released and picked up off waivers by the Cleveland Indians
. He managed only 37 hits in 1951 for a .268 average. McCosky finished his career paying with the Indians, as his batting average dropped further to .213 in 1952 and .190 in 1953.
Six times he was considered in the American League MVP
vote (1939–42, 1947–48). In 1995, he was inducted into the National Polish-American Hall of Fame
.
.
In 1957, a baseball little league was named after McCosky on the west side of Detroit. The league, founded by John Hubacher with the slogan "BETTER BOYS THROUGH BETTER BASEBALL", expressed the sincere feelings of all the original members of the organization. The league was a member of the National Baseball Congress for many years.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. From 1939 through 1953, he played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1939–42, 1946), 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....
(1946–1948, 1950–1951), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1951) and 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...
(1951–1953). McCosky batted left-handed and threw right-handed. McCosky played in 1170 games, 535 in center field and 477 in left field. He had a career batting average of .312.
Early years
McCosky was born in Coal Run, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the last of nine children. His mother died when he was one year old, and McCosky moved to Detroit at age 4 with his older brother Tony McCosky. McCosky grew up in Detroit in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He later recalled: "Nobody had any money. We took mustard sandwiches and ketchup sandwiches to school." (Richard Bak, "Cobb Would Have Caught It: The Golden Age of Baseball in Detroit" (Wayne State 1991), p. 285.)http://books.google.com/books?id=0AEmKVlDh6MC&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=barney+mccosky&source=web&ots=4r0LPib1E1&sig=E5NUp-MlDh-yClayeOUUGdHHp2c#PPA286,M1 McCosky attended Southwestern High School
Southwestern High School (Michigan)
Southwestern High School is a high school in southwest Detroit, Michigan, USA. It is part of the Detroit Public Schools district.Brewster Homes/Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, Detroit public housing, is zoned to this school.-Notable alumni:...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, where he was All-City and captain in both baseball and basketball. McCosky had a .727 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 :...
his senior year—a Detroit public school record. http://books.google.com/books?id=0AEmKVlDh6MC&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=barney+mccosky&source=web&ots=4r0LPib1E1&sig=E5NUp-MlDh-yClayeOUUGdHHp2c#PPA286,M1
In 1936, McCosky was signed out of high school by scout Wish Egan
Wish Egan
Aloysius Jerome "Wish" Egan was a Major League Baseball player and scout.-Playing career:Born in Evart, Michigan, Egan played three seasons as a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals . He started 3 games for the Tigers in September 1902...
. In 1936, he hit .400 for Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
and led the Mid-Atlantic League his first year in professional baseball. He played next for Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, and in 1939 the Tigers invited him to spring training in Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. A photograph of McCosky as a rookie in spring training can be seen on the Lakeland Public Library web site.http://www.lakelandgov.net/library/speccoll/exhibits/tigers_pics2g.html McCosky made the team and was the Tigers' starting center fielder on Opening Day in Detroit.
Major League Playing career
In an 11-season career, McCosky was a .312 hitter with 24 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 and 397 RBI
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 1170 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. McCosky was a good contact hitter who hit over .300 in six of his first seven seasons. A fine outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with a strong throwing arm, he collected a .984 fielding average with only 41 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 2579 chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
.
In 1939, McCosky's rookie season, he was an immediate success both at bat and in the field. He hit for a .311 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 :...
—trailing only Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
and his boyhood hero, Charlie Gehringer
Charlie Gehringer
Charles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
, among the Tigers starters. With great range and speed in the outfield, he also led all American outfielders with 428 putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s. His 1939 Range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
of 3.00 was a career-high and 0.65 points above the league average. He was also near the top of the 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...
leaderboard in 1939 with 120 runs scored (4th in the AL), 190 hits (4th in the AL), 20 stolen bases (4th in the AL), 262 times on base (5th in the AL), 33 doubles (6th in the AL) and 14 triples (2nd in the AL). He placed No. 27 in the American League Most Valuable Player voting.
His most productive season came for the Detroit Tigers 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...
champions, when he was among the AL league leaders with a .340 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 :...
(6th in the AL), 200 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....
(tied for 1st in the AL), 19 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(1st in the AL), 123 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...
(3rd in the AL), 264 times on base (4th in the AL), and 39 doubles
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....
(7th in the AL). In the World Series
1940 World Series
The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in...
, he hit .304 (7-for-23) with five runs as Detroit lost to the Cincinnati Reds in seven games. McCosky finished No. 16 in the MVP voting for 1940. Since 1940, the only Tiger to exceed McCosky's 19 triples is Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...
in 2007.
McCosky had another solid season in 1941, as he hit .324 and finished No. 15 in the American League MVP voting.
McCosky lost three years in the prime of his career (at ages 26–28) to military service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as he entered the U.S. Navy in December 1942 and was discharged in October 1945.
McCosky returned to Detroit in 1946. After a disappointing .198 start in 25 games, he was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics in mid-May for George Kell
George Kell
George Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who went on to become a baseball broadcaster for 40 years.-Playing career:In college, Kell...
. In his autobiography, Kell recalled being shocked that the Tigers would trade a "legitimate star" and "hometown boy" like McCosky for an "unknown third baseman." At the time of the trade, McCosky told Kell: "You'll be better off here in Detroit. You're going to love it here. I hate to leave because this is home. I've had good years here." (George Kell, "Hello Everybody, I'm George Kell" (Sports Publishing 1998), pp. 42–43.)
Playing for 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...
, McCosky broke out of his early season slump and hit .354 for the A's. And in 1947, McCosky batted .328 (2nd best in the AL) for the Athletics and finished a career-best No. 11 in the AL MVP voting. In 1948, he hit .326 (5th best in the AL), had a .405 on base percentage (6th in the AL), and scored 95 runs.
McCosky missed the entire 1949 season after a back injury, and was never the same batter afterward. He returned to the Athletics in 1950, but his average dropped 86 points from .326 in 1948 to .240 in 1950.
On April 26, 1951, McCosky broke up a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
bid of Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
Connie Marrero
Connie Marrero
Conrado Eugenio "Connie" Marrero Ramos is a former Cuban professional baseball pitcher. The right-handed Marrero pitched in Major League Baseball from to for the Washington Senators. Marrero made his major league debut when he was 38 years old, and was one of the oldest players in the league...
with a home run. One week later, McCosky was sold to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He was then released and picked up off waivers by 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...
. He managed only 37 hits in 1951 for a .268 average. McCosky finished his career paying with the Indians, as his batting average dropped further to .213 in 1952 and .190 in 1953.
Six times he was considered in the American League MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
vote (1939–42, 1947–48). In 1995, he was inducted into the National Polish-American Hall of Fame
National Polish-American Hall of Fame
The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded February 30, 1973 to honor and recognize outstanding American athletes, both amateur and professional, of Polish descent....
.
Life after baseball
After his baseball career ended, McCosky operated a party store on Joy Road between Greenfield and Southfield and also worked as a car salesman. (Richard Bak, "Cobb Would Have Caught It: The Golden Age of Baseball in Detroit" (Wayne State 1991), p. 284.) McCosky died in 1996 at age 79 in Venice, FloridaVenice, Florida
Venice is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 21,015. It is noted for its large snowbird population. Its newspaper is the Venice Gondolier Sun...
.
In 1957, a baseball little league was named after McCosky on the west side of Detroit. The league, founded by John Hubacher with the slogan "BETTER BOYS THROUGH BETTER BASEBALL", expressed the sincere feelings of all the original members of the organization. The league was a member of the National Baseball Congress for many years.
Sources
- Baseball Library
- Baseball Reference
- Find A Grave Memorial to McCosky
- 1939 Photograph of Rookie McCosky at Spring Training
- Richard Bak, "Cobb Would Have Caught It: The Golden Age of Baseball in Detroit" (Wayne State 1991).