Claude Rossman
Encyclopedia
Claude R. Rossman was an American
first baseman
in Major League Baseball
. He played five seasons in the American League
with the Cleveland Naps
(1904; 1906), Detroit Tigers
(1907-1909) and St. Louis Browns
(1909). Born in Philmont, New York
, he batted and threw left-handed.
Rossman began playing professional baseball in 1903 in the Connecticut League and was with Holyoke in 1903 and 1904. He was drafted by the Cleveland Naps but was sent to the Naps' minor league team in Des Moines in 1905. Rossman finally made it to the major leagues in September 1904, playing 16 games in right field for the Naps in the closing weeks of the season.
Rossman did not play in the majors in 1905 but won a spot as the Naps' starting first baseman
in 1906. He hit .308 in 118 games with 53 RBIs. Rossman's .308 average in was 8th best in the American League
and third highest among the Cleveland regulars -- trailing two Hall of Famers, Nap Lajoie
and Elmer Flick
.
In December 1906, the Naps sold Rossman to the Detroit Tigers
. With Ty Cobb
and Sam Crawford
already in the Detroit lineup, the addition of manager Hughie Jennings
and Rossman in 1907 gave the Tigers the spark they needed to win three straight American League pennants from 1907-1909.
Rossman had a good season for the Tigers in 1907, playing 153 games at first base. He was among the 1907 American League leaders in RBIs (69), hits (158), total bases (195)and runs created (62). Rossman also excelled in the 1907 World Series
, batting .474 with a .579 slugging percentage, 9 hits, 2 RBIs and a run. Unfortunately for the Tigers, their two biggest hitting stars, Ty Cobb
and Sam Crawford
, did not come through, hitting .200 and .238 respectively. Rossman had as many hits and triples in the 1907 World Series as Cobb and Crawford combined.
In , Rossman had the best year of his career. Rossman was among the American League leaders in most batting categories: 2nd in dobules with 33 (trailing only Ty Cobb
); 3rd in total bases with 219 and extra base hit
s with 48 (trailing teammates Cobb and Crawford in both categories); 4th in slugging percentage at .418; 5th in RBIs (71), triples (13), and OPS (.748); and 6th in batting average
at .294. In the 1908 World Series
), Rossman had two hits and 3 RBIs in another losing effort to the Chicago Cubs
.
Batting behind Ty Cobb
in the Detroit lineup, Rossman had a useful talent for laying down bunts. Rossman was so proficient at bunting that Cobb was regularly able to streak from first to third base on Rossman's bunts.
Rossman was also involved in an infamous incident involving Ty Cobb
. With the Tigers and Athletics in a pennant race in 1907, the Tigers and As played in a 14-inning game with the score tied 8-8. When Sam Crawford misplayed a fly ball in the 14th inning, the Tigers claimed that a Philadelphia policeman had interfered with Crawford. Cobb tried to provoke things further by telling Rossman that Monte Cross
of the A's had called Rossman "a Jew bastard." Rossman punched Cross and was both ejected from the game and arrested by the Philadelphia police. As the situation escalated into a near-riot, plate umpire Silk Loughlin ruled that Crawford had been interfered with. Cobb later called this game his "most thrilling," and his anti-Semitic baiting of Rossman played a key role in the incident. (Al Stump, Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball (1994), p. 154.
On August 20, , with Rossman batting .261 in his third season in Detroit, the Tigers traded him to the St. Louis Browns
for Tom Jones
. Rossman played in only 2 games for the Browns, his last major league game occurring on September 3, 1909.
Rossman continued to play professionally in the American Association after leaving the Browns. First with Columbus in 1910 and later that season with Minneapolis, where he continued to play until 1914.
Rossman had a peculiar emotional quirk where he sometimes froze and could not throw the ball when he became excited. Runners would lead off first to draw a throw from the pitcher, then run to second when Rossman froze. Rossman had excellent range as a first baseman. His career Range factor
of 11.06 at first base was almost 2.00 full points above the average for first baseman of his era. But his propensity to freeze with the ball in his throwing hand is said to have greatly shortened his career. He was 28 when he played his last major league game.
In 511 major league games, Rossman hit .283 with 523 hits, 238 RBI, 175 runs, 109 extra base hits, and 49 stolen bases.
Rossman died at age 46 in Poughkeepsie, New York
, while residing as a patient at the Hudson River State Hospital for the Insane where he had been a patient for several years. He was buried at an unknown cemetery in Philmont, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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...
. He played five seasons in 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...
with the Cleveland Naps
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...
(1904; 1906), 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...
(1907-1909) and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1909). Born in Philmont, New York
Philmont, New York
Philmont is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,379 at the 2010 census.The Village of Philmont is located in the northeast corner of the Town of Claverack on Route 217.-History:...
, he batted and threw left-handed.
Rossman began playing professional baseball in 1903 in the Connecticut League and was with Holyoke in 1903 and 1904. He was drafted by the Cleveland Naps but was sent to the Naps' minor league team in Des Moines in 1905. Rossman finally made it to the major leagues in September 1904, playing 16 games in right field for the Naps in the closing weeks of the season.
Rossman did not play in the majors in 1905 but won a spot as the Naps' starting 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...
in 1906. He hit .308 in 118 games with 53 RBIs. Rossman's .308 average in was 8th best in 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...
and third highest among the Cleveland regulars -- trailing two Hall of Famers, Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie , also known as Larry Lajoie, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island...
and Elmer Flick
Elmer Flick
Elmer Harrison Flick was an American player in Major League Baseball from until . An outfielder known predominantly for his solid batting and speed, Flick was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963....
.
In December 1906, the Naps sold Rossman to 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...
. With Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
and Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
already in the Detroit lineup, the addition of manager Hughie Jennings
Hughie Jennings
Hugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891 to 1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
and Rossman in 1907 gave the Tigers the spark they needed to win three straight American League pennants from 1907-1909.
1907 World Series
The 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series four games to none for their first championship....
, batting .474 with a .579 slugging percentage, 9 hits, 2 RBIs and a run. Unfortunately for the Tigers, their two biggest hitting stars, Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
and Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
, did not come through, hitting .200 and .238 respectively. Rossman had as many hits and triples in the 1907 World Series as Cobb and Crawford combined.
In , Rossman had the best year of his career. Rossman was among the American League leaders in most batting categories: 2nd in dobules with 33 (trailing only Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
); 3rd in total bases with 219 and 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 with 48 (trailing teammates Cobb and Crawford in both categories); 4th in slugging percentage at .418; 5th in RBIs (71), triples (13), and OPS (.748); and 6th in 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 :...
at .294. In the 1908 World Series
1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
), Rossman had two hits and 3 RBIs in another losing effort to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
Batting behind Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
in the Detroit lineup, Rossman had a useful talent for laying down bunts. Rossman was so proficient at bunting that Cobb was regularly able to streak from first to third base on Rossman's bunts.
Rossman was also involved in an infamous incident involving Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
. With the Tigers and Athletics in a pennant race in 1907, the Tigers and As played in a 14-inning game with the score tied 8-8. When Sam Crawford misplayed a fly ball in the 14th inning, the Tigers claimed that a Philadelphia policeman had interfered with Crawford. Cobb tried to provoke things further by telling Rossman that Monte Cross
Monte Cross
Montford Montgomery Cross , was an American Major League Baseball baseball player. He played fifteen seasons in the majors, between and , for five different teams....
of the A's had called Rossman "a Jew bastard." Rossman punched Cross and was both ejected from the game and arrested by the Philadelphia police. As the situation escalated into a near-riot, plate umpire Silk Loughlin ruled that Crawford had been interfered with. Cobb later called this game his "most thrilling," and his anti-Semitic baiting of Rossman played a key role in the incident. (Al Stump, Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball (1994), p. 154.
On August 20, , with Rossman batting .261 in his third season in Detroit, the Tigers traded him to the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Tom Jones
Tom Jones (baseball player)
Thomas Jones was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball. He played eight seasons in the American League with the Baltimore Orioles , St. Louis Browns , and Detroit Tigers . Born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, he batted and threw right-handed.He made his debut on August 25, 1902 with the...
. Rossman played in only 2 games for the Browns, his last major league game occurring on September 3, 1909.
Rossman continued to play professionally in the American Association after leaving the Browns. First with Columbus in 1910 and later that season with Minneapolis, where he continued to play until 1914.
Rossman had a peculiar emotional quirk where he sometimes froze and could not throw the ball when he became excited. Runners would lead off first to draw a throw from the pitcher, then run to second when Rossman froze. Rossman had excellent range as a first baseman. His career 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 11.06 at first base was almost 2.00 full points above the average for first baseman of his era. But his propensity to freeze with the ball in his throwing hand is said to have greatly shortened his career. He was 28 when he played his last major league game.
In 511 major league games, Rossman hit .283 with 523 hits, 238 RBI, 175 runs, 109 extra base hits, and 49 stolen bases.
Rossman died at age 46 in Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, while residing as a patient at the Hudson River State Hospital for the Insane where he had been a patient for several years. He was buried at an unknown cemetery in Philmont, New York
Philmont, New York
Philmont is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,379 at the 2010 census.The Village of Philmont is located in the northeast corner of the Town of Claverack on Route 217.-History:...
.