Duff Cooley
Encyclopedia
Duff Gordon "Sir Richard" Cooley (March 29, 1873 August 9, 1937) was a professional baseball
player whose career spanned 17 seasons, 13 of which were spent in Major League Baseball
(MLB). Cooley, an outfielder
and first baseman
, had a career batting average
of .294 in 1,317 games played
. He compiled 849 runs
, 1,579 hits
, 180 doubles
, 102 triples
, 26 home run
s, and 557 runs batted in (RBI). In Major League history, he is tied in 148th place for most all-time triples and, his 224 career stolen bases
, place him equal 279th on the all-time list. Cooley went made his Major League debut at the age of 20, and spent the majority of his career there, but he also appeared in minor league baseball
. After breaking his leg with the Tigers in 1905, he was replaced with future Hall of Fame outfielder Ty Cobb
. Cooley, nicknamed "Sir Richard" due to his aristocratic manner, was listed as standing 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and weighing 158 pounds (71.7 kg).
. He began his major league career in 1893, playing for Topeka, Kansas, before playing for the St. Louis Browns
of the National League
(NL). Although the seventh youngest player in the league during his first season, he batted .346, which remained a career-high. Defensively, Cooley was a utility player
, starting at multiple positions for the Cardinals. On September 30 of 1873, Cooley recorded six hits against the Boston Beaneaters. He played for St. Louis in 1894, nearly doubling his at bat
s (206) and games played (54).
Cooley played more regularly in 1895 and averaged 4.2 at bats per game throughout the season. One of the most successful batters on the team, he had the highest batting average at .342 and led the Cardinals in hits, triples, and runs scored. His slugging (.466) and on-base plus slugging
(.851) percentages remained the highest of his career. At the end of the year, he had played 133 games, two behind major league leader and teammate, Joe Quinn. Offensively, Cooley tied for seventh in most hits and finished fourth in triples.
At the beginning of the 1896 season, Cooley continued to play for the Browns. However, after 40 games in which he had a .307 batting average, he was moved to the Philadelphia Phillies
in exchange for Joe Sullivan
, Tuck Turner
, and an unknown sum of money. The Phillies, under manager Billy Nash
, finished 62–68
, eighth in the NL. Cooley remained with the Phillies in 1897, when he tied with Fred Tenney
, George Van Haltren
, and Gene DeMontreville
for the MLB lead in at-bats. Cooley led his team in runs scored and stolen bases, and finished third, behind Ed Delahanty
and Nap Lajoie
, in hits. The following two seasons, playing for Philadelphia, he hit .312 in 1898 and .276 in 1899, before he was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates
for $
1,000 in April 1900. In his only season with the Pirates, Cooley recorded a batting average of .201, the worst of his career. He also compiled 30 runs, 50 hits, and 22 RBI.
After being purchased by the Boston Beaneaters
in 1901, Cooley made his minor-league debut for the Syracuse Stars
of Syracuse, New York
. After recording a team-high in batting average and slugging percentage, Cooley was promoted to the major league Beaneaters. Next season, under manager Al Buckenberger
, Cooley played in 135 games, more than double the previous year for the Beaneaters. He finished the year eighth in the NL in both hits and total bases
, and third in doubles.
Cooley remained with the Beaneaters for the following two seasons, hitting .289 in 1903. On June 20, 1904, Cooley hit for the cycle
(a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game), becoming the second Beaneater to do so. Cooley finished the 1904 season with six total errors
, five in the outfield and one at first base. Cooley's 70 RBIs were eighth most in the NL. After the season, in October 1904, he was selected off the Beaneater's waivers by the Detroit Tigers
.
In his final major league season, Cooley played in 97 games before breaking his leg, which led to Ty Cobb
, a future inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame
taking his place as center fielder
for the rest of the season. He was sold to the Beaneaters following the 1905 season, but decided to retire instead.
and began to work as a salesman. In his final years, he battled alcoholism, which partially contributed to his death from heat stroke in Dallas on August 9, 1937. By then, he and his wife Louise were divorced and he left no children. Cooley was buried in Grove Hill Memorial Park in Dallas.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned 17 seasons, 13 of which were spent 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...
(MLB). Cooley, an 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...
and 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...
, had a career 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 .294 in 1,317 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,...
. He compiled 849 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...
, 1,579 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....
, 180 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....
, 102 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....
, 26 home run
Home 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 557 runs batted in (RBI). In Major League history, he is tied in 148th place for most all-time triples and, his 224 career stolen bases
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...
, place him equal 279th on the all-time list. Cooley went made his Major League debut at the age of 20, and spent the majority of his career there, but he also appeared in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. After breaking his leg with the Tigers in 1905, he was replaced with future Hall of Fame outfielder 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...
. Cooley, nicknamed "Sir Richard" due to his aristocratic manner, was listed as standing 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and weighing 158 pounds (71.7 kg).
Career
Cooley was born on March 29, 1873, in Leavenworth, KansasLeavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
. He began his major league career in 1893, playing for Topeka, Kansas, before playing for the St. Louis Browns
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
(NL). Although the seventh youngest player in the league during his first season, he batted .346, which remained a career-high. Defensively, Cooley was a utility player
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
, starting at multiple positions for the Cardinals. On September 30 of 1873, Cooley recorded six hits against the Boston Beaneaters. He played for St. Louis in 1894, nearly doubling his 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 (206) and games played (54).
Cooley played more regularly in 1895 and averaged 4.2 at bats per game throughout the season. One of the most successful batters on the team, he had the highest batting average at .342 and led the Cardinals in hits, triples, and runs scored. His slugging (.466) and on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
(.851) percentages remained the highest of his career. At the end of the year, he had played 133 games, two behind major league leader and teammate, Joe Quinn. Offensively, Cooley tied for seventh in most hits and finished fourth in triples.
At the beginning of the 1896 season, Cooley continued to play for the Browns. However, after 40 games in which he had a .307 batting average, he was moved to the 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...
in exchange for Joe Sullivan
Joe Sullivan (shortstop)
Joseph Daniel Sullivan was a shortstop in Major League Baseball from to . He played for the Washington Senators, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Browns....
, Tuck Turner
Tuck Turner
George A. "Tuck" Turner was a 19th century Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Browns. Born in West New Brighton, New York, "Tuck" broke into the National League with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1893 at the age of 20...
, and an unknown sum of money. The Phillies, under manager Billy Nash
Billy Nash
William Mitchell Nash was a Major League Baseball third baseman. He played fifteen seasons in the majors, from until . He also served as player-manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in .-See also:...
, finished 62–68
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
, eighth in the NL. Cooley remained with the Phillies in 1897, when he tied with Fred Tenney
Fred Tenney
Frederick Tenney was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Beaneaters/Doves/Rustlers and New York Giants .-See also:...
, George Van Haltren
George Van Haltren
100px|thumb|left|Van Haltren in 1904George Edward Martin Van Haltren was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who also pitched and occasionally played shortstop. He batted and threw left-handed...
, and Gene DeMontreville
Gene DeMontreville
Eugene Napoleon DeMontreville , was a professional baseball player who played second base in the Major Leagues from 1894-1904. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Senators , Washington Senators , Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Braves, and St...
for the MLB lead in at-bats. Cooley led his team in runs scored and stolen bases, and finished third, behind Ed Delahanty
Ed Delahanty
Edward James Delahanty , nicknamed "Big Ed", was a Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 for the Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators, and was known as one of the early great power hitters in the game.He was elected to the Baseball Hall of...
and 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...
, in hits. The following two seasons, playing for Philadelphia, he hit .312 in 1898 and .276 in 1899, before he was purchased by the 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...
for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1,000 in April 1900. In his only season with the Pirates, Cooley recorded a batting average of .201, the worst of his career. He also compiled 30 runs, 50 hits, and 22 RBI.
After being purchased by the Boston Beaneaters
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....
in 1901, Cooley made his minor-league debut for the Syracuse Stars
Syracuse Stars
The Syracuse Stars were a minor professional ice hockey team from Syracuse, New York, existing for 10 season from 1930 to 1940. The Stars name had previously been used by sports teams, including several Syracuse Stars baseball teams from the 19th century....
of Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. After recording a team-high in batting average and slugging percentage, Cooley was promoted to the major league Beaneaters. Next season, under manager Al Buckenberger
Al Buckenberger
Albert C. Buckenberger was a manager in Major League Baseball for the Columbus Solons, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Browns and Boston Beaneaters from 1889 to 1904. In 1896, he managed the Toronto team in the Eastern League...
, Cooley played in 135 games, more than double the previous year for the Beaneaters. He finished the year eighth in the NL in both hits and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
, and third in doubles.
Cooley remained with the Beaneaters for the following two seasons, hitting .289 in 1903. On June 20, 1904, Cooley hit for the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
(a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game), becoming the second Beaneater to do so. Cooley finished the 1904 season with six total 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 ...
, five in the outfield and one at first base. Cooley's 70 RBIs were eighth most in the NL. After the season, in October 1904, he was selected off the Beaneater's waivers by 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...
.
In his final major league season, Cooley played in 97 games before breaking his leg, which led to 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...
, a future inductee to the National 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...
taking his place as center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the rest of the season. He was sold to the Beaneaters following the 1905 season, but decided to retire instead.
After MLB
Following his retirement from baseball, Cooley moved to Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and began to work as a salesman. In his final years, he battled alcoholism, which partially contributed to his death from heat stroke in Dallas on August 9, 1937. By then, he and his wife Louise were divorced and he left no children. Cooley was buried in Grove Hill Memorial Park in Dallas.