John Knight (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
John Wesley Knight [Schoolboy] (October 6, 1885 - December 19, 1965) was an infielder
in Major League Baseball
, playing mainly as a shortstop
for five different teams between the 1905
and 1913
seasons. Listed at 6' 2.5", 180 lb., Knight batted and threw right-handed. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, he was signed out of the University of Pennsylvania
.
Knight was nineteen when he entered the majors in 1905 with the Philadelphia Athletics
, playing for them two and a half years before joining the Boston Americans
(1907), New York Highlanders
(1909-11), Washington Senators
(1912) and New York Yankees
(1913). Knight was in the Athletics 1905 Opening Day as a replacement for incumbent shortstop Monte Cross
, out until mid-season with a broken hand. He responded hitting .400 in June, but faded after that and finished the season at .203.
In the 1907 midseason Knight was sent to Boston in exchange for Jimmy Collins
. He spent 1908 with Triple-A Baltimore Orioles
and returned to the majors with New York a year later. His most productive season came in 1910, when he posted a career-high .312 (5th in American League
) and led his team in seven offensive categories. In 1911 he was considered in the MVP
vote after hitting .268 with 32 extrabases and 62 runs batted in
. Another deal in 1912 sent him to the Senators, who released him to Double-A Jersey City Giants
, but he returned to New York in 1913 to finish his major league career.
In an eight-year career, Knight was a .239 hitter (636-for-2664) with 14 home run
s and 270 RBI in 767 games, including 301 runs
, 96 doubles
, 24 triples
and 86 stolen base
s. He made 755 infield appearances at shortstop (316), third base
(211), first base (124) and second base (104) and one at right field, for a collective .933 fielding percentage
.
After that, his frequent travels took Knight to the Minneapolis Millers
(American Association
); Seattle Rainiers
and Oakland Oaks
(Pacific Coast League
), Denver Bears
(Western League
) and Sacramento Solons
(PCL), before returning to Denver as player-manager in 1928 for his last baseball season. He was just briefly at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1912.
Knight died in Walnut Creek, California
at age 80.
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...
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...
, playing mainly as a 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...
for five different teams between the 1905
1905 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: New York Giants over Philadelphia Athletics -MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Events:...
and 1913
1913 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award** Walter Johnson, Washington Senators, P** Jake Daubert, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1B-MLB statistical leaders:1MLB Triple Crown Winner for Pitching...
seasons. Listed at 6' 2.5", 180 lb., Knight batted and threw right-handed. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, he was signed out of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Knight was nineteen when he entered the majors in 1905 with 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....
, playing for them two and a half years before joining the Boston Americans
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"...
(1907), New York Highlanders
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...
(1909-11), 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...
(1912) and 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...
(1913). Knight was in the Athletics 1905 Opening Day as a replacement for incumbent shortstop 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....
, out until mid-season with a broken hand. He responded hitting .400 in June, but faded after that and finished the season at .203.
In the 1907 midseason Knight was sent to Boston in exchange for Jimmy Collins
Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century who was widely regarded as being the best third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson...
. He spent 1908 with Triple-A Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
and returned to the majors with New York a year later. His most productive season came in 1910, when he posted a career-high .312 (5th in 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 led his team in seven offensive categories. In 1911 he was considered in the 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 after hitting .268 with 32 extrabases and 62 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...
. Another deal in 1912 sent him to the Senators, who released him to Double-A Jersey City Giants
Jersey City Giants
The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American minor league baseball franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the top farm system affiliate of the New York Giants from 1937 through 1950. The Jersey City club played in the International League...
, but he returned to New York in 1913 to finish his major league career.
In an eight-year career, Knight was a .239 hitter (636-for-2664) with 14 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 270 RBI in 767 games, including 301 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...
, 96 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....
, 24 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....
and 86 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. He made 755 infield appearances at shortstop (316), third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
(211), first base (124) and second base (104) and one at right field, for a collective .933 fielding percentage
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...
.
After that, his frequent travels took Knight to the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
(American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
); Seattle Rainiers
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
and Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (PCL)
The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1955, after which the club transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia...
(Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
), Denver Bears
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
(Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
) and Sacramento Solons
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
(PCL), before returning to Denver as player-manager in 1928 for his last baseball season. He was just briefly at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1912.
Knight died in Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...
at age 80.