Terry Turner
Encyclopedia
Terrance Lamont Turner (February 28, 1881 - July 18, 1960) was an infielder
in Major League Baseball
who played between 1901
and 1919
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
(1901), Cleveland Naps/Indians
(1904–1918) and Philadelphia Athletics
(1919). Turner batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania
.
Listed at 5' 8", 149 lb., Turner was basically a line-drive hitter and a fearless base stealer
. Because normal slides
hurt his ankles, he pioneered the use of the head-first slide. As a fielder, he spent most of his playing time between shortstop
and third base
. He also broke up three no-hitter
s and spoiled a perfect game
effort by Chief Bender
after receiving a fourth-inning walk
.
In 1904 Turner started a long tenure with Cleveland that lasted 15 years, appearing in a team-record 1,619 games
. He hit a career-high .308 in 1912, and from 1906 to 1911 averaged 25.5 steals in each season, with a career-high 31 in 1910. On the field, he led the American League
shortstops in fielding percentage
four times. He also ranks among the top 10 Cleveland players in seven different offensive categories and still the team-mark in putout
s with 4,603.
In a 17-season career, Turner was a .253 hitter (1499-for-5921) with eight home run
s and 528 RBI
in 1659 games, including 699 runs
, 207 doubles
, 77 triples
, and 256 stolen bases.
Turner died in Cleveland, Ohio
, at the age of 79. In 2001
, he was selected to the 100 Greatest Indians Roster, as part of the club's 100th Anniversary Celebration.
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...
who played between 1901
1901 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* American League: Chicago White Stockings* National League: Pittsburgh PiratesWorld Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-Other champions:* Minor leagues** California League: San Francisco Wasps...
and 1919
1919 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:Chicago White Sox players accused of throwing World Series, resulting in the Black Sox scandal.-Champions:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Chicago White Sox -MLB statistical leaders:-Headline Event of the Year:...
for 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...
(1901), Cleveland Naps/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...
(1904–1918) and 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....
(1919). Turner batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania
Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania
Sandy Lake is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 743 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
Listed at 5' 8", 149 lb., Turner was basically a line-drive hitter and a fearless base stealer
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...
. Because normal slides
Slide (baseball)
In baseball, a slide is when a player, acting as a baserunner, drops his body to the ground once he is very close to the base he is approaching and slides along the ground to reach the base....
hurt his ankles, he pioneered the use of the head-first slide. As a fielder, he spent most of his playing time between 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...
and third base
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...
. He also broke up three 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"...
s and spoiled a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
effort by Chief Bender
Chief Bender
Charles Albert "Chief" Bender was a pitcher in Major League Baseball during the first two decades of the 20th century...
after receiving a fourth-inning walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
.
In 1904 Turner started a long tenure with Cleveland that lasted 15 years, appearing in a team-record 1,619 games
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 hit a career-high .308 in 1912, and from 1906 to 1911 averaged 25.5 steals in each season, with a career-high 31 in 1910. On the field, he led 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...
shortstops in 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...
four times. He also ranks among the top 10 Cleveland players in seven different offensive categories and still the team-mark in 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 with 4,603.
In a 17-season career, Turner was a .253 hitter (1499-for-5921) with eight 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 528 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 1659 games, including 699 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...
, 207 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....
, 77 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 256 stolen bases.
Turner died in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, at the age of 79. In 2001
2001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, he was selected to the 100 Greatest Indians Roster, as part of the club's 100th Anniversary Celebration.