67-671: Earle Bryan Combs (May 14, 1899 – July 21, 1976) was an American professional baseball player who played his entire career for the New York Yankees (1924–1935). Combs batted leadoff and played center field on the Yankees' fabled 1927 team (often referred to as Murderers' Row ). He is one of six players on that team who have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame ; the other five are Waite Hoyt , Herb Pennock , Tony Lazzeri , Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth . Combs led
134-427: A baby". Joe McCarthy (another longtime Yankee manager) said, "They wouldn't pay baseball managers much of a salary if they all presented as few problems as did Earle Combs." Said Babe Ruth: "Combs was more than a good ballplayer; he was always a first-class gentleman." American sportswriter and baseball historian Fred Lieb wrote of Combs, "If a vote were taken of the sportswriters as to who their favorite ballplayer on
201-545: A black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. Miller Huggins Miller James Huggins (March 27, 1878 – September 25, 1929) was an American professional baseball player and manager . Huggins played second base for
268-668: A field at Al Lang Stadium , their spring training home in Florida, after Huggins. Huggins was included on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937 , 1938 , 1939 , 1942 , 1945 , 1946 , 1948 , and 1950 , failing to receive the number of votes required for election on those occasions. Named in the Honor Rolls of Baseball in 1946, the Veterans Committee elected Huggins to
335-586: A grocer. His mother was a native of Cincinnati. He had two brothers and one sister. "You can become a pleader or a player, not both. Try baseball. You seem to like it better." – William Howard Taft to Huggins at the University of Cincinnati Huggins attended Woodward High School and Walnut Hills High School , both in Cincinnati. Huggins attended the University of Cincinnati , where he studied law and played college baseball for
402-658: A move that led to criticism in the press. In Huggins' first season with the Yankees, the team finished fourth in the AL. After that season, he obtained Ernie Shore , Dutch Leonard and Duffy Lewis from the Boston Red Sox , for Ray Caldwell , Frank Gilhooley , Slim Love , and Roxy Walters . The following year he traded Pratt, Muddy Ruel , Hank Thormahlen and Sammy Vick to the Red Sox for Waite Hoyt , Harry Harper , Mike McNally and Wally Schang . Huggins signed
469-457: A one-year contract to remain with the Yankees for a reported $ 12,000. Huston continually took the side of his players in any argument they had against Huggins, criticizing Huggins in the press when the Yankees lost the pennant in 1920. Meanwhile, Ruppert was at best a lukewarm advocate of Huggins. Babe Ruth resisted Huggins' discipline; he did not respect Huggins due to his small stature, soft-spoken nature, and inability to fight, and Huggins
536-518: A part of the team. While he was attempting to raise money from the Fleischmann family, Britton sold the team to a group headed by Samuel Breadon , who hired Branch Rickey to run the team's day-to-day operations in the front office . Huggins had coached the young Rogers Hornsby , helping him to correct his batting stance, and Hornsby duly succeeded him as the team's starting second baseman in 1917 as Huggins ended his playing career. He managed
603-676: A player. Combs was born in Pebworth , Owsley County, Kentucky . As a child, he played baseball games with tree limbs as bats and with baseballs made out of string and the material of old shoes. Combs left Pebworth in 1917 to enter Eastern Kentucky State Normal School in Richmond . In those early days, Eastern prepared its students to become teachers. On completion of a two-year program, graduates were often employed in rural one-room schools. They were often responsible for forty or more students, ranging in age from six to teen-age in grades 1–8, so
670-721: A reputation for speedy ball-hawking in the outfield and reckless base- stealing on offense. In 1924, the New York Yankees won a spirited bidding war and bought Combs' contract for $ 50,000 ($ 888,932 in current dollar terms). This was a rather large sum at that time, but it bore fruit for the Yankees as Combs proved an immediate success in New York. In his rookie season (summer of 1924), Combs played center field and hit .400 before breaking an ankle sliding into home plate at Cleveland 's League Park on June 15. Except for one pinch-hitting appearance, he saw no more action that rookie season. The following year, manager Miller Huggins made Combs
737-469: A teacher in Owsley County. His Louisville debut was unsettling; he committed several outfield errors. The last one gave the opposition the two runs they needed to win the game. Distraught afterward, Combs said, "As I went after the dropped ball I was tempted to keep right on going, climb the fence and not stop running until I got to Pebworth." He had married Ruth McCollum, his high school sweetheart,
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#1732780286543804-671: A team organized by Julius Fleischmann , where he played under the pseudonym "Proctor" due to his father's opposition and his amateur status. In 1900, he played for Fleischmann's semiprofessional team based in the Catskill Mountains , the Mountain Tourists, leading the team with a .400 batting average . After receiving his law degree from Cincinnati, Huggins realized that he could make even more money playing baseball, and as such William Howard Taft , one of Huggins' law professors, advised him to play baseball. He
871-889: The Boston Red Sox (1948–1952). When he announced his retirement from the Boston coaching staff in March 1953, he said that he was going to spend more time with family and his Kentucky farm. He returned to coaching for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1954. After retiring from baseball in 1954, Combs returned to his 400-acre farm in Madison County . He served as the Kentucky state banking commissioner during Governor (and former Baseball Commissioner) A. B. 'Happy' Chandler's second administration (1955–1959), and on Eastern's Board of Regents (1959–1975). In November 1962, he laid
938-608: The Cincinnati Bearcats baseball team. A shortstop , he was named team captain of the Bearcats in 1900. Seeing him consumed with baseball, his law professors summoned him to justify why they should keep him in the law program. Huggins' father, a devout Methodist , objected to his son playing baseball on Sundays. But Huggins played semi-professional baseball in 1898 for the Cincinnati Shamrocks,
1005-647: The Cincinnati Reds (1904–1909) and St. Louis Cardinals (1910–1916). He managed the Cardinals (1913–1917) and New York Yankees (1918–1929), including the Murderers' Row teams of the 1920s that won six American League (AL) pennants and three World Series championships. Huggins was born in Cincinnati . He received a degree in law from the University of Cincinnati , where he was also captain on
1072-747: The Cincinnati Reds of the National League (NL), kept an eye on Huggins while he played for St. Paul. The Reds duly purchased his contract from the Saints before the 1904 season . He made his MLB debut on April 15, 1904, and proved very adept at getting on base. He batted .264 with the Reds that season and improved in the 1906 season , finishing with a .292 batting average and 41 stolen bases , while spending considerable time developing his upper-body strength. Although Huggins hoped to be selected as Ned Hanlon 's successor as Cincinnati's manager after
1139-764: The Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since the 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and
1206-730: The Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues, the China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During
1273-819: The Pine Mountain League (summer of 1921) and hit .444. He also played semi-pro baseball for the Lexington, Kentucky based Lexington Reds of the Blue Grass League . It was in Lexington (in 1922) that Combs drew the attention of the Louisville Colonels of the American Association . After scouting him, Louisville offered him a contract which provided a salary that exceeded the $ 37 per month ($ 674 today) he made as
1340-702: The World Series for the first time in franchise history, silencing his critics in the press. However, they lost the 1921 World Series to the New York Giants . In response, Huggins sought to add more pitching talent. Before the 1922 season , Huggins acquired Johnny Mitchell from the Vernon Tigers of the Pacific Coast League and traded fan favorite Roger Peckinpaugh along with Rip Collins , Bill Piercy , and Jack Quinn to
1407-432: The baseball team . Rather than serve as a lawyer, Huggins chose to pursue a professional baseball career. He played semi-professional and minor league baseball from 1898 through 1903, at which time he signed with the Reds. As a player, Huggins was adept at getting on base. He was also an excellent fielding second baseman, earning the nicknames "Rabbit", "Little Everywhere", and "Mighty Mite" for his defensive prowess and
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#17327802865431474-690: The 1907 season, the Reds instead went with John Ganzel . In 1908, he played with the Reds in the Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series . Hampered by a broken ankle and torn ligaments in his shoulder, he slumped to .209 in 1909 . Before the 1910 season, the Reds traded Huggins, along with Frank Corridon and Rebel Oakes , to the St. Louis Cardinals in return for Fred Beebe and Alan Storke . He set an MLB record on June 1, 1910, with six plate appearances but no at bats , with four walks and two sacrifice flies . In
1541-783: The American League with 27 wins in 1921 and strikeouts the following year, when he won 24 games. Shocker was reacquired for Bullet Joe Bush, Milt Gaston and Joe Giard in December 1924. However, through 42 games of the 1925 season , the Yankees struggled, falling to seventh place in the eight-team AL, 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 games out of first place. Huggins made wholesale changes to the Yankees' lineup, as he replaced Ward at second base with Howard Shanks , catchers Steve O'Neill and Wally Schang with Benny Bengough , and, most notably, Pipp with Lou Gehrig at first base , beginning Gehrig's record consecutive games played streak. Among
1608-586: The Giants from repeating as champions for the third consecutive season. They were unable to retain their title the following season however, finishing second in the AL to the Washington Senators . Huggins had come to regret his trade of Urban Shocker to the Browns. In St. Louis, the spitballer Shocker had come into his own as a starter, racking up four straight 20-win seasons (1920–23) and leading
1675-592: The Hall of Fame in February 1964 , and he was posthumously inducted that summer. Huggins was a private man who kept to himself. He lived in Cincinnati during the winters while playing for the Reds and Cardinals, but began to make St. Petersburg, Florida , his winter home while managing the Yankees. Huggins did not marry, and lived with his sister while in Cincinnati. Huggins invested in real estate holdings in Florida, although he sold them in 1926 (three years before
1742-445: The Red Sox for Everett Scott , Bullet Joe Bush , and Sad Sam Jones . By this time, Ruppert hired Ed Barrow as the team's business manager, and he aided Huggins in player transactions. The Yankees repeated as AL champions that season, but lost the 1922 World Series , again to the Giants. With the newly gained confidence of his owners, Huggins was retained as manager. The Yankees won their first World Series in 1923, preventing
1809-525: The Richmond Cemetery. In four World Series covering 16 games (1926, 1927, 1928 and 1932), Combs batted .350 (21-for-60) with 17 runs, three doubles, one home run, 9 runs batted in, and 10 base on balls. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout
1876-469: The United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ") is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of
1943-589: The Yankees benefited from the development of George Pipgras and Wilcy Moore , and set an American League record with 110 regular season victories, winning the AL by 19 games. The Yankees swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series . This team became known as Murderers' Row , and is considered one of the greatest teams in baseball history. Huggins remained confident in his team's ability to repeat as AL champions in 1928 season . Huggins supplemented his team by acquiring Bill Dickey from
2010-411: The Yankees would be, Combs would have been their choice." After his retirement as a player, he remained in the game as a coach for almost two decades. He was offered a coaching job with the Yankees in 1936, and started his new position by instructing his replacement (DiMaggio) on the nuances of Yankee Stadium 's outfield. He coached for the Yankees through 1944, for the St. Louis Browns in 1947 and for
2077-426: The Yankees would not win the AL pennant in 1929, Huggins began consulting with coaches Art Fletcher and Bob Shawkey about the future of the team, including how to replace Bob Meusel in left field . However, by August 1929, Huggins began losing weight and complained of feeling ill. Huggins fell ill on September 20, 1929, and checked into Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center for erysipelas . His condition
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2144-513: The Yankees' leadoff hitter. He held this position for the remaining eleven years of his playing career. He hit .342 and scored 117 runs in 1925. In his best year (1927), he hit .356 with 231 hits, 131 runs scored, 36 doubles and a league-leading 23 triples. He led the league in triples again the next year, batting .310 and finishing sixth in Most Valuable Player voting. He hit .345 in 1929, then .344 in 1930, again leading
2211-484: The Yankees' team record for most triples in a season (23 in 1927). He hit no lower than .282 in any of his eleven seasons, and scored no fewer than 113 runs from 1925 through 1933. In four World Series, Combs hit .350 with a .443 on-base average. He averaged 17 triples a season, and had a lifetime fielding percentage seven points better than the league average. Miller Huggins once said, "If you had nine Combs' on your ball club, you could go to bed every night and sleep like
2278-449: The acquisition of speed in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates , including Dots Miller , Art Butler , Cozy Dolan and Chief Wilson , the Cardinals contended for the NL pennant in 1914. Finishing in third place, it was the Cardinals' best finish since 1876, but they fell back to sixth in 1915 and last in 1916. When Britton sold the team after that season, she offered Huggins a chance to buy
2345-420: The acquisition of superstar slugger Ruth dictated a change of emphasis towards power and not giving away outs. For the slugging Yankees of the 1920s, he recruited power hitters and consistent (as opposed to brilliant) pitchers. In 1915, umpire and sportswriter Billy Evans , writing about the scarcity of competent second basemen in baseball, listed Huggins, Collins, Pratt, Johnny Evers , and Nap Lajoie as
2412-562: The best in the game. He later wrote that Huggins was "one of the greatest managers I have ever met". Bill James ranked Huggins as the 37th best second baseman of all time in 2001 in his The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract . The Yankees dedicated a monument to Huggins on May 30, 1932, placing it in front of the flagpole in center field at Yankee Stadium . Huggins was the first Yankees legend granted this honor. Later, posthumous monuments were added there for Lou Gehrig in 1941, and Babe Ruth in 1949. These always remained within
2479-577: The downside, in 1914 he set the single season caught-stealing record in the National League, when he was thrown out 36 times (as opposed to 32 successful steals). Huggins finished his managerial career with a 1413–1134 record. His 1413 wins as a manager ranks 23rd all-time (as of the start of the 2012 season). He learned his managerial strategy by observing Hanlon and Bresnahan. His managerial style at first emphasized speed, base-stealing, hit- and-run plays and "slap" (i.e., contact) hitting, but
2546-660: The field of play, so long as Yankees Stadium maintained its original commodious outfield dimensions (that reached 461 feet in right center). Many years later, with the outfield shrunk to barely over 400 feet in a sweeping stadium remodel, the memorials were relocated to a " Monument Park " created behind the centerfield fence, and dedicated in 1976. Since that time, additional monuments have been placed for Mickey Mantle (1996), Joe DiMaggio (1999), and George Steinbrenner (2010), again all posthumous. The plaque on Huggins’ monument describes him as "A splendid character who made priceless contributions to baseball." The Yankees also named
2613-500: The fine and suspension, and that he would never play for Huggins again, believing that Ruppert would side with him over Huggins. However, Ruppert insisted that the fine would stand and that Ruth would be suspended for as long as Huggins desired. After apologizing to Huggins and Ruppert, Ruth was reinstated on September 5. Ruth did not challenge Huggins' authority again. "He was the only man who knew how to keep me in line." – Babe Ruth on Huggins Huggins restructured
2680-611: The foundation stone for Earle B. Combs Hall, a dormitory at Eastern. In June 1970, the Little League field at Irvine-McDowell Park in Richmond was named in his honor. In 2006, he was inducted as a charter member of Eastern's Athletics Hall of Fame, and the university provides an athletic scholarship in his honor each year. Combs was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame in 1970 by the Veterans Committee . When he learned of
2747-410: The honor, he said "I thought the Hall of Fame was for superstars, not just average players like me." Sabermetrician Bill James has listed Combs as one of ten examples of Hall of Fame inductees who do not deserve the honor. Combs and his wife Ruth (1901–1989) had three sons, Earle Jr, Charles and Donald. After a long illness, he died on July 21, 1976 (age 77) in Richmond, Kentucky . He is interred in
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2814-473: The job to Huggins, who initially did not want to take the position, as the Yankees were in no better a position than the Cardinals. J. G. Taylor Spink of The Sporting News eventually convinced Huggins to accept the offer, and he signed a two-year contract. The hiring of Huggins drove a wedge between the two co-owners that culminated in Huston selling his shares of the team to Ruppert in 1922. "I call him
2881-401: The knowledge that the Yankees were set to bring up a rookie center fielder named Joe DiMaggio the next season, led to Combs' decision to retire at the age of 36. For his career Combs hit .325, had an on-base average of .397 and averaged nearly 200 hits, 75 walks and only 31 strikeouts a season. He was a part of three World Series championships (in 1927 , 1928 and 1932 ). He also set
2948-594: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with the major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at
3015-475: The league in triples three times and was among the top ten in the category in several other seasons. He suffered a fractured skull and other injuries from a crash into an outfield wall in 1934, then retired after another injury the next season. Nicknamed "the Kentucky Colonel", Combs was known as a gentleman on and off the field. He remained in baseball as a coach for many years after his retirement as
3082-502: The league in triples. Combs suffered a serious accident in July 1934. On a 100+-degree day at St. Louis ' Sportsman's Park , he crashed into the outfield wall going for a fly ball, sustaining a fractured skull, a broken shoulder and a damaged knee. He was reportedly near death for several days, and was hospitalized for more than two months. The next season, he attempted a comeback but suffered another serious injury. That injury, coupled with
3149-479: The left side in 1902 in response to his offensive struggles in the 1901 season while also moving to second base during his time at St. Paul. Huggins handled 19 fielding chances, 11 putouts and nine assists , without committing an error in a game with the Saints in 1902; the previous Major League Baseball (MLB) record being 18, set by Fred Dunlap in 1882. In 1903, he pulled off the first delayed steal in recorded baseball history. Fleischmann, part-owner of
3216-490: The minor leagues. He acquired Stan Coveleski , who was attempting to return to his peak years, but released him in August when the former star continued to struggle. The Yankees reached the 1928 World Series , winning their sixth pennant in eight years, and defeated the Cardinals 4 games to 0. This was the first time a team swept their opponents in consecutive World Series'. Huggins continued to tinker with his roster during
3283-506: The nicknames "Mighty Mite" and the "Mite Manager". He was also known as "Rabbit" and "Little Everywhere" for his ability to cover ground in the infield. An excellent leadoff batter and defensive second baseman, he ended his playing career with a .265 batting average and .956 fielding percentage . He led the league in walks four times and regularly posted an on-base percentage near .400. He scored 100 or more runs three times and regularly stole 30 or more bases for 324 lifetime steals. On
3350-496: The offseason. He traded Dugan, Mike Gazella , Rosy Ryan and Pat Collins , and acquired Lyn Lary from the Pacific Coast League . He tried Lary at third base and Leo Durocher at shortstop, while he attempted to acquire George Uhle and Ed Morris , but was unsuccessful in both cases. The Yankees fell behind the Philadelphia Athletics in the standings during the 1929 season and as it became clear that
3417-471: The oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in
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#17327802865433484-541: The playing field", while also fining him $ 5,000 ($ 86,900 in current dollar terms), and as it was an away game in St. Louis, Ruth was ordered to pay his own way back to New York. The actual reason was because he arrived late for batting practice after yet another night out the night before, though it was a culmination of his pranks and insistence of recruiting less able teammates to go clubbing with him, causing them to nurse hangovers. Ruth responded by claiming Ruppert would rescind
3551-631: The same year, he batted .265 for the Cardinals and led the NL in walks. On July 13, 1911, he tied the NL record for successful fielding chances in a game with 16. At the end of the season, he finished sixth in the voting for the Chalmers Award for Most Valuable Player . In 1912 , he hit over .300 for the first time in his career. Huggins became player-manager for the Cardinals after the 1912 season, succeeding Roger Bresnahan . Team owner Helene Hathaway Britton preferred Huggins' "gentlemanly" manner over Bresnahan's rougher personality. With
3618-533: The squarest shooter I ever knew in baseball." – Lou Gehrig on Huggins Having taken charge Huggins did not shy away from making personnel changes. Upon taking over the Yankees, he stressed fundamental baseball, drilling the Yankees in the art of the bunt . Huggins also made his first player transaction, acquiring Del Pratt and Eddie Plank from the St. Louis Browns trading Nick Cullop , Joe Gedeon , Fritz Maisel , Les Nunamaker , Urban Shocker and $ 15,000 ($ 304,000 in current dollar terms),
3685-520: The team during 1917, the last year of his contract, but was not retained. With the New York Yankees of the American League (AL) not performing well, Yankees owners Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston sought to replace "Wild" Bill Donovan as manager. Ban Johnson , AL president , suggested Huggins to Ruppert as a replacement for Donovan. Huston, who had been in Europe at
3752-530: The team for its final 11 games of the 1929 season, but he did not want to manage the team full-time. After the season, Ruppert offered the job in turn to Fletcher, Donie Bush and Eddie Collins , all of whom declined. Eventually, "Bob the Gob" Shawkey agreed to serve as the Yankees manager for the 1930 season , leading the team to a third-place finish. Huggins was listed at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) and 140 pounds (64 kg). His small stature inspired
3819-473: The team for the 1926 season , giving starting jobs to Mark Koenig and Tony Lazzeri . That season, Huggins won his fourth pennant with the Yankees in 1926, marking the first time that a team won a pennant after finishing seventh the year prior. However, the Yankees lost the 1926 World Series to the Cardinals in seven games. Winning the pennant once again in the 1927 season , Huggins matched Cap Anson 's mark of five pennants in seven seasons. That year,
3886-551: The team's regulars, only Babe Ruth , Joe Dugan , and Bob Meusel remained in the lineup. However, the team continued to struggle; amid rumors that he might replace Huggins, Ruppert stated that "Miller Huggins will be manager as long as he cares to be". The Yankees fell to seventh place in the AL that season. With Ruppert's full support, Huggins' duties with the Yankees included keeping Ruth in line. Unafraid of his star player, Huggins and Ruth often clashed. Huggins suspended Ruth indefinitely on August 29, 1925, for "misconduct off
3953-404: The time that Ruppert had made the appointment, disliked Huggins and wanted to hire Wilbert Robinson , his drinking buddy. Ruppert himself had been put off by Huggins' wool cap and practice of smoking pipes in public, which he felt was the mark of the working class. However, Ruppert interviewed Huggins upon Johnson's recommendation, and agreed that Huggins knew much about baseball. Ruppert offered
4020-543: The work required much management skill. In his first year at Eastern, Combs put on a stellar performance in a faculty-student baseball game and was encouraged to join the school team by Dr. Charles Keith (Dean of Men and baseball coach). He hit .591 at Eastern during his last season. After graduating from Eastern, Combs went back to his native Owsley County and taught in one-room schoolhouses in both Ida May and Levi. Combs continued to play baseball in his spare time. He played for High Splint (Harlan County coal company team) in
4087-503: The world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are
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#17327802865434154-458: The year before and was concerned about his future. Joe McCarthy, the manager of the Colonels and later his manager with the Yankees, knew what Combs could do and told him, "Look, if I didn't think you belonged in center field on this club I wouldn't put you there, and I'm going to keep you there." Combs soon found his stride, hitting .344 in 1922 and .380 in 1923 for the Colonels and also earning
4221-526: Was admitted to the bar , but never practiced law. Huggins began his playing career in minor league baseball with the Mansfield Haymakers of the Class B Interstate League in 1899. He continued his minor league apprenticeship with the St. Paul Saints of the American Association from 1901 through 1903. After starting his career as an exclusively right-handed hitter, he began to bat from
4288-450: Was complicated by the development of influenza with high fever. The Yankees' club physician, in consultation with other doctors, decided to administer blood transfusions . But despite their best efforts, Huggins died at the age of 51 on September 25, 1929, of pyaemia . The American League canceled its games for September 27, the day of his funeral, and his viewing at Yankee Stadium drew thousands of tearful fans. A moment of silence
4355-492: Was held for Huggins before the start of Game 4 of the 1929 World Series (at Philadelphia's Shibe Park, after which the A's overcame an 8–0 Cubs advantage with 10 runs in the last of the seventh for a spectacular 10–8 come-from-behind victory and a 3–1 Series advantage). He was interred in Spring Grove Cemetery in his native Cincinnati. The Yankees found it difficult to replace Huggins. Art Fletcher managed
4422-457: Was later considered an intelligent manager who understood the fundamentals of the game. Despite fielding successful teams for the Yankees in the 1920s, he continued to make personnel changes in order to maintain his teams' superiority in the AL. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1964. Miller James Huggins was born on March 27, 1878, in Cincinnati, Ohio , where his father, an Englishman, worked as
4489-512: Was unable to enforce punishments on Ruth, despite being well educated. The Yankees finished third in the AL in 1919 and 1920. Huggins signed a one-year contract to remain with the team in 1921. Coming into the 1921 season , Huggins was still experiencing criticism in the press. Hugh Fullerton wrote that "in the past Huggins has not shone as a leader of men". By that season, Huggins developed Aaron Ward , Wally Pipp , and Bob Shawkey . The Yankees won their first AL pennant in 1921, reaching
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