Home Run Baker

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Frank Baker
Image:Frank Baker.jpg
Third Baseman
Born: March 13, 1886
Died: June 28 1963 (aged 77)
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 21, 1908 for the Philadelphia Athletics
Final game
September 29, 1922 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Batting average	.307
Home runs	96
Runs batted in	987
Teams
Philadelphia Athletics (1908-1914) New York Yankees (1916-1922)
Career highlights and awards
World Series Champion: 1910, 1911, 1913 American League pennant: 1914, 1921, 1922 American League home run champion: 1911-1914 American League RBI champion: 1912, 1913 6 seasons with a .300+ batting average 3 seasons with 100+ RBI 2 seasons with 100+ runs scored
Member of the National
Image:Empty Star.svg Baseball Hall of Fame Image:Empty Star.svg
Elected	1955
Election Method	Veteran's Committee

John Franklin "Home Run" Baker (March 13 1886 - June 28 1963) was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1922. Baker helped the Philadelphia Athletics win three World Series (1910, 1911 and 1913). His legacy has grown over the years and he is regarded by many as the best third baseman of the pre-war era.

Baker, who led the American League in home runs in 1911, earned the nickname "Home Run" during the 1911 World Series in which he hit a go-ahead home run off Rube Marquard in game two and a ninth-inning game-tying home run off Christy Mathewson in game three. His home run crown would be the first of four consecutive seasons leading the American League in home runs. He hit 11 HR in 1911, 10 HR in 1912, 12 HR in 1913, and 9 HR in 1914. Two of those seasons, he also led the American League in runs batted in.

He was born in Trappe, Maryland, was a butcher by trade, and broke into the major leagues in 1908 with the Athletics. Baker played third base for the Athletics until 1915, when he sat out the entire season in a contract dispute. His contract was sold in 1916 to the New York Yankees, with whom he finished his career.

Initially, Baker retired in 1920, but came back to play two more seasons with the Yankees, seasons that took him to two more World Series.

Following his retirement, Baker managed for two seasons (1924-25) in the Eastern Shore Baseball League and was credited with discovering Jimmie Foxx and recommending him to Connie Mack.

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. In 1981, Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
• Hitting for the cycle
• List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
• List of Major League Baseball Home Run Records
• List of Major League Baseball home run champions
• Major League Baseball titles leaders

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• baseballhalloffame.org – Hall of Fame biography page
• The Deadball Era

Preceded by Jake Stahl	American League Home Run Champion 1911-1914 (1912 with Tris Speaker)	Succeeded by Braggo Roth
Preceded by Ty Cobb	American League RBI Champion 1912-1913	Succeeded by Sam Crawford

v • d • e Philadelphia Athletics 1910 World Series roster
Frank Baker | Jack Barry | Chief Bender | Eddie Collins | Jack Coombs | Harry Davis | Topsy Hartsel | Jack Lapp | Bris Lord | Danny Murphy | Amos Strunk | Ira Thomas Manager Connie Mack

v • d • e Philadelphia Athletics 1911 World Series roster
Frank Baker | Jack Barry | Chief Bender | Eddie Collins | Jack Coombs | Harry Davis | Jack Lapp | Bris Lord | Stuffy McInnis | Danny Murphy | Rube Oldring | Eddie Plank | Amos Strunk | Ira Thomas Manager Connie Mack

v • d • e Philadelphia Athletics 1913 World Series roster
Frank Baker | Jack Barry | Chief Bender | Joe Bush | Eddie Collins | Jack Lapp | Stuffy McInnis | Eddie Murphy | Rube Oldring | Eddie Plank | Wally Schang | Amos Strunk Manager Connie Mack

de:Frank Baker

ja:フランク・ベーカー (ホームラン・ベーカー)