Bob Unglaub
Bob Unglaub | |
---|---|
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | |
Died: November 29, 1916 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | (aged 36)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 15, 1904, for the New York Highlanders | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 17, 1910, for the Washington Senators | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .258 |
Home runs | 5 |
Runs batted in | 216 |
Managerial record | 9–20 |
Winning % | .310 |
Teams | |
As player
As manager
|
Robert Alexander Unglaub (July 31, 1880 – November 29, 1916) was an American
A Baltimore native, Unglaub was first exposed to baseball when he served as batboy and mascot for the Baltimore Orioles. He made his major league debut with the Highlanders in 1904 and was traded to Boston later that year. Though he started at first base for Boston in late 1905, he played minor league baseball in 1906 because of a salary dispute. Back with the Americans in 1907, he became their full-time first baseman and even their manager, though the latter role lasted for only 29 games. He was traded to Washington in 1908 and remained with the Senators through the 1910 season. Unglaub then played in the minor leagues for six more years before he was killed in an accident while working at Baltimore's Pennsylvania Railroad shops.
Early life
Born in
Upon Unglaub's graduation from high school in 1897, a representative of the University of Maryland inquired about Unglaub's interest in attending the institution. Unglaub said he wanted to play baseball, then discovered he could do both; the school would pay him $75 a month to play baseball for the Terrapins. Accepting the offer, Unglaub attended the school for three years, pitching under his middle name of Alexander and acquiring an engineering degree. During his time in college, Unglaub also played for a variety of amateur and semipro teams on Maryland's Eastern Shore.[1][2]
Baseball career
Early seasons (1900–03)
Early in 1900 Unglaub signed with the
Following his first full successful season in Eastern League, Unglaub attracted attention of several other clubs. While he verbally agreed to stay with Worcester for another year and received approximately $50 in advance money from the club's president, he went on trial with
He joined the
First taste of the major leagues (1904–05)
In 1904, Unglaub reached the
On July 4, 1905, Unglaub played all 20 innings at first base in a pitching duel between
Salary dispute (1906–07)
Unglaub would not continue to start at third base for the Americans in 1906.
Finding no sympathy from the Commission, Unglaub turned his back on the major leagues and signed with the Williamsport Millionaires of the Tri-State League, which was not affiliated with organized baseball. His salary in 1906 is unknown, but in 1907, the team offered him $4,500. Unglaub was unable to take advantage of the offer, however, because the league became affiliated with organized baseball again in 1907, and his contract was transferred back to Boston. He was fined $200 for skipping the 1906 season, and Unglaub vented his frustrations in an angry letter to the Americans: "So far as I can see it is a case of pure blackmail to extort money from a man to let him make a living for himself & family and so far as I am concerned there will be no fine paid."[1]
Everyday player and manager (1907–08)
Back in Boston, Unglaub became the Americans' everyday first baseman.
After I was appointed the team went mad, raving mad, for some reason, winning four out of the first five games. The winning was done entirely by bunting. We didn’t swing at the ball once an inning. We bunted to get on and bunted the happy ones all the way home. It was a great system all right. And the newspapers spent columns talking about our tapping. I was naturally puffed up like a toy balloon and dreamed of teasing our way to a pennant. Then, just to show what fans are made of when they get thinking too much, I began to get letters asking me why, if I had taught the team to bunt, I could not teach the men to drive the ball smartly on a straight line, over the heads of the infielders, when said infielders were playing in! What do you think of that! They were handing me a roast because I did not make the players turn off straight singles in these days when .300 hitters are so scarce you can count them on one hand![1]
The team went 9–20 (.310) before Unglaub was replaced as manager by
Washington Senators (1908–10)
Unglaub's move to Washington "revived his career," according to baseball historian Frank Russo.[2] He was used mostly at second and third base but still found himself in the lineup every day.[21] He had batted .263 in 72 games with Boston, but Unglaub upped his average to .308 with the Senators.[20] In 144 games (his career high) between the two clubs, he batted .286 with 46 runs scored, 155 hits, one home run, and 54 RBI.[20]
Before the 1909 season, Unglaub expressed satisfaction with his situation in Washington. "It’s whatever Joe says,” he told reporters. “If the team needs me anywhere at all, it is satisfactory to me, for I shall try and deliver the goods. I would, of course, prefer the infield, but if there is not room there, it is all the same to me."[1] Though not the best at fielding, he could (and did) play a variety of positions, covering at third and first while Bill Shipke and Jerry Freeman were struggling and filling in for an injured Jim Delahanty at second base and a hurt Clyde Milan in the outfield.[1] The Washington Post praised his hitting in April: "Unglaub is a batter whom any pitcher must fear, for when he hits the ball it usually goes on a long journey."[1] Russo, however, said "he was never a great hitter."[2] In May, Unglaub missed some time with broken ribs, reportedly caused when Bob Ganley hit him with a baseball bat in a brawl. The Senators denied this, but Ganley was released shortly thereafter.[1] Playing 130 games in his first season with the Senators, Unglaub batted .265 with 43 runs scored, 127 hits, three home runs, and 41 RBI.[20]
In 1910, Unglaub went back to playing first base full time. He appeared in 124 games, accumulating 29 runs scored, 101 hits, and 44 RBI. His batting average dropped to .234, and he hit zero home runs in what would be his last major league season.[20]
Unglaub batted and threw right-handed. He stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) and weighed 178 pounds (81 kg).[20] In a 595-game major-league career, he batted .258 with 188 runs scored, 554 hits, five home runs, and 216 RBI.[20]
Later career (1911–16)
Before the 1911 season, the Senators sold Unglaub's contract to the
Death
During baseball offseasons, Unglaub worked as an engineer at the Pennsylvania Railroad shops in Baltimore. On November 29, 1916, he was supervising repair work on a locomotive when an accident occurred that crushed and mangled his body, killing him. He was 36.[1][2][23] Unglaub was laid to rest at Sunny Ridge Memorial Park in Crisfield, Maryland.[15]
Managerial record
Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
BOA | 1907 | 29 | 9 | 20 | .250 | fired* | – | – | – | – |
Total | 29 | 9 | 20 | .310 | 0 | 0 | – |
* As a player-manager, Unglaub returned to being a player only.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball player–managers
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Payne, Marty. "Bob Unglaub". SABR. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4422-3639-4.
- ^ a b "Bob Unglaub Minor & Independent League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Bob Unglaub". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved October 24, 2006.. Retrieved October 24, 2006.
- ^ a b c "Bob Unglaub 1904 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ "Philadelphia Athletics at Boston Americans Box Score, July 4, 1905". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ "Bob Unglaub 1905 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ "Jimmy Collins 1905 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Bob Unglaub Stats". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "Bob Unglaub 1908 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ "Bob Unglaub Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ "Death of Robert Unglaub". TheSporting News. Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved October 24, 2006.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Baseball-Reference.com – managerial statistics and analysis
- TheDeadBallEra.com – Unglaub's grave marker
- Baseball-Almanac.com