George Wood (baseball)
George Wood | |
---|---|
Outfielder | |
Born: Pownal, Prince Edward Island, British North America | November 9, 1858|
Died: April 4, 1924 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 65)|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 1, 1880, for the Worcester Ruby Legs | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 29, 1892, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .273 |
Home runs | 68 |
Runs batted in | 601 |
Teams | |
As player
As manager
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Member of the Canadian | |
Baseball Hall of Fame | |
Induction | 2011 |
George Albert Wood (November 9, 1858 – April 4, 1924), also known as "Dandy" Wood, was a British North America-born professional
Early years
Wood was born in Pownal, Prince Edward Island, British North America, in 1858.[1] He was the son of Joseph A. Wood and Mary Ann Jenkins and is believed to be the first major league player from Prince Edward Island, and one of only three in major league history, along with Henry Oxley and Vern Handrahan. Wood moved with his family to East Boston as a child in 1867.[2][3]
Professional baseball career
Worcester
Wood began his professional baseball career in 1878 and 1879 playing for teams in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire. His batting average in 1879 was .368.[4] In December 1879, he travelled to Havana as the left fielder of the first American team to play a Cuban all-star team.[3]
In 1880, the Worcester baseball club became known as the
Integrated baseball
Wood also participated in an early integrated baseball game. The
Detroit
In 1881, the National League admitted a new club in
On May 2, 1881, Wood hit a triple, scored a run, and turned a double play in the first major league baseball game ever played in Detroit.
Wood had the best season of his career in 1883. That year, he compiled a .302 batting average with 26 doubles, 11 triples, five home runs, and 47 RBIs. He also showed range in the outfield and led the league's outfielders with 226 outfield putouts. Applying the
Philadelphia
In November 1885, Wood was returned to the control of the National League and was claimed in January 1886 by the
During the winter after the 1888 season, Wood was part of the All-America baseball team that travelled around the world playing a series of games against the
In 1890, Wood jumped to the
The Players' League disbanded after the 1890 season, but the Philadelphia club was admitted to the American Association. Wood stayed with the club and also served as the team's manager in 1891. He led the team to 67–55 record and batted for a career high .309 average, eighth best in the league. He was also among the league's leaders with 14 triples, (8th), 242 times on base (8th), and a .399 on-base percentage (9th).[1]
Baltimore and Cincinnati
The 1892 season was Wood's last in the major leagues. He played parts of the season for both the Baltimore Orioles (21 games) and the Cincinnati Reds (30 games).[1]
Later years
After his playing career was over, Wood served as an umpire for a time.[2] He died in 1924 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at age 65.[1] He has been posthumously inducted into the PEI Sports Hall of Fame (2009) and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (2011).[2][10]
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball player-managers
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "George Wood Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ a b c "George (Dandy) Wood inducted into Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame". Journal Pioneer (Prince Edward Island). June 22, 2011. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "George "Dandy" Wood". PEI Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ "George Wood Minor League Statistics". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ The Ballplayers – George Wood | BaseballLibrary.com Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine at www.baseballlibrary.com
- ^ "First Inning: Organization of the Detroit Base Ball Club--The Details of the New Enterprise". Detroit Free Press. November 30, 1880. p. 1.
- ^ "Sporting Matters: Buffalo Wins the Base Ball Game by the Score of 6 to 5; All of Their Runs Presented to Them by the Detroit Nine". Detroit Free Press. May 3, 1881. p. 6.
- ^ "Progressive Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as OF". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Starr, Raymond (Winter 1986). "Book review: A. G. Spalding and the Rise of Baseball". Journal of San Diego History. 32 (1).
- ^ "Henke, Simpson, Wood named to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame". Montreal Gazette. January 24, 2011. Archived from the original on 2024-05-25.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- George Wood managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com