Golden Outfield

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Harry Hooper, Tris Speaker, and Duffy Lewis – Boston's famous "Golden Outfield"

The Golden Outfield, also called the Million Dollar Outfield, were the three starting outfielders of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball from 1910 through 1915, considered one of the greatest outfields of all time.[1][2] The three members of the Golden Outfield were left fielder Duffy Lewis, center fielder Tris Speaker, and right fielder Harry Hooper. The three helped the Red Sox win two World Series titles, in 1912 and 1915. Two members of the Golden Outfield, Speaker and Hooper, are enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.[2][3][4] All three were effective hitters, but were especially known for their fielding skill.[5][6] Baseball writer Grantland Rice said that they were "the greatest defensive outfield I ever saw...They were smart and fast. They covered every square inch of the park – and they were like three fine infielders on ground balls. They could move into another country, if the ball happened to fall there."[1] Speaker, Hooper, and Lewis all had powerful throwing arms, as well. Both Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth said that it was the best outfield that they had ever seen.[7]

The Golden Outfield was broken up when Speaker was traded to the

Cleveland Indians prior to the 1916 season after a salary dispute with Red Sox owner Joseph Lannin.[6]

Members

Speaker was the first to join the Red Sox. He joined the team in 1907 and became a regular in 1910.

extra base hits, and on-base percentage in 1912, and in hits, doubles, extra base hits, and total bases in 1914.[8] He was one of the first players elected into the Hall of Fame in 1937.[8]

Hooper joined the Red Sox in 1909, after attending

sacrifice hits in 1910.[10] With the Red Sox from 1909 through 1920, he batted .272 with 1707 hits in 6270 at bats.[10] He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971.[10]

Lewis also attended Saint Mary's College of California and joined the Red Sox in 1910, completing the Golden Outfield.

Duffy's Cliff.[11] Lewis played with the Red Sox until 1917 and led the American League in sacrifice hits in 1912.[12] He received MVP votes in 1914, finishing tied with Hooper at 20th overall in the voting.[12] During his time with the Red Sox, he batted .286, with 1248 hits in 4325 at bats.[12] Lewis has not been elected to the Hall of Fame, but did receive votes in several elections from 1937 through 1955. His best showing was in 1955 when he received 34 votes and 13.5% of the total, far below the 75% needed for election.[13]

Speaker, Hooper, and Lewis made their first start as a trio on April 27, 1910, in an 11–1 road win over the Washington Senators.[14][15]

World Series play

In the

New York Giants' Larry Doyle of a home run to preserve a Red Sox victory in game 7 of the series.[17][18]

In the 1915 World Series, all members of the trio had solid hitting performances, with Lewis batting .444, Hooper .350, and Speaker .294.[19][20] In addition Speaker made a spectacular catch to rob Dode Paskert of an extra base hit that would have won game 2 for the Philadelphia Phillies.[21] After the series, which the Red Sox won in five games, sportswriter George R. Holmes proclaimed that the Golden Outfield was the greatest outfield of all time.[22] In October 1965, Baseball Digest wrote that the 1915 Boston performance was the greatest by an outfield in World Series history.[23] It would be the last time that all three men played on the same team, as Speaker was traded to Cleveland before the 1916 season.[6]

Rivalry

During the 1910s, the Red Sox were beset by a religious rivalry, and members of the Golden Outfield were not immune to this. Lewis and

Protestant faction.[6][24] Speaker and Lewis, in particular, did not get along. One day in 1913, Speaker annoyed Lewis by repeatedly knocking Lewis' cap off. Lewis said, "Do that again and I'll kill you." After Speaker continued to do it, Lewis hit him in the shins with a baseball bat, and Speaker had to be helped off the field.[25]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-8032-2206-8
    .
  2. ^ a b "Harry Hooper HOF". The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  3. ^ "National Baseball Hall of Fame Members (by induction year)" (PDF). The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Tris Speaker HOF". The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  5. ISBN 0-688-11273-0
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-1-57488-982-6
    .
  7. ^ Gay, Timothy M. (2007). Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend. Globe Pequot.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Tris Speaker". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  9. ISBN 0-688-11273-0
    .
  10. ^ a b c d e "Harry Hooper". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  11. ^
    ISBN 0-8032-2206-8
    .
  12. ^ a b c d "Duffy Lewis". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  13. ^ "Duffy Lewis Facts". The Baseball Page. Archived from the original on May 7, 2006. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  14. ^ Zingg, Paul; Reed, E. A. "Harry Hooper". SABR. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  15. ^ "Boston Red Sox 11, Washington Senators 1". Retrosheet. April 27, 1910. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  16. ^ "1912 World Series". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  17. ISBN 978-1-57488-982-6
    .
  18. ^ "Harry Hooper". Baseballbiography.com. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  19. ^ "Boston Red Sox Timeline". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  20. ^ "1915 World Series". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  21. ISBN 0-8032-2206-8
    .
  22. ^ Holmes, George R. "Boston Outfield Best of All Time". The Pittsburgh Press. October 14, 1915. p. 21.
  23. ^ Waxman, Wayne. "The Greatest Outfield Performance"[dead link]. Baseball Digest. October 1965.
  24. ISBN 978-1-57488-982-6
    .
  25. ^ Fleitz, David L. (2009). The Irish in Baseball. McFarland. p. 172.
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