Earlier this week it was announced
that the Boston Red Sox had selected four new members for their Hall of Fame.
Fans should have little trouble recognizing the first three inductees, former
players Jason
Varitek and Tim
Wakefield, and former front office man Larry Lucchino. However, the fourth
honoree, former outfielder Ira
Flagstead, will likely leave many scratching their heads. Despite his
anonymity, he is worthy of the honor and is someone whose career all Boston
fans should become more familiar with.
Here is what you need to know about the newest and most
unknown of the Boston Hall of Famers:
-Born Ira James Flagstead, he went by the nickname “Pete.”
-The right-handed outfielder made his major league debut
with the Detroit Tigers in 1917. He spent parts of six solid yet unspectacular
years with them before being traded to the Red Sox in April, 1923 in exchange
for minor leaguer Ed Goebel
and cash.
-Playing with Boston until midway through the 1929 season,
he accumulated a .295 batting average, 27 home runs, 299 RBIs and 51 stolen
bases in 789 games.
-He had a great batting eye, walking twice as often as he
struck out (335 walks to 168 strikeouts) as a member of the Red Sox.
-A tremendous defensive center fielder, he led the league
twice (1925 and 1927) in assists and finished with 95 in his career from that
position, which is still good for 41st all time. Additionally, his career range
factor of 2.80 as a center fielder is 23rd all time.
- He tied
a major league record on April 19, 1926 (Patriots Day) by starting three
double plays from the outfield. Two of these plays came from throwing runners
out after making the catch. The third was a 8-5-4-2 twin killing he started.
-Despite never putting up monster numbers, Flagstead
finished in the top 25 in American League MVP voting every year between
1924-28, finishing as high as seventh place in 1925.
-Flagstead played for some putrid Red Sox teams. In fact,
only once did Boston finish higher than eighth (last place) in the American
League during his tenure. That came in 1925, when they finished seventh, a half
game in front of the last place Chicago White Sox.
-He was so popular with Red Sox fans that he was given his
own day in 1928 and showered with gifts, including $1,000 and a new car.
-The Red Sox Hall of Fame is actually the third time he has
been honored in such a way. He was previously inducted in the Washington Sports
and the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fames.
-He was drafted
into the military during World War I and was about to be sent overseas when
peace came and allowed him to resume his civilian status.
- Flagstead died
in his sleep on March 13, 1940 at the young age of 46—10 years after he
finished his major league career.
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Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteMy great-grandfather! Very cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading!
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