Socks Seybold

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Distinguish". Template:Use mdy dates Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Ralph Orlando "Socks" Seybold (November 23, 1870 – December 21, 1921) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball over parts of nine seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Athletics.[1] Known as a power hitter, Seybold set the American League record for home runs in 1902, which would not be broken until 1919. He stood at Script error: No such module "convert".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and weighed 200 lbs.[2]

Biography

Seybold was born in Washingtonville, Ohio.[1] He started his professional baseball career in 1892, and over the next few years he played in the Pennsylvania State League and Atlantic League.[3] In 1896, he had a breakout season, hitting .352 at Lancaster, and in 1897, he led the team to the pennant[2] by slugging a league-leading 14 home runs.[4] Seybold led the Atlantic League in homers again in 1898 and was leading in 1899 when he was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds.[2]

Seybold made his major league debut on August 20.[1] He did not hit well in Cincinnati, and returned to the minors in 1900. He led the American League in home runs, with 9.[5] Seybold then got his second shot in the majors in 1901, with the Philadelphia Athletics, and this time, he stuck. That season, he hit .334 and had a 27-game hitting streak in July and August.[2]

In 1902, Seybold batted .316 and set career-highs in home runs, with 16, and runs batted in, with 97.[1] The home run total led the league and stood as the AL record until Babe Ruth broke it in 1919.[6][7] The Athletics also won the pennant. In 1903, Seybold's batting average dipped below .300; however, his OPS+ stayed at exactly 138, and he ripped a league-leading 45 doubles.[1] Seybold continued his solid hitting from 1904 to 1907. In 1905, he played in his only World Series, which the Athletics lost to the New York Giants; Seybold went 2 for 16 at the plate.[1]

In 1908, Seybold tore some ligaments in his leg sliding into home in a pre-season game at New Orleans.[8][9] He left the team in June 1908 saying, "I feel that I cannot do myself justice. I have decided to quit for the season."[9] He later returned to the team, but struggled the rest of the year, batting just .215. He played his last major league game on October 7, 1908.[1] In December 1908, Philadelphia manager Connie Mack announced that he was releasing Seybold.[10]

In 997 games over nine seasons, Seybold posted a .294 batting average (1085-for-3685) with 478 runs, 218 doubles, 54 triples, 51 home runs, 556 RBI, 66 stolen bases, 293 bases on balls, .353 on-base percentage and .424 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .964 fielding percentage.[1]

Seybold then played and coached in several minor league and industrial teams for a few years.[2] In January 1909, he signed a contract to play for the Toledo Mud Hens,[11] but injuries continued to slow Seybold during the 1909 season.[12] From 1910 to 1911, he coached industrial teams in Jeanette. On April 4, 1912, he signed with the Richmond Rebels of the United States Baseball League.[13] His baseball career ended with the demise of the league in June.

At the end of July 1919, Babe Ruth equaled Seybold's American League record of 16 home runs in a season;[14] Ruth went on to hit 29 homers in 1919.[15]

Seybold was married but had no children. His wife, Wilhelmina "Minnie" Heitz, died in 1917.[2] In his later years, Seybold was employed as a steward of a social club (Fraternal Order of Eagles) in Jeannette, Pennsylvania.[16] In 1921, Seybold was driving a car when it overturned at a sharp curve on the Lincoln Highway east of Jeanette;[16] he was killed instantly.[2] He left an estate valued at $20,000.[17] Seybold was buried next to his wife at Brush Creek Cemetery in Irwin.

See also

References

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  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h "Socks Seybold Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Altieri, Vince. "Socks Seybold". bioproj.sabr.org. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  3. ↑ "Socks Seybold Minor League Statistics & History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  4. ↑ "1897 Atlantic League Batting Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  5. ↑ "1900 American League Batting Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  6. ↑ Socks Seybold - Baseballbiography.com
  7. ↑ Seymour, Harold. Baseball: The Golden Age (Oxford University Press US, 1971), p. 157.
  8. ↑ Tierney, John P. Jack Coombs: A Life in Baseball (McFarland, 2008), p. 37.
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:1902 Philadelphia Athletics Template:AL home run champions

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