Bobby Lowe
Encyclopedia
Robert Lincoln "Bobby" Lowe (July 10, 1865 – December 8, 1951), nicknamed "Link", was an American
baseball
player, coach and scout. He played Major League Baseball
for the Boston Beaneaters (1890–1901), Chicago Cubs
(1902–1903), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1904), and Detroit Tigers
(1904–1907). Lowe was the first player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game, a feat which he accomplished in May 1894. He also tied or set Major League records with 17 total bases in a single game and six hits in a single game. Lowe was a versatile player who played at every position but was principally known as a second baseman. When he retired in 1907, his career fielding average of .953 at second base was the highest in Major League history.
Lowe also worked as a baseball manager, coach and scout. He was the player-manager of the Detroit Tigers during the last half of the season. He was also a player-manger for the minor league Grand Rapids Wolverines in 1908. He coached college baseball in 1907 for the University of Michigan
and from 1909 to 1910 for Washington & Jefferson College
. He was also a scout for the Detroit Tigers in 1911 and 1912.
in July 1865, two months after the end of the American Civil War
and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
. His middle name "Lincoln" likely derives from the historic circumstances immediately preceding his birth. Lowe's father, Robert L. Lowe, was a Pennsylvania native and a railroad engineer. His mother, Jane (or Jennie) Lowe was an immigrant from Ireland. At the time of the 1870 U.S. Census, Lowe, at age five, was living with his parents and four siblings Mary, Eliza (or Lida), John Charles and Olive B.) in Union Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
, approximately 50 miles North of Pittsburgh, a township adjoining the city of New Castle. By 1880, Lowe's father had died, and he was living at age 15 with his mother and three siblings in Union Township.
. In the summer of 1881, Lowe, at age 16, played in a baseball game between the printers and the doctors of New Castle. Charley Powers, who played minor league baseball, was working as a compositor at the Courant and was selected as the captain of the printers. Lowe pleaded for a place on the team, and Powers placed him in right field. Powers later recalled that "'the kid' carried off the honors both in the field and at the bat. I saw at once that he was a born ball player."
In 1882, Lowe played with the Archie Reeds, an amateur baseball club in New Castle. Lowe left his job with the Courant in 1883 and, at age 18, took a job as a machinist at Witherow & Co., the largest manufacturing establishment in New Castle. Lowe was the sole support at the time for his mother and younger sister, Olive, and gave up baseball for several years. Some accounts indicate he also played for Witherow's plant baseball team and for the Neshannocks of New Castle.
In 1886, Charley Powers organized a baseball club in New Castle and persuaded Lowe's employer to allow Lowe to play with the club occasionally. Lowe played catcher and third base for New Castle in 1886 and led the team in batting and base running.
Powers and Lowe both signed to play with the Eau Claire, Wisconsin
team in the Northwestern League
during the summer of 1887. Powers later recalled that the manager of the Eau Claire club, Abe Devine, ran a saloon and refused to use Lowe because he refused to patronize his saloon. Devine sent Lowe back to New Castle, declaring, "That boy can't play ball." Devine brought Lowe back to Eau Claire after the team's starting third baseman, Charlie Levis
, was injured. Lowe was put into the lineup in a game against Milwaukee and drew cheers from the crowd of his defensive play at third base. In his first at bat, he hit a long home run off Varney Anderson
that "sailed far over the center field fence." Lowe appeared in 108 games for Eau Claire in 1887, batting .294 with 47 extra base hits, 61 stolen bases, 100 runs scored, and 240 total bases. He also demonstrated his versatility in the field, playing 51 games in left field, 21 games at shortstop, 17 games in right field, 11 games at third base, 6 games as a catcher, and 5 games in center field.
During the 1888 and 1889 baseball season, Lowe played for the Milwaukee Brewers
of the Western Association
.
purchased Lowe from the Milwaukee Brewers for $700 in a deal that has been described as "one of baseball's biggest bargains." Lowe made his debut in Major League Baseball
with the Beaneaters on April 19, 1890. He remained with the Beaneaters for 12 years from 1890 through 1901.
During his years in Boston, Lowe developed a reputation both as a hitter and a fielder. Listed at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), 150 pounds (68 kg), Lowe was a right-handed batter and one of the best second baseman of the 19th century. He was one of only three men (along with Kid Nichols
and Herman Long) to play on all five of the Beaneaters teams that won pennants in the 1890s.
In 1891, Lowe tied a Major League Baseball record by making six hits (four singles, a double and a home run) in six at bats. Having played mostly in the outfield in 1891 and 1892, Lowe replaced Joe Quinn at second base in 1893. He was the Beaneaters' starting second baseman for eight straight years from 1893 to 1900.
On May 30, , Lowe became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home run
s in one game, including two home runs in the third inning. Lowe accomplished the feat in front of a Decoration Day
crowd of 8,500 spectators against Elton "Ice Box" Chamberlain
of the Cincinnati Reds
at Boston's Congress Street Grounds
. The Boston Daily Globe reported on the game as follows:
After the game, fans "showered $160 worth of silver on the plate for Lowe." During the 1894 season, Lowe led the National League with 613 at bats and was among the leaders in fielding and batting with 319 total bases (2nd in the league), 17 home runs (2nd in the league), 345 putouts as a second baseman (2nd in the league), 212 hits (4th in the league), 402 assists as a second baseman (4th in the league), and 158 runs scored (5th in the league).
While playing with Boston, Lowe was part of an infield that included Fred Tenney
at first base, Lowe at second base, Herman Long at shortstop, Jimmy Collins
at third base, and has been rated by some as "the greatest infield of all time." John McGraw
reportedly called Lowe and Long the greatest double play combination he had seen.
In December 1895, the Boston Daily Globe published a lengthy biography of Lowe, who the paper described as Boston's "quiet, unassuming, but phenomenal second baseman." The Globe noted that the ease with which Lowe played the game led many to understate his value to the club:
Lowe's salary while playing for Boston never exceeded $3,000.
from the Beaneaters. In April 1902, Chicago manager Frank Selee
named Lowe as the captain of the 1902 Chicago team. He played for the Orphans, renamed the Cubs in 1902, for two years. He was the Orphans' starting second baseman in 1902. Although his batting statistics declined in 1902 (.248 batting average), his .956 fielding percentage, 328 putouts, and 412 assists each ranked second among the National League
's second basemen. In 1903, he became a backup to Johnny Evers
at second base, appearing in only 32 games for the Cubs. He was paid a salary of $3,500 per year while playing for Chicago.
from the Cubs. He appeared in only one game for the Pirates before being sold to the Detroit Tigers
on April 30, 1904. Lowe was the Tigers' starting second baseman in 1902, playing at the position in 140 games. His .964 fielding percentage and 328 assists in 1904 were the second highest among the American League
's second basemen. Halfway through the 1904 season, he also became the team's manager. In 74 games as a player-manager, Lowe led Detroit to a 30-44 record. Despite solid fielding in 1904, Lowe's offensive output continued to decline, as his batting average dropped to .207—66 points below his career average of .273.
In 1905, Bill Armour
took over as the Tigers' manager, and Lowe became a part-time player. Over the next three season, Lowe became a utility player for the Tigers, appearing in games at first base, second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield. In August 1906, he sustained a broken nose and a fractured jaw after being struck by a foul tip from his own bat during a game at Philadelphia. Following the injury, Lowe missed the remainder of the 1906 season and appeared in only 17 games (with 37 at bats) in 1907, his final season in Major League Baseball. Even after the 1907 season, The Detroit News
wrote that Lowe at age 42 "has not lost his batting eye nor his speed. His arm is just as good as ever and he is a much stronger ball player than many who held down regular jobs in the league this past season."
.273, with 71 home runs, 984 RBIs
, 1,131 runs
, 1,929 hits, 230 doubles
, 85 triples
, and 302 stolen base
s in 1,818 games
.
At the time of his retirement, his career fielding average of .953 was the highest for a second baseman, and his totals of 3,336 putouts and 4,171 assists also ranked among the top ten of all-time among second baseman.
In 1911, Fred Tenney wrote a series of article for The New York Times
selecting the greatest player in baseball history at each position. Having picked Johnny Evers at second base, Tenney chose Lowe as the best utility player of all time. He wrote: "Lowe of Boston was one of those baseball phenomeons [sic] who could play any position on the team in first-class style."
In 1932, syndicated sports writer Whitney Martin wrote a column arguing that Lowe ranked with Bobby Doerr
, Joe Gordon, Nap Lajoie
and Eddie Collins
as the greatest second basemen of all time. Martin argued that Lowe's accomplishments were overlooked because he played "at a time when the ball had more turtle in it than rabbit." He catalogued a number of Lowe's accomplishments to support the argument:
Lowe also won a reputation as gentleman in an era of rough play. Whitney Martin noted that, in his 18-year career, Lowe "never once was fined or thumbed out of a game." At the conclusion of his playing career, The Detroit News wrote: "Lowe was one of the greatest and is today one of the most popular ball players ever in the game. There is no better type of the gentleman in baseball and no one ever heard ought but words of praise for him."
In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame
appointed a Veteran's Committee to consider candidates from baseball's early years. Lowe ranked 34th in the voting by the Veteran's Committee, trailing Nap Lajoie
and Dan Brouthers
by a half vote. Of the 33 players who finished ahead of him in the voting, 24 have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and several players who finished behind Lowe in the voting (including Bobby Wallace
, Jesse Burkett
, Jake Beckley
, Tommy McCarthy
, Tim Keefe
and Candy Cummings
) have also been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Wolverines baseball
team. In April 1907, a newspaper reported: "Mr. Lowe is the idol of the students at the university and has received the highest possible praise from the college for the excellent manner in which he handles the team." Lowe led the Wolverines to a record of 11-4-1 in 1907.
After his career as a Major League player ended in 1907, Lowe was actively pursued by several minor league teams for coaching positions. He ultimately signed with Grand Rapids Wolverines of the Central League
. In March 1908, Lowe expressed optimism that "there is more interest being taken in baseball in different league towns than ever before."
Lowe's final coaching position was as the baseball coach at Washington & Jefferson College
in 1909 and 1910.
, Macon, Georgia
, Yazoo City, Mississippi
, Montgomery, Alabama
, New Orleans
, Chicago
, Memphis
, Atlanta
, Oklahoma City
, Tulsa
, Hannibal, Missouri
, Denver
, Butte, Montana
, Boise, Idaho
, Kansas City
, Minneapolis
, Waterloo, Iowa
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
, Calgary
and Moose Jaw.
Lowe was married to Harriet Hughes, whose father operated the Leslie Hotel in New Castle. They had no children. After retiring from baseball, Lowe remained in Detroit. In 1920, he was living with his wife and was employed as a "dealer" in real estate. Later, he became an inspector for the City of Detroit Department of Public Works. In 1930, he was living with his wife at the Case De Vine Apartments and was employed as an inspector for the City of Detroit.
Lowe remained "a student and ardent patron of baseball." In 1922, he returned to Boston to play in a veterans baseball game to benefit Boston Children's Hospital. After Lou Gehrig
hit four home runs in a game in 1932, Lowe, wearing his old Beaneaters uniform, posed with Gehrig. Lowe said, "I feel complimented to share the record with so grand a boy." He was 38 years older than Gehrig, but outlived him by 10 years.
In December 1951, Lowe died at his home in Detroit at the age of 86.
He was posthumously inducted into the Lawrence County Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach and scout. He played Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Boston Beaneaters (1890–1901), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1902–1903), Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1904), and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1904–1907). Lowe was the first player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game, a feat which he accomplished in May 1894. He also tied or set Major League records with 17 total bases in a single game and six hits in a single game. Lowe was a versatile player who played at every position but was principally known as a second baseman. When he retired in 1907, his career fielding average of .953 at second base was the highest in Major League history.
Lowe also worked as a baseball manager, coach and scout. He was the player-manager of the Detroit Tigers during the last half of the season. He was also a player-manger for the minor league Grand Rapids Wolverines in 1908. He coached college baseball in 1907 for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and from 1909 to 1910 for Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
. He was also a scout for the Detroit Tigers in 1911 and 1912.
Early years
Lowe was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
in July 1865, two months after the end of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. His middle name "Lincoln" likely derives from the historic circumstances immediately preceding his birth. Lowe's father, Robert L. Lowe, was a Pennsylvania native and a railroad engineer. His mother, Jane (or Jennie) Lowe was an immigrant from Ireland. At the time of the 1870 U.S. Census, Lowe, at age five, was living with his parents and four siblings Mary, Eliza (or Lida), John Charles and Olive B.) in Union Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Union Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,103 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 9.7 square miles , of which, 9.6 square miles of it is land and...
, approximately 50 miles North of Pittsburgh, a township adjoining the city of New Castle. By 1880, Lowe's father had died, and he was living at age 15 with his mother and three siblings in Union Township.
Amateur and minor league baseball
In 1881, Lowe was working as the "office devil" at the Newcastle Courant, a newspaper in New Castle, PennsylvaniaNew Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
. In the summer of 1881, Lowe, at age 16, played in a baseball game between the printers and the doctors of New Castle. Charley Powers, who played minor league baseball, was working as a compositor at the Courant and was selected as the captain of the printers. Lowe pleaded for a place on the team, and Powers placed him in right field. Powers later recalled that "'the kid' carried off the honors both in the field and at the bat. I saw at once that he was a born ball player."
In 1882, Lowe played with the Archie Reeds, an amateur baseball club in New Castle. Lowe left his job with the Courant in 1883 and, at age 18, took a job as a machinist at Witherow & Co., the largest manufacturing establishment in New Castle. Lowe was the sole support at the time for his mother and younger sister, Olive, and gave up baseball for several years. Some accounts indicate he also played for Witherow's plant baseball team and for the Neshannocks of New Castle.
In 1886, Charley Powers organized a baseball club in New Castle and persuaded Lowe's employer to allow Lowe to play with the club occasionally. Lowe played catcher and third base for New Castle in 1886 and led the team in batting and base running.
Powers and Lowe both signed to play with the Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
team in the Northwestern League
Northwestern League
The Northwestern League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1883–1884, and again from 1886-1887. It was founded by Elias Matter in 1883.-1883-1884:...
during the summer of 1887. Powers later recalled that the manager of the Eau Claire club, Abe Devine, ran a saloon and refused to use Lowe because he refused to patronize his saloon. Devine sent Lowe back to New Castle, declaring, "That boy can't play ball." Devine brought Lowe back to Eau Claire after the team's starting third baseman, Charlie Levis
Charlie Levis
Charles H. Levis was a Major League Baseball first baseman in 1884 & 1885.-External links:*...
, was injured. Lowe was put into the lineup in a game against Milwaukee and drew cheers from the crowd of his defensive play at third base. In his first at bat, he hit a long home run off Varney Anderson
Varney Anderson
Varney Samuel "Varn" Anderson was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Indianapolis Hoosiers and the Washington Senators.-Early minor league years:...
that "sailed far over the center field fence." Lowe appeared in 108 games for Eau Claire in 1887, batting .294 with 47 extra base hits, 61 stolen bases, 100 runs scored, and 240 total bases. He also demonstrated his versatility in the field, playing 51 games in left field, 21 games at shortstop, 17 games in right field, 11 games at third base, 6 games as a catcher, and 5 games in center field.
During the 1888 and 1889 baseball season, Lowe played for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
of the Western Association
Western Association
The Western Association was the name of five different leagues in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Western Association on October 28, 1887...
.
Boston Beaneaters
After the 1889 baseball season, the Boston BeaneatersAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
purchased Lowe from the Milwaukee Brewers for $700 in a deal that has been described as "one of baseball's biggest bargains." Lowe made his debut in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the Beaneaters on April 19, 1890. He remained with the Beaneaters for 12 years from 1890 through 1901.
During his years in Boston, Lowe developed a reputation both as a hitter and a fielder. Listed at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), 150 pounds (68 kg), Lowe was a right-handed batter and one of the best second baseman of the 19th century. He was one of only three men (along with Kid Nichols
Kid Nichols
Charles Augustus Nichols , better known as Kid Nichols, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Admired for his steadfast consistency year-in and year-out, Nichols won 361 games, the 7th highest total in major league history...
and Herman Long) to play on all five of the Beaneaters teams that won pennants in the 1890s.
In 1891, Lowe tied a Major League Baseball record by making six hits (four singles, a double and a home run) in six at bats. Having played mostly in the outfield in 1891 and 1892, Lowe replaced Joe Quinn at second base in 1893. He was the Beaneaters' starting second baseman for eight straight years from 1893 to 1900.
On May 30, , Lowe became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in one game, including two home runs in the third inning. Lowe accomplished the feat in front of a Decoration Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
crowd of 8,500 spectators against Elton "Ice Box" Chamberlain
Elton Chamberlain
Elton P. "Ice Box" Chamberlain was a professional baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of 10 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1886 and 1896...
of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
at Boston's Congress Street Grounds
Congress Street Grounds
Congress Street Grounds is a former baseball ground located in Boston, Massachusetts. The ballpark, as the name implies, was along Congress Street, near the intersection of Thompson Place, and not far from the Fort Point Channel on South Boston Flats, a newly filled in piece of land on Boston Harbor...
. The Boston Daily Globe reported on the game as follows:
"Bobby Lowe broke all league records with four home runs in succession, and then tied the record for totals by adding a single, making a total of 17 bases. The hitting of Lowe has never been surpassed in a game. His home runs were on line drives far over the fence, and would be good for four bases on an open prairie. The crowd cheered Bobby every time he came up, and when he responded with a home run even the visitors had to join in the good-natured smile."
After the game, fans "showered $160 worth of silver on the plate for Lowe." During the 1894 season, Lowe led the National League with 613 at bats and was among the leaders in fielding and batting with 319 total bases (2nd in the league), 17 home runs (2nd in the league), 345 putouts as a second baseman (2nd in the league), 212 hits (4th in the league), 402 assists as a second baseman (4th in the league), and 158 runs scored (5th in the league).
While playing with Boston, Lowe was part of an infield that included Fred Tenney
Fred Tenney
Frederick Tenney was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Beaneaters/Doves/Rustlers and New York Giants .-See also:...
at first base, Lowe at second base, Herman Long at shortstop, Jimmy Collins
Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century who was widely regarded as being the best third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson...
at third base, and has been rated by some as "the greatest infield of all time." John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
reportedly called Lowe and Long the greatest double play combination he had seen.
In December 1895, the Boston Daily Globe published a lengthy biography of Lowe, who the paper described as Boston's "quiet, unassuming, but phenomenal second baseman." The Globe noted that the ease with which Lowe played the game led many to understate his value to the club:
"For a grand player, Lowe is seldom given the credit often dished out to his inferiors. His work dos not appeal to the bleachers and grand stand like the less natural and clumsy player who is often seen floundering around like a fish out of water, while the crowd enjoy the effort and go home to tell what great playing they saw. 'He is a hard worker,' you will hear them say. Bobby Lowe is not a hard worker, but he is a conscientious player and an artist of the first magnitude."
Lowe's salary while playing for Boston never exceeded $3,000.
Chicago Cubs
On December 16, 1901, Lowe was purchased by the Chicago OrphansChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
from the Beaneaters. In April 1902, Chicago manager Frank Selee
Frank Selee
Frank Gibson Selee was an American Major League Baseball manager in the National League . In his 16 year Major League career, he managed the Boston Beaneaters for 12 seasons, and the Chicago Orphans for four.He was noted for his ability to assess and utilize talent, which gave his teams a great...
named Lowe as the captain of the 1902 Chicago team. He played for the Orphans, renamed the Cubs in 1902, for two years. He was the Orphans' starting second baseman in 1902. Although his batting statistics declined in 1902 (.248 batting average), his .956 fielding percentage, 328 putouts, and 412 assists each ranked second among the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's second basemen. In 1903, he became a backup to Johnny Evers
Johnny Evers
John Joseph Evers was a Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946...
at second base, appearing in only 32 games for the Cubs. He was paid a salary of $3,500 per year while playing for Chicago.
Detroit Tigers
On April 20, 1904, Lowe was purchased by the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
from the Cubs. He appeared in only one game for the Pirates before being sold to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
on April 30, 1904. Lowe was the Tigers' starting second baseman in 1902, playing at the position in 140 games. His .964 fielding percentage and 328 assists in 1904 were the second highest among the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
's second basemen. Halfway through the 1904 season, he also became the team's manager. In 74 games as a player-manager, Lowe led Detroit to a 30-44 record. Despite solid fielding in 1904, Lowe's offensive output continued to decline, as his batting average dropped to .207—66 points below his career average of .273.
In 1905, Bill Armour
Bill Armour
William Reginald Armour was an American manager in Major League Baseball who led the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians in the early 1900s. Armour was Ty Cobb's first manager in 1905....
took over as the Tigers' manager, and Lowe became a part-time player. Over the next three season, Lowe became a utility player for the Tigers, appearing in games at first base, second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield. In August 1906, he sustained a broken nose and a fractured jaw after being struck by a foul tip from his own bat during a game at Philadelphia. Following the injury, Lowe missed the remainder of the 1906 season and appeared in only 17 games (with 37 at bats) in 1907, his final season in Major League Baseball. Even after the 1907 season, The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
wrote that Lowe at age 42 "has not lost his batting eye nor his speed. His arm is just as good as ever and he is a much stronger ball player than many who held down regular jobs in the league this past season."
Career statistics and legacy
In his 18-season career in Major League Baseball, Lowe battedBatting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.273, with 71 home runs, 984 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, 1,131 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 1,929 hits, 230 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 85 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 302 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 1,818 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
At the time of his retirement, his career fielding average of .953 was the highest for a second baseman, and his totals of 3,336 putouts and 4,171 assists also ranked among the top ten of all-time among second baseman.
In 1911, Fred Tenney wrote a series of article for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
selecting the greatest player in baseball history at each position. Having picked Johnny Evers at second base, Tenney chose Lowe as the best utility player of all time. He wrote: "Lowe of Boston was one of those baseball phenomeons [sic] who could play any position on the team in first-class style."
In 1932, syndicated sports writer Whitney Martin wrote a column arguing that Lowe ranked with Bobby Doerr
Bobby Doerr
Robert Pershing Doerr is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and coach. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the Boston Red Sox . He led American League second basemen in double plays five times, tying a league record, in putouts and fielding percentage four times each, and...
, Joe Gordon, Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie , also known as Larry Lajoie, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island...
and Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. , nicknamed "Cocky", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive...
as the greatest second basemen of all time. Martin argued that Lowe's accomplishments were overlooked because he played "at a time when the ball had more turtle in it than rabbit." He catalogued a number of Lowe's accomplishments to support the argument:
- Hit four home runs and a single in one game for 17 total bases.
- Batted over .300 from 1893 to 1897 "with the dead ball."
- Made six hits in six at bats for 10 total bases in another game.
- Scored six runs in one game on May 3, 1895.
- Played 34 consecutive games without an error, accepting 165 chances.
Lowe also won a reputation as gentleman in an era of rough play. Whitney Martin noted that, in his 18-year career, Lowe "never once was fined or thumbed out of a game." At the conclusion of his playing career, The Detroit News wrote: "Lowe was one of the greatest and is today one of the most popular ball players ever in the game. There is no better type of the gentleman in baseball and no one ever heard ought but words of praise for him."
In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
appointed a Veteran's Committee to consider candidates from baseball's early years. Lowe ranked 34th in the voting by the Veteran's Committee, trailing Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie , also known as Larry Lajoie, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island...
and Dan Brouthers
Dan Brouthers
Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in...
by a half vote. Of the 33 players who finished ahead of him in the voting, 24 have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and several players who finished behind Lowe in the voting (including Bobby Wallace
Bobby Wallace (baseball)
Rhoderick John "Bobby" Wallace was a Major League Baseball pitcher, infielder, manager, umpire and scout....
, Jesse Burkett
Jesse Burkett
Jesse Cail Burkett , nicknamed "The Crab", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century...
, Jake Beckley
Jake Beckley
Jacob Peter Beckley , nicknamed "Eagle Eye", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri.-Professional career:...
, Tommy McCarthy
Tommy McCarthy
Thomas Francis Michael "Tommy" McCarthy was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.-Career:...
, Tim Keefe
Tim Keefe
Timothy John "Tim" Keefe , nicknamed "Smiling Tim" and "Sir Timothy", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominating pitchers of the 19th century and posted impressive statistics in one category or another for almost every season he pitched...
and Candy Cummings
Candy Cummings
William Arthur "Candy" Cummings was a professional baseball pitcher in the National Association and National League who was credited with inventing the curveball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.-Career:...
) have also been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Coaching career
In addition to his having been the manager of the Tigers for the last half of the 1904 season, Lowe also coached baseball at the college and minor league level. In 1907, he was hired as the baseball coach for the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines baseball
Michigan Wolverines baseball
The Michigan Wolverines baseball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Michigan athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Big Ten Conference...
team. In April 1907, a newspaper reported: "Mr. Lowe is the idol of the students at the university and has received the highest possible praise from the college for the excellent manner in which he handles the team." Lowe led the Wolverines to a record of 11-4-1 in 1907.
After his career as a Major League player ended in 1907, Lowe was actively pursued by several minor league teams for coaching positions. He ultimately signed with Grand Rapids Wolverines of the Central League
Central League (baseball)
The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903-1917, 1920-1922, 1926, 1928-1930, 1934, and 1948-1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season...
. In March 1908, Lowe expressed optimism that "there is more interest being taken in baseball in different league towns than ever before."
Lowe's final coaching position was as the baseball coach at Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
in 1909 and 1910.
Later years
After retiring as a player and coach, Lowe continued his affiliation with the game as a scout for the Detroit Tigers in the early 1910s. In February 1912, a syndicated newspaper story reported that Lowe had traveled 20,000 miles as a scout during the prior year, and noted that his itinerary "reads like a cross between a railroad guide and an atlas." Lowe's destinations in 1911 included Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
, Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, Yazoo City, Mississippi
Yazoo City, Mississippi
Yazoo City is a city in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle. It is the county seat of Yazoo County and the principal city of the Yazoo City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the...
, Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
, Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
, Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
, Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and Moose Jaw.
Lowe was married to Harriet Hughes, whose father operated the Leslie Hotel in New Castle. They had no children. After retiring from baseball, Lowe remained in Detroit. In 1920, he was living with his wife and was employed as a "dealer" in real estate. Later, he became an inspector for the City of Detroit Department of Public Works. In 1930, he was living with his wife at the Case De Vine Apartments and was employed as an inspector for the City of Detroit.
Lowe remained "a student and ardent patron of baseball." In 1922, he returned to Boston to play in a veterans baseball game to benefit Boston Children's Hospital. After Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
hit four home runs in a game in 1932, Lowe, wearing his old Beaneaters uniform, posed with Gehrig. Lowe said, "I feel complimented to share the record with so grand a boy." He was 38 years older than Gehrig, but outlived him by 10 years.
In December 1951, Lowe died at his home in Detroit at the age of 86.
He was posthumously inducted into the Lawrence County Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
See also
- Batters with four home runs in one game
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases