Buck Freeman
Encyclopedia
John Frank "Buck" Freeman (October 30, 1871 – June 25, 1949) was an American
right fielder
in Major League Baseball
at the turn of the 20th century. Freeman was one of the top sluggers of his era, his most famous feat being the 25 home run
s he hit during the 1899
season.
A native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
, Freeman showed talent as a pitcher
from a young age. He made his major league debut as a left-handed starter with the Washington Statesmen
on June 27, 1891, registering the loss in a 4-5 defeat to the Philadelphia Athletics
. Freeman played in a further four games during the season, finishing up with a 3-2 record and an earned run average
of 3.89.
Following the 1891 season's conclusion he did not play in the majors again for seven years. He played in the Eastern League with Toronto from 1896 to 1898 and returned to the Washington roster midway through the 1898
season. During the intervening time Freeman had bulked out and had begun to show real skill with the bat (in his 18 at bat
s in 1891 he had recorded a batting average
of .222). In light of this the Senators decided to retrain Freeman as a right fielder, believing that he would be even more useful with the bat than he was with the ball. Albeit with only 107 at bats, he recorded a .364 batting average and a .523 slugging percentage during the final months of the 1898 season. Following his strong showing with the bat, he was named as the Senators' first-choice right fielder for the following season.
The 25 home runs that Freeman recorded in 1899 were truly remarkable by the standards of the time; the second highest total that year was Bobby Wallace
's 12. Although Freeman failed to equal Ned Williamson
's record of 27 home runs in a season, recorded in 1884
, Freeman's total is generally regarded as the greater achievement owing to the dimensions of Williamson's home ballpark of Lakeshore Park
(of Williamson's 27 homers, only two were scored away from home). Freeman's tally was not surpassed until 1919
, when Babe Ruth
scored 29 home runs with the Boston Red Sox
.
Following the disbandment of the Washington Senators at the end of the 1899 season, Freeman spent the 1900
season with the Boston Beaneaters
. His offensive numbers for the season were well down on the year before, with him hitting 6 home runs and recording 66 runs batted in. At the end of the season he and teammate Jimmy Collins
moved across town to the Boston Americans
, who decided to convert him into a first baseman
. The 1901
season was something of a return to form: he finished second overall in home runs (12), RBI (114), and slugging percentage (.520), finishing behind Nap Lajoie
in all categories.
In 1902
Freeman returned to playing as a right fielder, which was his better position, and led the American League
with 121 RBI. In 1903
he helped Boston to the inaugural World Series
by leading the league in both home runs (13), and RBI (104); in doing so Freeman became the first player to have lead both the National League
and the American League in home runs. The 1903 World Series
was the only Series Freeman ever played in, and it proved to be lacklustre by his own standards - he recorded an average of .281 with three triples
and four RBI over the course of eight games.
In the three years following Boston's World Series success Freeman's offense declined sharply. In 1906
: he managed a .250 average with one home run and 30 RBI. After that, he decided to play for one further season, but was released by Boston after only four games of the 1907
season after going 2-for-12, including a home run. He went on to finish the season with the Minneapolis Millers
of the American Association
, recording an average of .335 and scoring 18 home runs. Following this successful season he decided to spend a further season with the Millers. The 1908
season was Freeman's last in professional baseball, in which he managed to score 10 home runs albeit with an average of .218.
In an 11-season career, Freeman was a .293 hitter (1235-for-4208) with 82 home runs and 713 RBI in 1126 games, including 199 doubles
, 131 triples, 92 stolen base
s, a slugging percentage of .462, and a .346 on base percentage
.
Freeman died at the age of 77 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
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...
at the turn of the 20th century. Freeman was one of the top sluggers of his era, his most famous feat being the 25 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 he hit during the 1899
1899 in baseball
-National League final standings:-Events:*May 15 - Willie Keeler, known as one of the smallest players and best bunters in baseball, drives the ball past startled left fielder Ed Delahanty of the Philadelphia Phillies for an inside-the-park grand slam and an 8–5 victory for the Brooklyn...
season.
A native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
Catasauqua is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, settled in 1805 and chartered as a borough in 1853. Catasauqua is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of the state....
, Freeman showed talent as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
from a young age. He made his major league debut as a left-handed starter with the Washington Statesmen
Washington Senators (1891-1899)
The Washington Senators were a 19th century baseball team. The team was also known as the Washington Statesmen and the Washington Nationals. The team played at Boundary Field....
on June 27, 1891, registering the loss in a 4-5 defeat to the Philadelphia Athletics
Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional baseball team, one of six charter members of the American Association, a 19th-century major league, which began play in 1882 as a rival to the National League. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Eclipse of...
. Freeman played in a further four games during the season, finishing up with a 3-2 record and an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 3.89.
Following the 1891 season's conclusion he did not play in the majors again for seven years. He played in the Eastern League with Toronto from 1896 to 1898 and returned to the Washington roster midway through the 1898
1898 in baseball
-National League final standings:-Events:*April 21 - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Bill Duggleby hits a grand slam in his first major league at-bat. No one else will accomplish that feat until Jeremy Hermida in ....
season. During the intervening time Freeman had bulked out and had begun to show real skill with the bat (in his 18 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s in 1891 he had recorded a batting average
Batting 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 :...
of .222). In light of this the Senators decided to retrain Freeman as a right fielder, believing that he would be even more useful with the bat than he was with the ball. Albeit with only 107 at bats, he recorded a .364 batting average and a .523 slugging percentage during the final months of the 1898 season. Following his strong showing with the bat, he was named as the Senators' first-choice right fielder for the following season.
The 25 home runs that Freeman recorded in 1899 were truly remarkable by the standards of the time; the second highest total that year was Bobby Wallace
Bobby Wallace (baseball)
Rhoderick John "Bobby" Wallace was a Major League Baseball pitcher, infielder, manager, umpire and scout....
's 12. Although Freeman failed to equal Ned Williamson
Ned Williamson
Edward Nagle "Ned" or "Ed" Williamson was an American Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons from 1878 until 1890...
's record of 27 home runs in a season, recorded in 1884
1884 in baseball
-Champions:*First World's Championship Series: Providence Grays over New York Metropolitans *National League: Providence Grays*American Association: New York Metropolitans*Union Association: St...
, Freeman's total is generally regarded as the greater achievement owing to the dimensions of Williamson's home ballpark of Lakeshore Park
Union Base-Ball Grounds
Union Base-Ball Grounds was a baseball park located in Chicago, Illinois. It was also called White-Stocking Park, as it was the home field of the Chicago White Stockings of the National Association in 1871, after spending the 1870 season as an independent professional club playing home games...
(of Williamson's 27 homers, only two were scored away from home). Freeman's tally was not surpassed until 1919
1919 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:Chicago White Sox players accused of throwing World Series, resulting in the Black Sox scandal.-Champions:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Chicago White Sox -MLB statistical leaders:-Headline Event of the Year:...
, when Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
scored 29 home runs with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
Following the disbandment of the Washington Senators at the end of the 1899 season, Freeman spent the 1900
1900 in baseball
-Champions:*Chronicle-Telegraph Cup: Brooklyn Superbas defeated Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 games to 1*National League: Brooklyn Superbas-Statistical leaders:-National League final standings:-Events:...
season with the Boston Beaneaters
Atlanta 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....
. His offensive numbers for the season were well down on the year before, with him hitting 6 home runs and recording 66 runs batted in. At the end of the season he and teammate 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...
moved across town to the Boston Americans
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, who decided to convert him into a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. The 1901
1901 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* American League: Chicago White Stockings* National League: Pittsburgh PiratesWorld Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-Other champions:* Minor leagues** California League: San Francisco Wasps...
season was something of a return to form: he finished second overall in home runs (12), RBI (114), and slugging percentage (.520), finishing behind 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...
in all categories.
In 1902
1902 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* American League: Philadelphia Athletics* National League: Pittsburgh Pirates1902 World Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-American League:*Home Runs: Socks Seybold, Philadelphia Athletics: 16...
Freeman returned to playing as a right fielder, which was his better position, and led 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...
with 121 RBI. In 1903
1903 in baseball
300px|thumb|1903 [[1903 Boston Americans season|Boston]] vs [[1903 Chicago White Stockings season|Chicago]] at [[Huntington Avenue Grounds]]-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Boston Americans over Pittsburgh Pirates , in the first modern World Series...
he helped Boston to the inaugural World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
by leading the league in both home runs (13), and RBI (104); in doing so Freeman became the first player to have lead both 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...
and the American League in home runs. The 1903 World Series
1903 World Series
The 1903 World Series was the first modern World Series to be played in Major League Baseball. It matched the Boston Americans of the American League against the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League in a best-of-nine series, with Boston prevailing five games to three, winning the last...
was the only Series Freeman ever played in, and it proved to be lacklustre by his own standards - he recorded an average of .281 with three 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 four RBI over the course of eight games.
In the three years following Boston's World Series success Freeman's offense declined sharply. In 1906
1906 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Chicago White Sox over Chicago Cubs Inter-league playoff: Chicago declined challenge by New York Giants.-Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Events:...
: he managed a .250 average with one home run and 30 RBI. After that, he decided to play for one further season, but was released by Boston after only four games of the 1907
1907 in baseball
-Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Events:*February 27 - The New York Highlanders acquire catcher Branch Rickey from the St. Louis Browns in exchange for infielder Joe Yeager...
season after going 2-for-12, including a home run. He went on to finish the season with the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, recording an average of .335 and scoring 18 home runs. Following this successful season he decided to spend a further season with the Millers. The 1908
1908 in baseball
-Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-January-March:*February 27 - The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball...
season was Freeman's last in professional baseball, in which he managed to score 10 home runs albeit with an average of .218.
In an 11-season career, Freeman was a .293 hitter (1235-for-4208) with 82 home runs and 713 RBI in 1126 games, including 199 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....
, 131 triples, 92 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, a slugging percentage of .462, and a .346 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
.
Freeman died at the age of 77 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions