Elmer Flick
Encyclopedia
Elmer Harrison Flick was an American
player in Major League Baseball
from until . An outfielder
known predominantly for his solid batting and speed, Flick was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963.
Born in Bedford, Ohio
, Flick joined the Philadelphia Phillies
in 1898, filling in for the injured Sam Thompson
, and proved himself a capable big leaguer, batting
.302 with 8 home run
s, 13 triples and 81 RBIs. After the 1901 season, Flick was one of many star National League
players who jumped to the fledgling American League
, playing for the crosstown Philadelphia Athletics
; but the Phillies obtained an injunction from the state Supreme Court prohibiting any player under contract with the Phillies from playing for another team. As a recourse, Flick and teammate Nap Lajoie
signed instead with the Cleveland Naps
, as the Pennsylvania injunction could not be enforced in Ohio; the two players often traveled separately from their teammates for the next year, never setting foot in Pennsylvania in order to avoid a subpoena. (While teammates with the Phillies, the pair had once engaged in a fistfight in which Lajoie's hand was broken.) Flick would spend the remainder of his career in Cleveland, and the contract dispute would be resolved when the leagues made peace in September 1903 with the National Agreement http://www.roadsidephotos.com/baseball/1903NatAgree.htm.
Flick was the AL batting champion in with a .308 average; in Major League history, only Carl Yastrzemski
won a batting title with a lower mark (.301 in 1968). Flick also led the league in slugging percentage in 1905, one of his several productive seasons. He batted over .300 eight times in his career and finished with a .313 average, leading the league in RBIs once (with 110 in ), stolen base
s twice ( and ) and triples three times (1905–07). His value was such that after the 1907 season, the Naps turned down a trade with the Detroit Tigers
which would have exchanged Flick for the 21-year-old Ty Cobb
. However, Flick soon developed stomach problems, and he only played 99 games from 1908 to 1910. In those years, although he had never before hit under .296, he batted only .254. He played two more seasons in the minor leagues before retiring. Despite his talent, Flick was never able to propel any of his teams to a league championship.
Elmer Flick died in his lifelong hometown of Bedford at age 94.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
player 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...
from until . An outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
known predominantly for his solid batting and speed, Flick was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963.
Born in Bedford, Ohio
Bedford, Ohio
Bedford is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,074 at the 2010 census. It is an eastern suburb of Cleveland.-Geography:Bedford is located at ....
, Flick joined the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 1898, filling in for the injured Sam Thompson
Sam Thompson
Samuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
, and proved himself a capable big leaguer, batting
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 :...
.302 with 8 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, 13 triples and 81 RBIs. After the 1901 season, Flick was one of many star 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...
players who jumped to the fledgling 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...
, playing for the crosstown Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
; but the Phillies obtained an injunction from the state Supreme Court prohibiting any player under contract with the Phillies from playing for another team. As a recourse, Flick and teammate 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...
signed instead with the Cleveland Naps
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, as the Pennsylvania injunction could not be enforced in Ohio; the two players often traveled separately from their teammates for the next year, never setting foot in Pennsylvania in order to avoid a subpoena. (While teammates with the Phillies, the pair had once engaged in a fistfight in which Lajoie's hand was broken.) Flick would spend the remainder of his career in Cleveland, and the contract dispute would be resolved when the leagues made peace in September 1903 with the National Agreement http://www.roadsidephotos.com/baseball/1903NatAgree.htm.
Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
won a batting title with a lower mark (.301 in 1968). Flick also led the league in slugging percentage in 1905, one of his several productive seasons. He batted over .300 eight times in his career and finished with a .313 average, leading the league in RBIs once (with 110 in ), 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 twice ( and ) and triples three times (1905–07). His value was such that after the 1907 season, the Naps turned down a trade with 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...
which would have exchanged Flick for the 21-year-old Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
. However, Flick soon developed stomach problems, and he only played 99 games from 1908 to 1910. In those years, although he had never before hit under .296, he batted only .254. He played two more seasons in the minor leagues before retiring. Despite his talent, Flick was never able to propel any of his teams to a league championship.
Elmer Flick died in his lifelong hometown of Bedford at age 94.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
External links
- Baseball Hall of Fame – Member biography