George Selkirk
Encyclopedia
George Alexander Selkirk (January 4, 1908 – January 19, 1987) was a Canadian outfielder
and front office executive in Major League Baseball
. In 1935, Selkirk succeeded the legendary Babe Ruth
as the right fielder
of the New York Yankees
. Although he could not match Ruth's charisma and power-hitting ability — few could come close to that — over the next eight seasons, Selkirk batted
over .300 five times, twice drove home more than 100 RBI, played on five World Championship teams (1936
, 1937
, 1938
, 1939
and 1941
), and made the American League All-Star team in 1936 and 1939.
A native of Huntsville, Ontario
, Selkirk batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He earned the nickname "Twinkletoes" for his distinctive way of running on the balls of his feet. During his nine years of major league service, all with the Yankees, he appeared in 846 games and batted .290 (.265 in 21 World Series games), with 108 regular-season home run
s.
After military service in World War II
, Selkirk managed at the A and AAA levels for the Yanks, and at AAA in the farm system of the Milwaukee Braves
. He then worked as a player personnel director for the Kansas City Athletics
and player development director of the Baltimore Orioles
before becoming the second general manager
in the history of the second Washington Senators club (now the Texas Rangers
) in the autumn of 1962.
The Senators were chronically short of funds and never developed a strong farm system, forcing Selkirk to acquire players (such as the great slugger Frank Howard
) through trades and fill out the roster with waiver-price acquisitions. Nonetheless, Washington improved every year from 1963 through 1967. But when the team's field manager
, Gil Hodges
, departed for the New York Mets
after the '67 campaign, the Senators regressed and fell back into the American League
basement. The death of one of the club's owners forced the sale of the team in the autumn of 1968, and Selkirk was fired during the transition. He then returned to the Yankees as a scout.
George Selkirk died at age 79 in Fort Lauderdale
, Florida
. His successful career as a player, and the respect he earned as a general manager
, earned Selkirk a place in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
.
Selkirk is mentioned in August Wilson
's 1987 Pulitzer Prize
-winning play, "Fences." The protagonist, Troy, confident that he can do better than white ballplayers in the majors, alludes to Selkirk and his .269 average.
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...
and front office executive 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...
. In 1935, Selkirk succeeded the legendary 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...
as the 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...
of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Although he could not match Ruth's charisma and power-hitting ability — few could come close to that — over the next eight seasons, Selkirk batted
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 :...
over .300 five times, twice drove home more than 100 RBI, played on five World Championship teams (1936
1936 World Series
The 1936 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games to earn their fifth championship....
, 1937
1937 World Series
The 1937 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees and the New York Giants in a rematch of the 1936 Series. The Yankees won the Series in five games for their second championship in a row and their sixth in fifteen years. It also broke a tie that they had reached in 1936, with...
, 1938
1938 World Series
The 1938 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Chicago Cubs, with the Yankees sweeping the Series in four games for their seventh championship and record third straight .Dizzy Dean, who had helped carry the Cubs to the National League pennant despite a...
, 1939
1939 World Series
The 1939 World Series featured the three-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds, who were making their first Series appearance since the scandal-tainted 1919 World Series. The Yankees swept the Series in four games for the second time in a row, winning their record...
and 1941
1941 World Series
The 1941 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games to capture their fifth title in six years, and their ninth overall....
), and made the American League All-Star team in 1936 and 1939.
A native of Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville is a town in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Toronto and south of North Bay....
, Selkirk batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He earned the nickname "Twinkletoes" for his distinctive way of running on the balls of his feet. During his nine years of major league service, all with the Yankees, he appeared in 846 games and batted .290 (.265 in 21 World Series games), with 108 regular-season 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.
After military service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Selkirk managed at the A and AAA levels for the Yanks, and at AAA in the farm system of the Milwaukee Braves
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....
. He then worked as a player personnel director for the Kansas City 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....
and player development director of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
before becoming the second general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
in the history of the second Washington Senators club (now the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
) in the autumn of 1962.
The Senators were chronically short of funds and never developed a strong farm system, forcing Selkirk to acquire players (such as the great slugger Frank Howard
Frank Howard (baseball player)
Frank Oliver Howard , nicknamed "Hondo", "The Washington Monument", and "The Capital Punisher", is a former left and right fielder, coach and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Senators/Texas Rangers...
) through trades and fill out the roster with waiver-price acquisitions. Nonetheless, Washington improved every year from 1963 through 1967. But when the team's field manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, departed for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
after the '67 campaign, the Senators regressed and fell back into 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...
basement. The death of one of the club's owners forced the sale of the team in the autumn of 1968, and Selkirk was fired during the transition. He then returned to the Yankees as a scout.
George Selkirk died at age 79 in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. His successful career as a player, and the respect he earned as a general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
, earned Selkirk a place in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museums commemorates great players, teams, and accomplishments of baseball in Canada.-History:...
.
Selkirk is mentioned in August Wilson
August Wilson
August Wilson was an American playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama...
's 1987 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning play, "Fences." The protagonist, Troy, confident that he can do better than white ballplayers in the majors, alludes to Selkirk and his .269 average.