Heinie Beckendorf
Encyclopedia
Henry Ward "Heinie" Beckendorf (June 15, 1884 – September 15, 1949) was a Major League Baseball
catcher
from 1909-1910. He was born in New York, New York, and died in Jackson Heights, New York.
, and played his final game on September 10, 1910 for the Washington Senators
. In 1910, he reportedly caught three of the eight shutouts thrown by Walter Johnson
that year.
In 55 major league games (53 as a catcher), Beckendorf had a .182 batting average with no home runs and 13 RBIs. His abilities as a catcher brought him to the major leagues, but his 1910 fielding percentage of .988 (20 points above league average) and Range factor
of 6.39 (25 points higher than league avearage) were not enough to keep him in the big leagues. Weighing against his fine fielding was his 1910 batting average of .164 (81 points below league average) and his slugging percentage of .173 (143 points lower than league average). As a result, Beckendorf did not play in the major leagues again after 1910.
In November 1909, a group of players from the 1909 pennant winning Tigers toured Cuba and played 12 exhibition games against two integrated Cuban teams, Habana and Almendares. Beckendorf was among the Tigers players who toured Cuba. The tour drew wide attention in Cuba, where baseball was already very popular. Demonstrating the high level of play in Cuba, the Tigers lost 8 of the 12 games to the integrated Cuban baseball teams. To take advantage of the interest in the tour of the American baseball players, the Cabañas Company printed a series of baseball cards showing the members of the Almendares, Habana and Detroit baseball teams.
The Detroit roster, from a game played on November 18, 1909, consisted of the following players: Davey Jones
, Charley O'Leary
, George Moriarty
, Matty McIntyre
, Boss Schmidt
, George Mullin
, Heinie Beckendorf, R. Hopke and W. Lelivelt.
" was a popular nickname for German baseball players in the early part of the 20th Century. Beckendorf was one of 22 Major League Heinie's in the first half of the 20th century. They include Heinie Manush
, Heinie Groh
, Heinie Zimmerman
, and Heinie Schuble
. In the 60-plus years since the end of World War II, there has not been a single Heinie
in Major League Baseball.
in Farmingdale, New York
.
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...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
from 1909-1910. He was born in New York, New York, and died in Jackson Heights, New York.
Playing career
Heinie Beckendorf debuted on April 16, 1909 for the Detroit TigersDetroit 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...
, and played his final game on September 10, 1910 for the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. In 1910, he reportedly caught three of the eight shutouts thrown by Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
that year.
In 55 major league games (53 as a catcher), Beckendorf had a .182 batting average with no home runs and 13 RBIs. His abilities as a catcher brought him to the major leagues, but his 1910 fielding percentage of .988 (20 points above league average) and Range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
of 6.39 (25 points higher than league avearage) were not enough to keep him in the big leagues. Weighing against his fine fielding was his 1910 batting average of .164 (81 points below league average) and his slugging percentage of .173 (143 points lower than league average). As a result, Beckendorf did not play in the major leagues again after 1910.
Detroit Tigers 1909 Cuban Tour
The Detroit roster, from a game played on November 18, 1909, consisted of the following players: Davey Jones
Davy Jones (baseball)
David Jefferson "Davy" Jones , nicknamed "Kangaroo", was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played fifteen seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Rebels...
, Charley O'Leary
Charley O'Leary
Charles Timothy O'Leary was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played eleven seasons with the Detroit Tigers , St. Louis Cardinals , and St. Louis Browns ....
, George Moriarty
George Moriarty
George Joseph Moriarty was an American third baseman, umpire and manager in Major League Baseball from 1903 to 1940. He played for the Chicago Cubs, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox from 1903 to 1916.Moriarty was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he grew up near the Union...
, Matty McIntyre
Matty McIntyre
Matthew W. "Matty" McIntyre was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played ten seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , and Chicago White Sox ....
, Boss Schmidt
Boss Schmidt
Charles "Boss" Schmidt was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played six seasons with the Detroit Tigers ....
, George Mullin
George Mullin (baseball)
George Joseph Mullin was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators of the American League and the Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper of the Federal League.-Career Overview:Mullin holds the Detroit Tigers...
, Heinie Beckendorf, R. Hopke and W. Lelivelt.
Major League Heinie's
"HeinieHeinie
Heinie may refer to:*A slang term for the buttocks *A derogatory term used for German soldiers that originated in World War I, short for Heinrich*A crewcut haircut...
" was a popular nickname for German baseball players in the early part of the 20th Century. Beckendorf was one of 22 Major League Heinie's in the first half of the 20th century. They include Heinie Manush
Heinie Manush
Henry Emmett Manush , nicknamed "Heinie" due to his German heritage, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964....
, Heinie Groh
Heinie Groh
Henry Knight "Heinie" Groh was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who spent nearly his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He was the National League's top third baseman in the late 1910s and early 1920s, and captained championship teams with the Reds and ...
, Heinie Zimmerman
Heinie Zimmerman
Henry Zimmerman , known as "Heinie" or "The Great Zim," was a Major League Baseball player in the early 20th century. Zimmerman played for the Chicago Cubs and New York Giants...
, and Heinie Schuble
Heinie Schuble
Henry George "Heinie" Schuble was a Major League Baseball infielder who played seven seasons in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers .-Playing career:...
. In the 60-plus years since the end of World War II, there has not been a single Heinie
Heinie
Heinie may refer to:*A slang term for the buttocks *A derogatory term used for German soldiers that originated in World War I, short for Heinrich*A crewcut haircut...
in Major League Baseball.
Beckendorf's Death
Heinie Beckendorf died in 1949 at age 65 in Jackson Heights, New York. He was buried at Long Island National CemeteryLong Island National Cemetery
Long Island National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Suffolk County, New York. Its mailing address is Farmingdale. It is within the CDPS of Wyandanch, in the Town of Babylon, and Melville in the Town of Huntington...
in Farmingdale, New York
Farmingdale, New York
The Village of Farmingdale is an incorporated village on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York in the United States...
.