Heinie Sand
Encyclopedia
John Henry "Heinie" Sand (July 3, 1897 – November 3, 1958) was an American
shortstop
in Major League Baseball
who played from 1923 to 1928 with the Philadelphia Phillies
. He debuted on April 17, and played his final game on September 30, . In 1925, he had a .364 on base percentage
and 55 runs batted in
and was 18th in the voting for the National League
's Most Valuable Player Award
. Over six season, he played in 848 games, including 772 at shortstop. For his career, he hit for a .258 average with a .343 on base percentage.
Born in San Francisco, California
, Sand got his start playing for the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League
from 1918 to 1922. Sand had an unassisted triple play while playing for Salt Lake City.
Sand is best known for his role in a 1924 bribery incident that resulted in two players being banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
. Sand knew New York Giants
player Jimmy O'Connell
from their days in San Francisco. On September 23, the Phillies were out of contention, and O'Connell offered to pay $500 to Sand if he would "go easy" on the Giants. The incident came to the attention of Judge Landis, who conducted a hearing. O'Connell admitted making the offer and implicated Giants coach Cozy Dolan in the scheme. Landis banned both O'Connell and Dolan from baseball.
Sand was involved as a shortstop in three triple play
s in his career. In July 1924, Sand was involved in a triple play on a ball hit by Heinie Groh
.
In 1929, Sand was acquired by the Rochester Red Wings
of the International League
. After playing one year in Rochester, Sand was sold to the Baltimore Orioles
in November 1929. Sand played for the Orioles for four years from 1930 to 1933. He finished his career in 1934 playing for San Francisco's Mission Reds
in the Pacific Coast League
.
The statistic that stands out above all others with Sand was his propensity to strike out
. He was among the top 10 batters in strikeouts in all six of his major league seasons, striking out 56 times in his rookie season in 1923 (5th highest in the NL), 57 in 1924 (3rd highest in the NL), 65 in 1925 (2nd highest in the NL), 56 in 1926 (6th highest in the NL), 59 in 1927 (3rd highest in the NL), and 49 in his final season in 1928 (9th highest in the NL).
Sand was also a leader in bases on balls
, walking 82 times in 1923 (2nd in the NL), 52 times in 1924 (10th in the NL), 64 times in 1925 (6th in the NL), and 66 times in 1926 (2nd in the NL).
Sand also was third in runs scored
in the National League in 1926, with 99. Sand belongs to that small group of players who always had at least 120 games and 400+ at bat
s in every major league season played.
After retiring from baseball, Sand became involved in the plumbing business. He was a member of one of the oldest plumbing contracting companies in San Francisco.
In November 1958, Sand died at age 61 at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
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...
who played from 1923 to 1928 with 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...
. He debuted on April 17, and played his final game on September 30, . In 1925, he had a .364 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...
and 55 runs batted in
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...
and was 18th in the voting for 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 Most Valuable Player Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
. Over six season, he played in 848 games, including 772 at shortstop. For his career, he hit for a .258 average with a .343 on base percentage.
Born in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Sand got his start playing for the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
from 1918 to 1922. Sand had an unassisted triple play while playing for Salt Lake City.
Sand is best known for his role in a 1924 bribery incident that resulted in two players being banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
. Sand knew New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
player Jimmy O'Connell
Jimmy O'Connell
James Joseph O'Connell was an outfielder in Major League Baseball.-Biography:O'Connell was born in Sacramento, California. He started his professional baseball career in the Pacific Coast League at the age of 18...
from their days in San Francisco. On September 23, the Phillies were out of contention, and O'Connell offered to pay $500 to Sand if he would "go easy" on the Giants. The incident came to the attention of Judge Landis, who conducted a hearing. O'Connell admitted making the offer and implicated Giants coach Cozy Dolan in the scheme. Landis banned both O'Connell and Dolan from baseball.
Sand was involved as a shortstop in three triple play
Triple Play
A triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
s in his career. In July 1924, Sand was involved in a triple play on a ball hit by 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 ...
.
In 1929, Sand was acquired by the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. After playing one year in Rochester, Sand was sold to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
in November 1929. Sand played for the Orioles for four years from 1930 to 1933. He finished his career in 1934 playing for San Francisco's Mission Reds
Mission Reds
The Mission Reds were a minor league baseball team located in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1926 through 1937.-Original Missions:...
in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
The statistic that stands out above all others with Sand was his propensity to strike out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
. He was among the top 10 batters in strikeouts in all six of his major league seasons, striking out 56 times in his rookie season in 1923 (5th highest in the NL), 57 in 1924 (3rd highest in the NL), 65 in 1925 (2nd highest in the NL), 56 in 1926 (6th highest in the NL), 59 in 1927 (3rd highest in the NL), and 49 in his final season in 1928 (9th highest in the NL).
Sand was also a leader in bases on balls
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, walking 82 times in 1923 (2nd in the NL), 52 times in 1924 (10th in the NL), 64 times in 1925 (6th in the NL), and 66 times in 1926 (2nd in the NL).
Sand also was third in runs scored
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...
in the National League in 1926, with 99. Sand belongs to that small group of players who always had at least 120 games and 400+ 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 every major league season played.
After retiring from baseball, Sand became involved in the plumbing business. He was a member of one of the oldest plumbing contracting companies in San Francisco.
In November 1958, Sand died at age 61 at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco.