Liz Funk
Encyclopedia
Elias Calvin "Liz" Funk (October 28, 1904 - January 15, 1968) was a Major League Baseball
center fielder
who played four seasons in the Major Leagues.
Born in La Cygne, Kansas
, Liz Funk attended the University of Oklahoma
from 1923-1928.
Liz Funk debuted with the New York Yankees
on April 26, 1929. He only played in one game for the Yankees and did not even have a plate appearance in that game. Funk played most of the 1929 season in the Pacific Coast League
.
In , Funk had a very promising rookie season with the Detroit Tigers
. He played in 140 games as the Tigers' starting center fielder
. He hit for a .279 batting average
with a .389 slugging percentage, 74 runs, 145 hits, 21 doubles, 11 triples, 4 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. His 23 sacrifice hit
s were third best in the American League, and he was also among the league leaders in being hit by a pitch with 5. Funk also had a strong year playing center field in 1930 for Detroit, with 354 putouts, 8 assists, 4 double plays, and a .965 fielding percentage. His Range factor
in 1930 was 0.65 points above the league average.
Despite the strong rookie season, Liz Funk did not play in the major leagues in 1931.
In 1932, Liz Funk resurfaced after the Chicago White Sox
acquired him from Louisville Colonels
in the American Association
. In need of a leadoff hitter in 1932, the White Sox liked Funk's speed. Funk played in 122 games as the White Sox' starting center fielder
in 1932. Funk continued with strong fielding numbers in 1932, collecting 318 putouts, 14 assists, and 4 double plays. Once again, his Range factor
of 2.77 was significantly higher than the league average of 2.28. Aa hitter, Funk had a good year with the Sox, but not as strong as his rookie year in Detroit. While his 17 stolen bases was 5th best in the American League
, he was also No. 2 in the league with 15 times caught stealing.
In 1933, Liz Funk played in only 10 games for the White Sox, with his last major league appearance on May 20, 1933.
Liz Funk died in 1968 at age 63 in Norman, Oklahoma
. He is buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
.
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...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
who played four seasons in the Major Leagues.
Born in La Cygne, Kansas
La Cygne, Kansas
La Cygne is a city situated along the Marais des Cygnes River in the northeast part of Linn County, located in East Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,149...
, Liz Funk attended the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
from 1923-1928.
Liz Funk debuted with 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...
on April 26, 1929. He only played in one game for the Yankees and did not even have a plate appearance in that game. Funk played most of the 1929 season 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...
.
In , Funk had a very promising rookie season 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...
. He played in 140 games as the Tigers' starting center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
. He hit for a .279 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 :...
with a .389 slugging percentage, 74 runs, 145 hits, 21 doubles, 11 triples, 4 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. His 23 sacrifice hit
Sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s were third best in the American League, and he was also among the league leaders in being hit by a pitch with 5. Funk also had a strong year playing center field in 1930 for Detroit, with 354 putouts, 8 assists, 4 double plays, and a .965 fielding percentage. His 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...
in 1930 was 0.65 points above the league average.
Despite the strong rookie season, Liz Funk did not play in the major leagues in 1931.
In 1932, Liz Funk resurfaced after the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
acquired him from Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels (minor league baseball team)
The Louisville Colonels was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 20th century. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels.-Twentieth century minor league teams:...
in 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...
. In need of a leadoff hitter in 1932, the White Sox liked Funk's speed. Funk played in 122 games as the White Sox' starting center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
in 1932. Funk continued with strong fielding numbers in 1932, collecting 318 putouts, 14 assists, and 4 double plays. Once again, his 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 2.77 was significantly higher than the league average of 2.28. Aa hitter, Funk had a good year with the Sox, but not as strong as his rookie year in Detroit. While his 17 stolen bases was 5th best in 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...
, he was also No. 2 in the league with 15 times caught stealing.
In 1933, Liz Funk played in only 10 games for the White Sox, with his last major league appearance on May 20, 1933.
Liz Funk died in 1968 at age 63 in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
. He is buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
.