Willie Kamm
Encyclopedia
William Edward Kamm was an American
professional
baseball
player. He played as a third baseman
in Major League Baseball
from to . Kamm played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox
before finishing his playing days with the Cleveland Indians
. He was the dominant third baseman in the American League
for most of his career.
, Kamm was the first player in major league baseball history to be contracted from the minor leagues
for $100,000. He made his major league debut with the Chicago White Sox in 1923
, hitting 39 doubles
with 89 runs batted in. He increased his runs batted in total to 93 in 1924
, and led American League third basemen in putout
s, assists
and fielding percentage
.
Kamm had his best season offensively in 1928
when he posted a .308 batting average
along with 84 runs batted in. He finished fifth in the American League Most Valuable Player Award voting, despite the fact that the White Sox finished the year in fifth place. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians in the middle of the 1931
season, where he continued to perform well in the field. In , Kamm set a single-season record for third basemen with a .984 fielding percentage, which stood for fourteen years until it was surpassed by Hank Majeski
in . He retired as a player after the 1935
season.
Kamm was considered a master of the hidden ball trick
. On April 30, , in a game against the Cleveland Indians
, Kamm was involved in a rare triple play
that involved a hidden ball trick. The Indians had baserunners on second and third bases when Carl Lind
grounded out to the shortstop
, who then threw to first base to retire the batter. Johnny Hodapp
, who had been the baserunner on second base, erroneously thought the runner on third base, Charlie Jamieson
had scored, so he advanced to third base on the ground out. Kamm retrieved the ball from the first baseman and tagged
both runners at third base, whereupon the umpire ruled Hodapp out
. Kamm then hid the ball under his arm and waited for Jamieson to step off the base. When he did so, Kamm tagged him out to complete the triple play.
, accumulating 1643 hits
in 5851 at bats for a .281 career batting average along with 29 home run
s and 826 runs batted in. At the time of his retirement, only Heinie Groh
had a higher career fielding percentage among retired major league third basemen, and as of , his .967 career fielding percentage is the 15th highest by a third baseman in major league baseball history. Kamm led the league in fielding average eight times, including six times in a row, and in putout
s seven times. Kamm still holds the American League single-season record for putouts by a third baseman with 243 set in , and ranks eighth overall in putouts by third basemen. He also led American League third basemen four times in assists
and twice in range factor
.
Kamm is one of only 18 players in major league baseball history to have more than 60 runs batted in during a season, without hitting a home run. He is the only player to have ever accomplished the feat twice, with 62 runs batted in during the 1926
season, and 75 runs batted in during the 1931
season.
Sabermetrician Bill James
, in his baseball reference book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, has noted that after trading Willie Kamm, the Chicago White Sox did not stabilize the third base position until 1989
-- a period of 58 years.
in the Pacific Coast League
from to .
Kamm died at age 88 in Belmont, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
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 to . Kamm played most of his career for 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...
before finishing his playing days with the Cleveland Indians
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...
. He was the dominant third baseman 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...
for most of his career.
Major league career
Born in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan 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...
, Kamm was the first player in major league baseball history to be contracted from the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for $100,000. He made his major league debut with the Chicago White Sox in 1923
1923 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was a season in Major League Baseball. The White Sox finished seventh in the American League with a record of 69 wins and 85 losses.- Notable transactions :...
, hitting 39 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
with 89 runs batted in. He increased his runs batted in total to 93 in 1924
1924 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was a season in major league baseball. Despite the best efforts of player-manager Eddie Collins, the White Sox finished last in the American League for the first time.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, and led American League third basemen in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
.
Kamm had his best season offensively in 1928
1928 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was a season in Major League Baseball. The team finished fifth in the American League, 29 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees.- Notable transactions :...
when he posted a .308 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 :...
along with 84 runs batted in. He finished fifth in the American League Most Valuable Player Award voting, despite the fact that the White Sox finished the year in fifth place. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians in the middle of the 1931
1931 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the American League with a record 78-76, 30 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
season, where he continued to perform well in the field. In , Kamm set a single-season record for third basemen with a .984 fielding percentage, which stood for fourteen years until it was surpassed by Hank Majeski
Hank Majeski
Henry Majeski was an American professional baseball player, coach and minor league manager. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball from to for the Boston Bees/Boston Braves , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Athletics , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles...
in . He retired as a player after the 1935
1935 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Cleveland Indians attempting to win the American League.- Notable transactions :* August 12, 1935: Shanty Hogan was signed as a free agent by the Indians.- Roster :...
season.
Kamm was considered a master of the hidden ball trick
Hidden ball trick
In the game of baseball, the hidden ball trick is a play in which the runner is deceived about the location of the ball, in an effort to have him tagged out.-Execution:...
. On April 30, , in a game against the Cleveland Indians
1929 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished third in the American League with a record of 81-71, 24 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics.- Offseason :...
, Kamm was involved in a rare 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:...
that involved a hidden ball trick. The Indians had baserunners on second and third bases when Carl Lind
Carl Lind (baseball)
Carl Lind was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played for four seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1927 to 1930. He finished 15th in MVP voting in 1928.-External links:...
grounded out to the 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...
, who then threw to first base to retire the batter. Johnny Hodapp
Johnny Hodapp
Urban John Hodapp played major league baseball in the 1920s and 30s, mostly for the Cleveland Indians. He primarily played second base. He had a 9-year career, hitting for a .311 batting average...
, who had been the baserunner on second base, erroneously thought the runner on third base, Charlie Jamieson
Charlie Jamieson
Charles Devine Jamieson was an American baseball player, an outfielder for the Washington Senators , Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians ....
had scored, so he advanced to third base on the ground out. Kamm retrieved the ball from the first baseman and tagged
Tag out
In baseball, a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielder's hand or glove holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy...
both runners at third base, whereupon the umpire ruled Hodapp out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
. Kamm then hid the ball under his arm and waited for Jamieson to step off the base. When he did so, Kamm tagged him out to complete the triple play.
Career statistics
In a 13 year career, Kamm played in 1693 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1643 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 5851 at bats for a .281 career batting average along with 29 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 and 826 runs batted in. At the time of his retirement, only 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 ...
had a higher career fielding percentage among retired major league third basemen, and as of , his .967 career fielding percentage is the 15th highest by a third baseman in major league baseball history. Kamm led the league in fielding average eight times, including six times in a row, and in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s seven times. Kamm still holds the American League single-season record for putouts by a third baseman with 243 set in , and ranks eighth overall in putouts by third basemen. He also led American League third basemen four times in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and twice in 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...
.
Kamm is one of only 18 players in major league baseball history to have more than 60 runs batted in during a season, without hitting a home run. He is the only player to have ever accomplished the feat twice, with 62 runs batted in during the 1926
1926 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was a season in Major League Baseball. The team finished fifth in the American League, 9.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
season, and 75 runs batted in during the 1931
1931 Chicago White Sox season
The 1931 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 31st season in the major leagues, and its 32nd season overall. They finished with a record 56-97, good enough for 8th place in the American League, 51.5 games behind the first place Philadelphia Athletics....
season.
Sabermetrician Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
, in his baseball reference book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, has noted that after trading Willie Kamm, the Chicago White Sox did not stabilize the third base position until 1989
1989 Chicago White Sox season
The 1989 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 90th season. They finished with a record 69-92, good enough for 7th place in the American League West, 29.5 games behind of the 1st place Oakland Athletics.-Potential move to Florida:...
-- a period of 58 years.
Manager career
After his retirement as a player, Kamm became the manager of the Mission RedsMission 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...
from to .
Kamm died at age 88 in Belmont, California
Belmont, California
Belmont is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is in the San Francisco Bay Area, located half-way down the San Francisco Peninsula between San Mateo and San Carlos. It was originally part of the Rancho de las Pulgas, for which one of its main roads, the Alameda de las Pulgas,...
.