Ed Konetchy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ed Konetchy |
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: September 3, 1885 La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Died: May 27, 1947 (aged 61) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 29, 1907, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1921, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .281 | ||
| Hits | 2,150 | ||
| Home runs | 74 | ||
| Runs batted in | 992 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Edward Joseph Konetchy (September 3, 1885 – May 27, 1947) was a famous American baseball player. He was known as "Big Ed" and "the Candy Kid." Ed played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1907 to 1921. He played for several teams, mostly in the National League.
His teams included the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Rebels, Boston Braves, Brooklyn Robins, and Philadelphia Phillies. Ed batted and threw with his right hand. He was known for his strong defense and consistent hitting.
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Ed Konetchy's Baseball Journey
Ed Konetchy was born on September 3, 1885, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His parents were immigrants from Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic). As a kid, he loved playing baseball in empty lots. He even played on his candy factory's baseball team. This is how he got his nickname, "the Candy Kid."
At 19, Ed joined the La Crosse Pinks, a minor league team. He was a great hitter, often batting over .300. But he was even more famous for his amazing consistency. He was always fast and a very skilled defensive player at first base.
Making it to the Major Leagues
Ed Konetchy started his Major League career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1907. He quickly showed his talent. In 1909, he stole 25 bases. He hit for a .302 average in 1910. In 1911, he had 88 RBIs (runs batted in). He also had a 20-game hitting streak in 1910, meaning he got a hit in 20 games in a row!
In 1911, the Cardinals were on a train from Philadelphia to Boston. Their train was in a serious crash. Luckily, the Cardinals' car was at the back of the train, so none of them were badly hurt. Ed Konetchy and the team's manager, Roger Bresnahan, were heroes. They helped rescue many injured passengers. Even though the team had a winning season, they struggled after the accident. Konetchy still led the league with 38 doubles. He also led his team with six home runs and 88 RBIs. He was the Cardinals' top hitter in 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912.
Playing for Different Teams
In 1914, Ed moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had a tougher season there. But in 1915, he joined the Pittsburgh Rebels in a different league called the Federal League. There, he had a fantastic year! He tied his best batting average of .314. He also hit 10 home runs and had 93 RBIs.
Soon, he was back in the National League. He kept getting lots of hits. In 1920, while playing for the Brooklyn Robins, Ed got his only chance to play in the World Series. The Robins lost to the Cleveland Indians in seven games. In the World Series, Ed had four hits and two RBIs.
By the end of 1920, Ed Konetchy had over 2,000 career hits. This put him among the top players of all time. His last season was in 1921. He played for Brooklyn and then the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies picked him up in July 1921.
Beyond First Base
Ed's Major League career ended in Philadelphia. Besides playing first base, he even tried pitching in three games! In one game in 1918, he pitched the whole game. He also had two successful appearances as a relief pitcher, where he helped his team win.
Ed Konetchy played in 2,085 games during his career. He had a strong batting average of .281. He hit 74 home runs and had 992 RBIs. He also collected 2,150 hits and stole 255 bases. He had 344 doubles and 182 triples, which is one of the highest totals in baseball history. He was also a great fielder, ending his career with a .990 fielding percentage.
After leaving the Major Leagues, Ed played for the Fort Worth team in the Texas League from 1922 to 1927. He continued to play well, batting .345 with 41 home runs in 1925. After he retired from playing, he started a business with another baseball star, Joe Pate.
Ed Konetchy passed away in Fort Worth, Texas, at age 61. He was honored after his death by being inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1961.
Career Highlights
- Stole home base twice in one game on September 30, 1907.
- Broke up four no-hitters during his career.
- Hit two inside-the-park home runs in one game on August 5, 1912.
- Got hits in 10 straight times at bat in 1919, tying a record.
- Led the league in total bases in 1915.
- Was among the top 10 players in batting average six times.
- Recorded the third-most career putouts (a defensive play) in MLB history.
- Has the most career triples of any player not in the Hall of Fame.
Quotes from Ed Konetchy
- "I know I tried to play baseball as soon as I was big enough to raise a bat from the ground."
- "Hard work. I made it my business to study closely the pitchers who bothered me most, particularly Nap Rucker's high fastball." (When asked how he improved his batting)
- "I suppose every player had the ambition to be a pitcher, and it may be that I might have had some chance to succeed if I had ever tried."
- "I'm the most traded man in baseball without getting anywhere." (About trade rumors while in St. Louis)
- "The Federal League is the best league I have ever been connected with."
- "Ed Koney's still a kid first baseman, just getting limbered up. You tell 'em." (About being the oldest player in the National League)
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball individual streaks
- List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
