Hooks Dauss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hooks Dauss |
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Dauss in 1909
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 22, 1889 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
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| Died: July 27, 1963 (aged 73) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 28, 1912, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 19, 1926, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 223–182 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.30 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,201 | ||
| Teams | |||
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George August "Hooks" Dauss was a famous American baseball player. He played as a right-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers for 15 seasons. This was from 1912 to 1926.
He was called "Hooks" because his curveball was very hard to hit. It had a great "hook" or curve! Hooks Dauss had an amazing career record of 223 wins and 182 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 3.30. He had some fantastic seasons, winning 24 games in 1915, 21 games in 1919, and another 21 games in 1923. His 223 wins are still the most for any pitcher in the history of the Detroit Tigers team! He is also one of only 13 pitchers to win at least 200 games while playing for just one team.
Contents
Early Life and School
George Dauss was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1889. His dad was a machinist, and his mom was from Indiana. He had two older brothers.
As a kid, George went to Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis. This is where he first became known as a great pitcher. He played on his high school baseball team.
Starting His Baseball Journey
Playing in the Minor Leagues
Hooks Dauss began his professional baseball career in 1908. He first tried out for a team in South Bend, Indiana. But the manager let him go before he played a real game.
He then signed with the Duluth White Sox in 1909. In his first full season, he won 19 games and lost 10. He also played for the Winona Pirates in 1911. There, he had a great record of 22 wins and 12 losses. His ERA was 2.13. After that, he joined the St. Paul Saints in 1912.
Joining the Detroit Tigers
A scout for the Detroit Tigers named Deacon McGuire saw Dauss pitch in St. Paul. The Tigers' president, Frank Navin, wanted Dauss to join their team. So, they bought his contract from St. Paul in September 1912.
Hooks Dauss made his first Major League Baseball appearance on September 28, 1912. He pitched a complete game and won against the Cleveland Naps. He only gave up four hits! He ended the 1912 season with one win and one loss.
Becoming a Star (1913–1915)
In 1913, Dauss signed a contract to play for the Tigers full-time. He became a regular starting pitcher for the next 14 years. In his first full season, he won 13 games and lost 12. His ERA was 2.48. He also completed 22 games and had 107 strikeouts.
The Tigers' manager, Hughie Jennings, was very impressed with Dauss. He said Dauss was "by far the best young pitcher in the American League."
In 1914, Dauss became a "workhorse" for the Tigers. This means he pitched a lot! He played in 45 games and pitched over 300 innings. He won 19 games and had a 2.86 ERA. He was among the league leaders in wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts.
The year 1915 was the best season of Hooks' career. The Tigers had a fantastic record of 100 wins and 54 losses. They almost won the American League championship! Dauss played in 46 games and pitched almost 310 innings. He won 24 games and lost 13, with a 2.50 ERA. He was second in the league for wins and third for innings pitched. He was also a great fielder, leading all pitchers in assists.
Hooks Dauss was so dedicated to baseball that he even pitched on his wedding day! He got married in the morning of May 29, 1915. Then, he pitched for the Tigers that afternoon. He wanted to keep his wedding private so he wouldn't be nervous during the game.
Middle Years (1916–1922)
In 1916, Dauss still had a strong season, winning 19 games. He was fifth best in the American League for wins. In 1917, his ERA improved to 2.43, and he won 17 games.
In 1918, some people thought Dauss needed more confidence. The Detroit Free Press newspaper said that if he had more fighting spirit, he could be as good as legendary pitchers like Christy Mathewson. They said he had all the skills but needed to believe in himself more.
Even with these thoughts, Dauss had a tough year in 1918, winning 12 games and losing 16. But this was mostly because the whole Tigers team had a bad year.
In 1919, Dauss bounced back! He had his second season with 20 or more wins. He won 21 games and lost only 9. This was his best winning percentage ever. He was among the league leaders in wins and complete games. He also continued to be an excellent fielding pitcher.
After 1919, Dauss had a few more average seasons in 1920, 1921, and 1922.
Later Career and Records (1922–1926)
On September 10, 1925, Hooks Dauss made history. He and the Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians. This win gave Dauss his 210th victory while playing for Detroit. This broke the old record of 209 wins held by George Mullin.
Hooks Dauss still holds the record for the most pitcher wins in Detroit Tigers history! No other pitcher has come close to his record for the Tigers since then. For example, Justin Verlander won 183 games for the Tigers before he was traded.
Career Highlights
Hooks Dauss finished his career with 223 wins and 182 losses. His ERA was 3.30. He played in 538 games and started 388 of them. He also had 1,201 strikeouts and pitched over 3,390 innings. As a batter, he had a .189 batting average.
He was also known as an excellent fielding pitcher. He had a career range factor of 2.28, which was much better than most pitchers of his time. He had 1,128 assists as a pitcher, which ranks 14th in all of Major League Baseball history! His fielding percentage was also very high. In 1923 and 1924, he made only one error in 90 games!
Later Life
Hooks Dauss married Ollie Speake in May 1915. They lived in Fenton, Missouri, from 1945 until he passed away. Hooks Dauss died in 1963 at the age of 73 after a long illness.
See also
- Detroit Tigers team records
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
