Sam Crawford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sam Crawford
Crawford in 1909
Outfielder
Born: (1880-04-18)April 18, 1880 Wahoo, Nebraska, U.S.
Died: June 15, 1968(1968-06-15) (aged 88) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
September 10, 1899, for the Cincinnati Reds
Last appearance
September 16, 1917, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
Batting average	.309
Hits	2,961
Home runs	97
Runs batted in	1,525
Triples	309
Teams
Cincinnati Reds (1899–1902) Detroit Tigers (1903–1917)
Career highlights and awards
2× Home run leader (1901, 1908) 3× AL RBI leader (1910, 1914, 1915) MLB record 309 career triples Name honored by the Tigers Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1957
Election Method	Veterans Committee

Samuel Earl Crawford (born April 18, 1880 – died June 15, 1968) was a famous American baseball player. People called him "Wahoo Sam" because he was born in Wahoo, Nebraska. He played as an Outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Crawford batted and threw with his left hand. He was 6 feet tall and weighed about 190 pounds. He started his baseball career in the minor leagues. Soon after, he joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1899. He played for the Reds until 1902.

Later, Crawford moved to the Detroit Tigers in 1903. He played for Detroit, mostly in right field, until 1917. He was one of the best sluggers of his time. He led his league in home runs twice and in runs batted in (RBIs) three times.

Sam Crawford still holds the MLB record for the most career triples with 309. This record is very hard to beat! While with the Tigers, he played with the superstar Ty Cobb. They had a strong rivalry. But they also helped Detroit win three American League championships from 1907 to 1909.

After his MLB career, Crawford moved to California. He played and was an umpire in the Pacific Coast League. He also coached baseball at the University of Southern California. In 1957, he was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sam Crawford's Early Life

Sam Crawford was born in Wahoo, Nebraska, in 1880. His father was Stephen O. Crawford and his mother was Nellie Crawford. In 1901, he married Ada M. Lattin. They had one daughter named Virginia.

Crawford was a great athlete at Wahoo High School. He helped his school win two state football championships. He was also known for his speed in "foot racing." In 1898, he joined a traveling baseball team in Wahoo. They traveled by wagon, playing games in different towns. People would donate money to help them pay for their trips.

In 1899, Crawford got a chance to play for the Chatham Reds in the Canadian League. He earned $65 a month, plus a place to stay. He left his job as a barber's helper to play baseball. After Chatham, Crawford played for the Grand Rapids Prodigals.

Playing in Major League Baseball

Playing for the Cincinnati Reds

In September 1899, the Grand Rapids team sold Crawford to the Cincinnati Reds. Crawford played 31 games for the Reds at the end of the 1899 season. He was only 19 years old. He was playing in the major leagues with future Hall of Famers like Jake Beckley. Crawford hit very well, with a .307 batting average in those 31 games.

In 1900, at age 20, he played in 101 games. He was among the top players in the National League for triples (15) and home runs (7).

Crawford was one of the best hitters in baseball in 1901. He batted .330 and hit 16 home runs, which was the most in the major leagues. He was also third in the National League for triples (16) and RBIs (104). In 1902, he led the National League in total bases (256) and triples (22). He also hit 12 inside-the-park home runs in 1901. This is a major league record that has never been matched!

Playing for the Detroit Tigers

1911 baseball card of Crawford

At the end of 1902, teams from the National League and American League were competing to sign players. Crawford signed contracts with both the Reds and the Detroit Tigers. This led to a legal fight. A judge decided that Crawford would play for the Tigers. The Tigers had to pay the Reds $3,000.

Crawford joined the Tigers for the 1903 season. He stayed with them until his major league career ended in 1917. In 1903, he led the American League with 25 triples. He also had the second-best batting average at .335.

When Ty Cobb joined the Tigers in 1905, the team had two amazing hitters. Cobb and Crawford helped Detroit win three straight American League championships. These were in 1907, 1908, and 1909. However, both players struggled in the World Series. The Tigers lost all three of those World Series. Crawford hit .243 in the World Series games. Cobb also hit lower than usual.

Even though Crawford never played in another World Series, he remained a powerful hitter until 1915. In 1911, he hit a career-high .378 with 115 RBIs. From 1913 to 1915, Crawford played in 472 games in a row for the Tigers. He was always among the top American League players in hits, RBIs, and triples. He led the American League in triples five times. In 1914, he set an American League record with 26 triples. Crawford is still the all-time major league leader with 309 triples in his career.

Crawford was a good fielder when he was younger. In 1905, he led all American League outfielders with a .988 fielding percentage. This means he made very few errors.

In 1916, the Tigers started to give more playing time to a younger player, Harry Heilmann. Crawford's playing time was cut almost in half. In 1917, Crawford mostly played as a pinch-hitter. He hit .173 in this limited role. At the end of the 1917 season, Crawford was released. He did not play in Major League Baseball again.

Sam Crawford's Amazing Records

Crawford was one of the best sluggers during the "dead-ball era." This was a time when home runs were not as common. He still holds the major league records for:

• Most triples in a career (309)
• Most inside-the-park home runs in a season (12)

He also has the second most inside-the-park home runs in a career (51). Crawford was the first player to lead both the National League and American League in home runs (1901 and 1908). He was among the top players in the AL for hits, RBIs, and triples for 11 years in a row. He ended his career with 2,961 hits and a .309 batting average.

Ed Barrow, who managed Crawford, said that there was never a better hitter than Crawford. Another player, Fielder Jones, said that Crawford hit harder than anyone else. He said Crawford stood at the plate like a "brick house" and hit all the pitchers.

Rivalry with Ty Cobb

Cobb and Crawford with a camera, circa 1914

Sam Crawford and Ty Cobb were teammates for 13 seasons. They played next to each other in the outfield. Crawford often batted right after Cobb in the lineup. But they had a complicated relationship.

When Cobb joined the Tigers in 1905, Crawford was one of the older players who picked on him. Cobb was a fiery person and took it seriously. However, Cobb soon became the best hitter in baseball. He became more accepted as the Tigers won championships. During this time, Cobb said Crawford taught him a lot. Cobb learned about stealing bases and catching fly balls from Crawford.

But their relationship changed. Cobb was not popular with his teammates. As he became a huge star, Crawford was unhappy with the special treatment Cobb received. For example, Cobb could show up late for spring training. The competition between them was very strong. Crawford remembered that if he had a great game and Cobb didn't, Cobb would get angry and sometimes leave the park early.

Later in life, Cobb wrote letters trying to get Crawford into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Crawford reportedly did not know about Cobb's efforts until after Cobb died. Even though they didn't always get along, Cobb and Crawford became one of the most successful double steal pairings in baseball history. They learned to communicate without words on the bases.

After Major League Baseball

After leaving the Tigers, Crawford joined the Los Angeles Angels. This was a minor league team in the Pacific Coast League. He helped them win championships in 1918 and 1921. In his first game, he got two hits and stole a base. Crawford played four seasons for the Angels (1918–1921). Even at 41 years old in 1921, he hit .316.

Crawford (right) hitting a ball in 1920

Crawford decided to stay in Southern California. In 1924, he became the head coach for the University of Southern California (USC) baseball team. He coached there until 1929. He helped create the California Intercollegiate Baseball Association in 1927. He led USC to second place in his last two seasons. Crawford's coaching record at USC was 59 wins, 46 losses, and 3 ties. He later worked as an umpire in the Pacific Coast League from 1935 to 1938. He quit because he found it to be a difficult and lonely job.

In 1927, Crawford even had a small role as a baseball coach in the comedy film College, starring Buster Keaton.

Later Life and Legacy

Sam Crawford was honored alongside the retired numbers of the Detroit Tigers in 2000.

In his retirement, Crawford lived a quiet life. He stayed away from official baseball events. In 1957, he was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame. At that time, he was living in a small cabin near Pearblossom, California. Reporters came to tell him the news. His neighbors were surprised because they didn't know he had been a famous baseball player! After he was elected, Crawford said he wanted his plaque to say "Wahoo Sam." He said, "That's my hometown, and I'm proud of it."

Crawford spent much of his later years working in his garden and reading. In 1964, he was interviewed for a book called The Glory of Their Times. This book shared stories from early 20th-century baseball players. Crawford's stories about teammates like Cobb and Dummy Hoy helped make the book very popular.

Sam Crawford had a stroke on May 26, 1968. He passed away two weeks later in Los Angeles at age 88. He was buried in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood. In 1999, Crawford was ranked number 84 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. He was also nominated for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

See also