Bobby Veach

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#bd5d29
bgcolor2=#003366
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Bobby Veach


position=Left Fielder
bats=Left
throws=Right
birthdate=June 29, 1888
city-state|St. Charles|Kentucky
deathdate=death date and age|1945|8|7|1888|6|29
city-state|Detroit|Michigan
debutdate=August 6
debutyear=1912
debutteam=Detroit Tigers
finaldate=October 2
finalyear=1925
finalteam=Washington Senators
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.311
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=2063
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=1166
teams=
*Detroit Tigers (by|1912-by|1923)
*Boston Red Sox (1924-1925)
*New York Yankees (1925)
*Washington Senators (1925)
highlights=
* Led American League in RBIs in 1915 (112), 1917 (103) and 1918 (78); among league leaders 10 times
* Led American League in Hits, Doubles, and Triples in 1919; among league leaders in each of those categories 8 times
* Among American League leaders in batting average 6 times, including a No. 2 finish behind Ty Cobb in 1919 (.355)
* Ranks No. 24 on the All Time Major League list with 271 sacrifice hits
* His 3,754 putouts is among the all time leaders for a left fielder
* First Detroit Tiger to hit for the cycle (September 17, 1920)
* The only player to pinch hit for Babe Ruth on (August 9, 1925)

Robert Hayes "Bobby" Veach (June 29, 1888 - August 7, 1945) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons for the Detroit Tigers (1912-23), Boston Red Sox (1924-25), New York Yankees (1925) and Washington Senators (1925).

Career Overview

Bobby Veach was the starting left fielder for the Detroit Tigers for eleven years from 1913-1923. Despite being one of the most productive hitters in baseball during his years in Detroit, Veach played in the shadows of three Detroit outfielders who won 16 batting titles and were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Ty Cobb in center field and Sam Crawford followed by Harry Heilmann in right field. Noted baseball historian Robert Creamer described Veach as " [s] urely one of the least remembered of the truly fine hitters.” [ [http://www.thediamondangle.com/sitt/veach.html SITT - Bobby VEach ] at www.thediamondangle.com]

Veach put up impressive numbers as a batter and was a fine fielder as well. He led the American League in RBIs three times (1915, 1917, and 1918) and was among the league leaders 10 times. Nobody in baseball hit as many RBIs or extra base hits as Veach did during his prime from 1915-1922. In 1919, playing in the final year of the "Dead-ball era," he led the American League in hits (191), doubles (41), and triples (17), and also hit .355 -- No. 2 behind Ty Cobb. Veach also ranked among the American League leaders in batting average six times and hit .306 or better in nine seasons. He had a career batting average of .311.

In addition to hitting for power and average, Veach could also play "small ball," and ranks No. 24 on the All Time Major League list with 271 sacrifice hits. He was also a fine fielder, collecting 3,754 putouts and 207 assists in left field. Veach was also the only player to pinch hit for Babe Ruth (August 9, 1925) in the years after the Babe was converted from a pitcher to an outfielder.

Baseball historian, Bill James, ranks Veach as the 33rd best left fielder of all time. (Bill James, "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract" (2001), pp. 673-674)

Career statistics

Early Days: 1912-1914

Born in St. Charles, Kentucky, Veach played for the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association [ [http://www.americanassociationalmanac.com/players.php American Association Almanac - Players ] at www.americanassociationalmanac.com] in 1912 and made his major league debut at age 24 on September 6, 1912. Veach played the remaining 23 games of the 1912 season with the Tigers, batting .342. He became the Tigers' fulltime left fielder the following season when Davy Jones left the team. In his two full seasons, Veach hit .269 and .275. He also had the distinction of being caught stealing 20 times in 40 attempts in 1914, though many of his unsuccessful steal attempts were likely the result of double steal attempts involving Sam Crawford and Ty Cobb, who hit ahead of Veach in the batting order.

Veach’s Prime Years With the Tigers: 1915-1923

In 1915, Veach had his break-through season. He led the American League with 40 doubles and 112 RBIs, and was second in the league with 53 extra base hits – 1 short of teammate Sam Crawford's league-leading total. Veach was also among the league leaders in 1915 in batting average (.313), on base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.434), hits (178), total bases (247), bases on balls (68), and times on base (250).

The Tigers 1915 outfield, with Veach in left, Cobb in center, and Crawford in right has been ranked by baseball historian, Bill James, as the greatest outfield of all time. (Bill James, "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract" (2001), pp. 673-674) Though league average batting average in 1915 was .248, Cobb hit .369 with 99 RBIs, and 144 runs, Crawford hit .313 and drove in 112 runs, and Veach hit .299 with 112 RBIs. The three Detroit outfielders ranked #1, #2, and #3 in total bases and RBIs. Though the 1915 Tigers won 100 games, they finished in second place behind the Red Sox who won 101 games.

Veach continued his solid hitting from 1915-1923, hitting over .306 in eight of those nine years. Veach regularly finished among the American League leaders in hits (8 times), batting average (6 times), doubles (8 times), triples (8 times), RBIs (10 times), extra base hits (7 times), and total bases (8 times).

On June 9, 1916, Veach scored a run to end Babe Ruth’s scoreless innings streak at 25. Ruth then evened the score with one of the longest home runs ever at Navin Field, deep into the right field bleachers.

Veach had his best year as a batter in 1919 when he led the American League in hits (191), doubles (41), and triples (17). Only Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb topped him in other offensive categories. His .355 batting average was No. 2 behind Cobb, and his 65 extra base hits, 101 RBIs and 279 total bases were No. 2 behind Ruth.

On September 17, 1920, he became the first Detroit Tiger to hit for the cycle with six hits in a 12 inning game.

In 1921, Veach was the subject of an unusual motivational tactic by new player-manager, Ty Cobb. Cobb believed that Veach, who came to bat with a smile and engaged in friendly conversation with umpires and opposing pitchers, was too easygoing. Detroit Tigers historian, Fred Lieb, described Veach as a "happy-go-lucky guy, not too brilliant above the ears," who "was as friendly as a Newfoundland pup with opponents as well as teammates." (Fred Lieb, "The Detroit Tigers") Hoping to light a fire in Veach, Cobb persuaded Harry Heilmann, who followed Veach in the batting order, to taunt Veach from the on-deck circle. “I want you to make him mad. Real mad. . . . [W] hile you’re waiting, call him a yellow belly, a quitter and a dog. … Take that smile off his face.” The tactic may have worked, as Veach had career-highs in RBIs (126) and home runs (16), and his batting average jumped from .308 to .338. Cobb had promised to tell Veach about the scheme when the season was over, but he never did. When Heilmann tried to explain, Veach reportedly snarled, “Don’t come sucking around me with that phony line.” Veach never forgave Heilmann. (Al Stump, "Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball" (1994), pp. 327-328.)

During Veach’s prime years, nobody in Major League Baseball hit more RBIs or extra base hits. In the eight years from 1915-1922, Veach hit 852 RBIs and 450 extra base hits, more than any other player. The top five RBI hitters during these 8 years were:
# Bobby Veach – 852
# Ty Cobb – 723
# Babe Ruth – 635
# George Sisler – 612
# Tris Speaker – 585

And the top five in extra base hits were:
# Bobby Veach – 450
# Babe Ruth 445
# Tris Speaker – 444
# Ty Cobb – 418
# George Sisler - 402

Veach as a Left Fielder

In addition to his batting skills, Veach’s speed and strong arm made him a fine left fielder. He led the American League in games played in left field 7 times (1914-1915, 1917-1918, and 1920-1922). [http://www.retrosheet.org/ ] He led the American League in putouts by an outfielder in 1921 with 384. He also led the league in assists by an outfielder with 26 in 1920. [ [ [http://www.retrosheet.org/ Retrosheet Home Page ] at www.retrosheet.org]

Veach’s 206 career assists and 2.28 range factor are among the Top 10 in Major League history for left fielders. Though left fielders generally receive fewer fielding chances than other outfielders, Veach regularly covered more ground and accepted more chances than the league average for all outfielders. His 1921 range factor of 2.72 is one of the highest season totals for a left fielder in Major League history. His 384 putouts in 1921 and 26 assists in 1920 are also among the highest by a left fielder since 1900.

Veach’s range as an outfielder is also shown by a side-by-side comparison with Ty Cobb, the centerfielder he played beside for most of his career. In 1914, Veach had 282 putouts and 22 assists, compared to 177 and 8 for Cobb. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1914.shtml 1914 Detroit Tigers Statistics and Roster - Baseball-Reference.com ] at www.baseball-reference.com] Though center fielders typically receive more chances, and Cobb had a reputation as a fine centerfielder, Veach bested Cobb in chances in 7 of the 9 years they played side by side in the Detroit outfield: 1914 (304-185), 1916 (356-343), 1918 (291-237), 1919 (352-291), 1920 (383-254), 1921 (405-328), and 1922 (391-344).

Later Years

In 1923, Veach continued to hit for average at .321, but his RBI production dropped to 39. In January 1924, the Tigers sold Veach to the Boston Red Sox. That year, Veach regained his power, hitting 99 RBIs and 49 extra base hits.

In May 1925, the Red Sox traded Veach to the New York Yankees. Veach played 56 games for the Yankees, batting .353 with a .474 slugging percentage. On August 9, 1925, in his final season, Veach became the only person to pinch hit for Babe Ruth in the years after Babe switched from a pitcher to an outfielder. The Chicago Tribune reported the next day: "The fans were treated to the unusual spectacle of His Royal Highness being yanked for a pinch-hitter." [ [http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/46043 Did anyone ever pinch hit for Babe Ruth and if so who was it? ] at www.answerbag.com]

The Yankees released Veach less than two weeks later, and Veach was picked up by the Washington Senators. This proved to be good luck for Veach, as the Senators won the 1925 pennant. On September 19, 1925, Veach broke up Ted Lyons's bid for a no-hitter with a two-out ninth-inning single. The young Goose Goslin got the start for the Senators at left field, but Veach got one at bat in the World Series pinch-hitting for Muddy Ruel in Game 2. Fittingly, Veach collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly in his final Major League at bat. [ [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1925/B10080PIT1925.htm Retrosheet Boxscore: Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Washington Senators 2 ] at www.retrosheet.org]

After ending his Major League career in 1925, Veach played four seasons with the Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association from 1926-1929. In 1927, a 39-year-old Veach led the Mud Hens (with manager Casey Stengel) to their first American Association crown with a 101-67 record. Veach had a .363 batting average and drove in a league-leading 145 RBIs. The next year, at age 40, Veach hit .382 to capture the 1928 American Association batting crown. [ [http://www.americanassociationalmanac.com/toledo.php American Association Almanac ] at www.americanassociationalmanac.com]

In December 1943, Veach underwent an abdomenal operation at Grace Hospital in Detroit. Veach died in 1945 at his home in Detroit, Michigan after a long illness at the age of 57. Veach was survived by his wife and three sons. Veach was buried at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy, Michigan, in the Mausoleum, First Floor, Section #1212. [ [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=14323411 Bobby Veach (1888 - 1945) - Find A Grave Memorial ] at www.findagrave.com]

Notes

ee also

* List of major league players with 2,000 hits
* List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
* List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
* Hitting for the cycle
* List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* List of Major League Baseball triples champions
* 1915 Detroit Tigers season
* 1921 Detroit Tigers season

External links

*baseball-reference|id=v/veachbo01
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=veachbo01 Baseball Almanac]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Bobby_Veach_1888&page=chronology Baseball Library.com]
* [http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Veach.Bobby.Obit.html Bobby Veach Obituary]