Hooks Dauss

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#bd5d29
bgcolor2=#003366
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Hooks Dauss

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width = 200px
position=Pitcher
birthdate=September 22, 1889
city-state|Indianapolis|Indiana
deathdate=death date and age|1963|7|27|1889|9|22
city-state|St. Louis|Missouri
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=September 28
debutyear=by|1912
debutteam=Detroit Tigers
finaldate=September 19
finalyear=by|1926
finalteam=Detroit Tigers
stat1label=Win-Loss Record
stat1value=222-182
stat2label=Earned Run Average
stat2value=3.30
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=1201
teams=
*Detroit Tigers (1912-1926)
highlights=
* Led AL in Saves (4) in 1914
* 222 Wins (71st All-Time MLB)
* 3,390 ⅔ Innings (80th All-Time MLB)
* 245 Complete Games (85th All-Time MLB)
* 14,203 Batters Faced (68th All-Time MLB)
* Detroit Tigers All-Time Wins Leader (222)

George August "Hooks" Dauss (September 22 1889 – July 27 1963) was a Major League pitcher who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. Nicked named 'Hooks' or 'Hookey' because of his hard-to-hit curveball. During his playing career from by|1912 to by|1926, he won more games than any other pitcher in Detroit Tigers history.

Professional playing career

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, he began his career with the Tigers in by|1912. After having two starts that year, he was 13-12 in 1913, with a 2.48 ERA and 22 complete games (2 shutouts) in 29 starts. He had four appearances as a reliever that year as well.

He had a similar 1914 season, but in 1915, Hooks won 24 games and lost 13, while ending up with a 2.50 ERA in 309 and 2/3 innings. Along with teammate Harry Coveleski, Dauss helped make Detroit into a serious contender, winning 100 games and losing 54. However, they finished two and a half games behind the Boston Red Sox, who would go on to win the 1915 World Series.

The next year, Dauss won 19 games, but Detroit was not the same team, and they never contended for a World Series quite like that again. Dauss continued his outstanding, but quiet, success with the Tigers through the teens and into the early 1920s. Dauss won 20 games, twice more, winning 21 in 1919 and 1923. His success earned him a reputation of being one of the most consistently solid pitchers in baseball.

Hooks led the league in batters hit three times and is 30th on the lifetime list. In 1914, he led the major leagues with 18 hit batsmen, including 3 in one game. On August 24, 1914, he and four Washington Senators pitchers combined to set a record with seven hit batsmen in a game. Dauss hit 3, and Washington pitchers hit 4. The Tigers won 11-0. [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/D/Dauss_Hooks.stm]

He finished his career with a record of 222-182 and a 3.30 ERA in 538 games (388 starts). His 222 wins rank him in the top 100 winning pitchers of all time, tied with Jerry Koosman at #70, and he more wins than any Tigers pitcher in franchise history. He struck out 1201 batters in 3,390-2/3 innings pitched. As a batter, he batted .189.

Dauss was also an excellent fielding pitcher. His career range factor of 2.28 is 65 points higher than the average pitcher of his era. He had 1128 assists in his career, including 137 in 1915. His career fielding percentage of .968 was also 20 points higher than the average pitcher of his era. In the combined 1923 and 1924 seasons, Dauss was charged with only 1 error in 95 games.

Hooks Dauss died in 1963 at Firmin Desloge Hospital in St. Louis at age 73.

Leaderboards

*Saves - 1st in 1914 (4) tied with 4 others, Top 5, four other times (1918, '22, '24, '26)
*Win - Top 5, five times (1914, '15, '16, '19, '23)
*Shutouts - Top 5, twice (1917, '23)
*ERA - Top 5, once (1925)
* Ranks 70th all time in wins among Major League pitchers

ee also

* Detroit Tigers team records
* List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
* List of Major League Baseball saves champions
* MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
*1915 Detroit Tigers season

External links

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