Harry Stovey

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#000080
bgcolor2=#000080
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Harry Stovey


position=Outfielder
birthdate =birth date|1856|12|20
city-state|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania
deathdate =death date and age|1937|9|20|1856|12|20
city-state|New Bedford|Massachusetts
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=May 1
debutyear=by|1880
debutteam=Worcester Ruby Legs
finaldate=July 29
finalyear=by|1893
finalteam=Brooklyn Grooms
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.295
stat2label=HR
stat2value=122
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=908
teams=As Player
* Worcester Ruby Legs (1880-1882)
* Philadelphia Athletics (1883-1889)
* Boston Reds (1890)
* Boston Beaneaters (1891-1892)
* Baltimore Orioles (1892-1893)
* Brooklyn Grooms (1893)As Manager
* Worcester Ruby Legs (1881)
* Philadelphia Athletics (1885)
highlights=
* National League home run champion: 1880
* American Association home run champion: 1883, 1885, 1889
* American Association runs scored champion: 1883-1885, 1889

Harry Duffield Stovey, born "Harry Duffield Stowe" (December 20, 1856 - September 20, 1937 was a 19th century Major League Baseball player born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played for 14 seasons in the majors and was appointed player-manager on two separate occasions during his career.cite web| title = Harry Stovey's career stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/S/Pstovh101.htm | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ] Known today as both a prolific home run hitter and base-stealer, he led the league in both categories multiple times in his career, including a season record of 14 home runs in by|1883cite web| title = Progressive Leaders & Records for Home Runs | work = baseball-reference.com | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HR_progress.shtml | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ] and a league-leading 97 stolen bases in by|1890. Although, by modern standards, Stovey never hit a large number of home runs, it took him 10 years to reach 100, nevertheless, he was one of the great home run hitters of his time. From 1880 to 1891 he appeared in the top 10 in home runs every year except 1887, and led the league five times.cite web| title = Harry Stovey's career stats | work = baseball-reference.com | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/stoveha01.shtml | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ] He was the first to wear sliding pads and among the first to slide feet first.cite web| title = Harry Stovey's Biography | work = baseballlibrary.com | url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Harry_Stovey_1856 | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ]

Career

Worcester

Harry began his career as an outfielder/first baseman in by|1880 for the Worcester Ruby Legs under the surname of Stovey instead of his birth name of Stowe due to his desire to keep his family from discovering he was making his career at baseball, which was seen at the time as not a respectable profession.cite web| title = This annotated week in baseball history: July 22-July 28, 1890 | work = by Richard Barbieri, July 27, 2007 | url=http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/this-annotated-week-in-baseball-history-july-22-july-28-1890/ | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ] He made an immediate impact that first season, leading the league with 14 triples and six home runs, while also finishing in the top ten in many other offensive categories. On July 17, he hit his first ML HR off Jim McCormick of the Cleveland Blues.cite web| title = Harry Stovey Chronology | work = baseballlibrary.com | url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Harry_Stovey_1856&page=chronology | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ]

For the by|1881 season, his offensive numbers did not slow down, again finishing in the top ten in several offensive categories, though he did not lead the league in any this time around. On August 17, 1881, Worcester suspended Captain Mike Dorgan‚ and Harry took over the position for the remainder of the season. John Lee Richmond‚ who had quit because of conflicts with Dorgan‚ rejoined the team after this switch.

In by|1882, his last season for the Ruby Legs, his batting average saw an increase, up to .289 from the .270 the year before, but his numbers in relation to the rest of the league took a slight dip, appearing in the top ten in runs scored with third place 90, and five home runs garnering a fourth place finish.

Philadelphia

For the by|1883 season, Harry moved on to play for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association, and it was during the next seven years when he had his best years, and made his greatest impact on the game. His first season in Philadelphia saw him set the single season record for home runs with 14, breaking the old mark of nine set by Charley Jones in by|1879. He kept this record for only one season, as Ned Williamson set a new mark of 27 the very next season with 27. Not only did he set the home run record, he batted .306, and led the league in runs scored with 110, doubles with 31, and games played with 112, while also finishing in the top five in most offensive categories.

The offensive explosiveness continued throughout his stay in Philadelphia, leading the league in runs scored four times, doubles once, triples three times, and home runs three times. The accumulation of home runs led to him becoming the career home run leader, overtaking Charley Jones with his 51st career homer on September 28, by|1885. He held onto the career lead for a two season until he was passed for a short period of time by Dan Brouthers for the by|1886 and the by|1887 seasons. Harry regained the lead, and held it until Roger Connor passed him in by|1895.

Boston and the Players League

In by|1890, a rival league to the National League and the American Association began, and it attracted many of the game's star players, including Stovey who "jumped" to the Boston Reds. He had a good season, batting .299, hit 11 triples, and 12 home runs. On July 23, 1890, Harry became the first player to hit 100 homers for a career, as his Boston team crushed the Chicago Pirates‚ 22-5. A major milestone in a day when home runs were relatively rare.

taying in Boston

After the 1890 season, the Players League folded with many of the players returning to their former ballclubs. Stovey‚ who played with the A's in 1889, was not claimed by that club through a clerical error, so on February 5, 1891, he signed with the Boston Beaneaters of the National League. He led the league that season with 16 home runs, and 20 triples, while also hitting .279 with 31 doubles as well. It proved to be last great season of his career.

Baltimore/Brooklyn

He played only 38 games for the Beaneaters in by|1892, before he was released on June 20, but he was quickly signed by the Baltimore Orioles. He finished the season with a .272 batting average with the Orioles and hit 11 triples, including three in one game on July 21 in a 10-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The by|1893 season was Harry's last season in the majors. He was released by the Orioles on May 22 after only eight games, and was signed three days later on May 15 by the Brooklyn Grooms. He finished the season with Grooms and retired after the season was over.

Post-career

After his career, Stovey became a police officer in New Bedford, Massachusetts.cite web| title = Home run expert is always on the fence | work = by Mel Antonen, USA TODAY, July 24, 2007 | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-07-24-HR-expert_N.htm | accessdate = 2008-01-15 ] Harry died at the age of 80 in New Bedford, and is interred at Oak Grove Cemetery.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
* List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
* List of Major League Baseball players with 300 stolen bases
* List of Major League Baseball home run champions
* List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
* List of Major League Baseball triples champions
* Hitting for the cycle
* Los Angeles Dodgers all-time roster

References

External links

* as player
* as manager
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