Home Run Baker Stats

Home Run Baker was born on Saturday, March 13, 1886, in Trappe, Maryland. Baker was 22 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 21, 1908, with the Philadelphia Athletics. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Home Run Baker baseball stats page.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"When it came to hitting, (Home Run) Baker needed help like (Andrew) Carnegie needed money." - Collins, Eddie. Philadelphia Athletics Teammate. Frank "Home Run" Baker: Hall of Famer and World Series Hero. Sparks, Barry. Author. McFarland & Company. 31 October 2005. Page 69.

Home Run Baker



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Birth Name:   John Franklin Baker
Nickname:   Home Run
Born On:   03-13-1886  (Pisces)
Place of Birth Data Born In:   Trappe, Maryland
Year of Death Data Died On:   06-28-1963 (500 Oldest Living)
Place of Death Data Died In:   Trappe, Maryland
Cemetery:   Spring Hill Cemetery of Talbot County, Easton, Maryland Click For Grave Photo
High School:   Trappe High School (Trappe, MD)
College:   None Attended
Batting Stances Chart Bats:   Left   Throwing Arms Chart Throws:   Right
Player Height Chart Height:   5-11   Player Weight Chart Weight:   173
First Game:   09-21-1908 (Age 22)
Last Game:   09-29-1922
Draft:   Not Applicable

Home Run Baker

Home Run Baker Pitching Stats

- - Did Not Pitch - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Home Run Baker

Home Run Baker Hitting Stats

1908 22 Athletics 9 31 5 9 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 - .290 .290 .387
1909 23 Athletics 148 541 73 165 27 19 4 1 85 26 - 48 34 0 5 - .305 .343 .447
1910 24 Athletics 146 561 83 159 25 15 2 0 74 34 - 36 21 0 4 - .283 .329 .392
1911 25 Athletics 148 592 96 198 42 14 11 0 115 40 - 38 25 0 2 - .334 .379 .508
1912 26 Athletics 149 577 116 200 40 21 10 0 130 50 - 38 11 0 6 - .347 .404 .541
1913 27 Athletics 149 564 116 190 34 9 12 0 117 63 - 31 7 0 10 - .337 .413 .493
1914 28 Athletics 150 570 84 182 23 10 9 0 89 53 - 37 8 0 3 - .319 .380 .442
1916 30 Yankees 100 360 46 97 23 2 10 0 52 36 7 30 1 0 5 4 .269 .344 .428
1917 31 Yankees 146 553 57 156 24 2 6 0 71 48 2 27 7 0 5 0 .282 .345 .365
1918 32 Yankees 126 504 65 154 24 5 6 0 62 38 2 13 12 0 2 7 .306 .357 .409
1919 33 Yankees 141 567 70 166 22 1 10 0 83 44 2 18 9 0 2 3 .293 .346 .388
1921 35 Yankees 94 330 46 97 16 2 9 0 71 26 1 12 9 0 4 6 .294 .353 .436
1922 36 Yankees 69 234 30 65 12 3 7 0 36 15 3 14 7 0 2 7 .278 .327 .444
13 Years 1,575 5,984 887 1,838 315 103 96 1 987 473 17 344 153 0 50 27 .307 .363 .442

Home Run Baker

Home Run Baker Fielding Stats

1908 Athletics 3B 9 9 209 34 3.8 34 12 22 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 4.39
1909 Athletics 3B 146 146 3,909 528 3.6 486 209 277 42 16 n/a n/a n/a .920 3.36
1910 Athletics 3B 146 145 3,905 565 3.9 520 207 313 45 35 n/a n/a n/a .920 3.60
1911 Athletics 3B 148 148 4,035 521 3.5 491 217 274 30 26 n/a n/a n/a .942 3.29
1912 Athletics 3B 149 149 3,921 572 3.8 538 217 321 34 25 n/a n/a n/a .941 3.70
1913 Athletics 3B 149 149 3,897 557 3.7 513 233 280 44 19 n/a n/a n/a .921 3.55
1914 Athletics 3B 149 149 3,940 537 3.6 513 221 292 24 20 n/a n/a n/a .955 3.52
1916 Yankees 3B 96 95 2,524 365 3.8 343 133 210 22 16 n/a n/a n/a .940 3.67
1917 Yankees 3B 146 146 3,938 547 3.7 519 202 317 28 21 n/a n/a n/a .949 3.56
1918 Yankees 3B 126 126 3,467 470 3.7 457 175 282 13 30 n/a n/a n/a .972 3.56
1919 Yankees 3B 141 141 3,808 484 3.4 462 176 286 22 28 n/a n/a n/a .955 3.28
1921 Yankees 3B 83 82 2,140 268 3.2 257 84 173 11 16 n/a n/a n/a .959 3.24
1922 Yankees 3B 57 57 1,519 183 3.2 176 68 108 7 7 n/a n/a n/a .962 3.13
3B Totals 1,545 1,542 41,212 5,631 3.6 5,309 2,154 3,155 322 259 n/a n/a n/a .943 3.48
13 Years 1,545 1,542 41,212 5,631 3.6 5,309 2,154 3,155 322 259 n/a n/a n/a .943 3.48

Home Run Baker

Home Run Baker Miscellaneous Stats

1908 Athletics 0 - - 0 0 n/a 0.0 15.5 15.5 - - -
1909 Athletics 20 - - 0 0 n/a 135.3 11.3 6.4 - - -
1910 Athletics 21 - - 0 0 n/a 280.5 15.6 7.6 - - -
1911 Athletics 38 - - 0 0 n/a 53.8 15.6 5.1 - - -
1912 Athletics 40 26 .606 0 0 n/a 57.7 15.2 4.4 - - -
1913 Athletics 34 11 .756 0 0 n/a 47.0 18.2 4.8 - - -
1914 Athletics 19 20 .487 0 0 n/a 63.3 15.4 6.4 - - -
1916 Yankees 15 0 1.000 0 0 n/a 36.0 12.0 6.9 - - -
1917 Yankees 18 8 .692 0 0 n/a 92.2 20.5 7.8 - - -
1918 Yankees 8 9 .471 0 0 n/a 84.0 38.8 8.1 - - -
1919 Yankees 13 9 .591 0 0 n/a 56.7 31.5 6.8 - - -
1921 Yankees 8 5 .615 11 0 n/a 36.7 27.5 4.6 - - -
1922 Yankees 1 3 .250 12 0 n/a 33.4 16.7 6.5 - - -
13 Years 235 91 .721 23 0 n/a 62.3 17.4 6.1 - - -

Home Run Baker

Home Run Baker Miscellaneous Items of Interest

1908 Philadelphia Athletics n/a Undetermined n/a -
1909 Philadelphia Athletics n/a Undetermined n/a -
1910 Philadelphia Athletics n/a $5,000.00 n/a Stats
1911 Philadelphia Athletics n/a $6,200.00 n/a Stats
1912 Philadelphia Athletics n/a $6,500.00 n/a -
1913 Philadelphia Athletics n/a $8,000.00 n/a Stats
1914 Philadelphia Athletics n/a $8,000.00 n/a Stats
1916 New York Yankees n/a $9,166.00 n/a -
1917 New York Yankees n/a $9,166.00 n/a -
1918 New York Yankees n/a $9,166.00 n/a -
1919 New York Yankees n/a $12,000.00 n/a -
1921 New York Yankees n/a $13,000.00 n/a Stats
1922 New York Yankees n/a $13,000.00 n/a Stats

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John Franklin Baker was a Major League Baseball player with the Philadelphia Athletics (1908-1914) and New York Yankees (1916-1919, 1921-1922). Frank, his nickname at the start of his career, became better known as Home Run, after leading the American League in home runs in 1911 (11), 1912 (10), 1913 (12), and 1914 (9). Baseball cards and memorabilia only referred to him as Frank originally, until around 1912, when Home Run was more commonly used to describe the slugger.

HOME RUN BAKER ROOKIE CARD

Home Run Baker Rookie Card | 1909 T206 Sweet Caporal Baseball Card (#139)
Baseball Almanac Research Library

Did you know that Home Run Baker was a member of the of the famed "$100,000 infield" which also featured Stuffy McInnis, Eddie Collins, and Jack Barry?

Did you know that when Home Run Baker became the home run champion in 1912, it was the first season in American League history where two junior circuit players tied for the league lead? Do you remember what hall of fame centerfielder also hit ten home runs in 1912? [Answer]

Did you know that Home Run Baker was chosen by the authors of The Cracker Jack Collection: Baseball's Prized Players (Zappala, Tom & Ellen. Peter E. Randall Publisher. 1, January 2013.) as "one of the greatest third baseman of all time" and their "choice at the hot corner?" An excerpt from their exceptional Home Run Baker biography:


"Frank 'Home Run' Baker was an exceptional third baseman and an outstanding hitter whose place in the Hall of Fame is well deserved. Initially, it was thought that the young Baker would not make the grade in Major League baseball. However, Buck Herzog, a friend who was already playing in the majors, convinced a few people to take a shot on the gifted third baseman.

"Baker did not disappoint, as he batted .305 in 1909, his rookie season with the A’s and set a record for triples by a rookie, which still stands. That season, Baker was the first to hit the ball over the right field fence at the new Shibe Park, but he earned the nickname 'Home Run' by going deep on two occasions during the 1911 World Series. Baker played in four World Series with the A’s and led the league in round-trippers over four consecutive seasons from 1911 to 1914. He credited his power-hitting ability to his work on the family farm, and kept in shape by chopping wood in the offseason.

"Considered the best third baseman of the pre-war era, Baker went on to bat over .300 six times, and twice led the league in RBI. As a third baseman, he led the league in putouts seven times. Due to a salary dispute, Baker returned to his farm for the 1915 season. He was traded to the Yankees in 1916 where he had several good seasons before tragedy struck in 1920. Baker lost his wife to scarlet fever. Grief stricken, he took time off to care for his family, but returned to the Yankees in 1921 in time to play in two more World Series. Later, while managing in the Eastern Shore Baseball League, Baker discovered a pretty good ballplayer and recommended him to Connie Mack. That player was the great Jimmy Foxx."

In 1883, Francis Richter founded The Sporting Life, a weekly magazine devoted to coverage of all sports, with an emphasis on baseball. In 1887, Richter, and other baseball journalists, formed the Base Ball Reporters Association of America, also referred to as the National Base Ball Reporters' Association. And in 1914, Richter wrote the History and Records of Baseball: the American Nation's Chief Sport (Philadelphia: Sporting Life Publishing Co., 1914). In that historic book, Richter selected the greatest players in each position in each decade:

Greatest Players by Decade

Decade Catchers Catchers
1870-1880 Doug Allison Deacon White
1880-1890 Charlie Bennett Buck Ewing
1890-1900 Tom Daly Yank Robinson
1900-1912 Chief Meyers Billy Sullivan
Decade Pitchers Pitchers
1870-1880 Candy Cummings Al Spalding
1880-1890 John Clarkson Old Hoss Radbourn
1890-1900 Amos Rusie Cy Young
1900-1912 Christy Mathewson Rube Waddell
Decade First Base First Base
1870-1880 Wes Fisler Joe Start
1880-1890 Cap Anson Charlie Comiskey
1890-1900 Jake Beckley Dan Brouthers
1900-1912 Hal Chase Fred Tenney
Decade Second Base Second Base
1870-1880 Ross Barnes Al Reach (NA Only)
1880-1890 Fred Dunlap Bid McPhee
1890-1900 Nap Lajoie Fred Pfeffer
1900-1912 Eddie Collins Johnny Evers
Decade Third Base Third Base
1870-1880 Cap Anson Ezra Sutton
1880-1890 Jerry Denny Denny Lyons
1890-1900 John McGraw Billy Nash
1900-1912 Home Run Baker Jimmy Collins
Decade Shortstops Shortstops
1870-1880 Davy Force George Wright
1880-1890 Monte Ward Ned Williamson
1890-1900 Hughie Jennings Herman Long
1900-1912 Honus Wagner Bobby Wallace
Decade Left Fielders Left Fielders
1870-1880 Andy Leonard Lip Pike
1880-1890 Tip O'Neill George Wood
1890-1900 Ed Delahanty Joe Kelley
1900-1912 Fred Clarke Chick Stahl
Decade Center Fielders Center Fielders
1870-1880 Count Sensenderfer (NA Only) Harry Wright
1880-1890 Ned Hanlon Hardy Richardson
1890-1900 Billy Hamilton Bill Lange
1900-1912 Ty Cobb Tris Speaker
Decade Right Fielders Right Fielders
1870-1880 Jack Chapman Cal McVey
1880-1890 Joe Kelley Sam Thompson
1890-1900 Jesse Burkett Mike Tiernan
1900-1912 Sam Crawford Willie Keeler

The National Baseball Hall of Fame provided research on how Frank, quite specifically, became better known as Home Run: "In 1911, Baker — who used an unusually heavy bat weighing 46 ounces — hit an AL-best 11 home runs and drove in 115 runs. In that year's World Series, Baker crafted his legend with game-winning home runs in Game 2 off future Hall of Famer Rube Marquard and in Game 3 against future Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson — the final blast handing Mathewson his first World Series defeat. Thereafter, the press referred to him as Home Run Baker."

HOME RUN BAKER HALL OF FAME PLAQUE

Home Run Baker | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 1955 (HOF)