Wearing the small, rounded mitt of his day, Stuffy McInnis set still-standing fielding
records for first basemen: in 1921, playing for the Red Sox, he made only one error
in 152 games for a .9993 fielding average; with the Red Sox and Indians over the
course of 163 games in 1921-22, he accepted 1,700 chances without an error; his 1,300
errorless chances in 1921 set the record for a season. His reputation for skillful
defensive play developed with the Athletics, with whom he first appeared as a shortstop
in 1909. In 1911 he replaced
Harry Davis at first base in the "$100,000 Infield,"
hooking up with
Frank Baker, Eddie Collins, and Jack Barry for three pennant winners
(1911, 1913, and 1914). He appeared with six league champions altogether; the Red
Sox were AL champs his first year with them in 1918, and, when the Pirates picked
him up in 1925 as an extra, they won the championship. McInnis batted over .300 in
12 of his 19 seasons, and in each year from 1910 to 1915. A righthanded line-drive
pull hitter, he could punch the ball to the opposite field as well. He gained his
nickname as a youngster in the Boston suburban leagues, where his spectacular playing
brought shouts of "that's the stuff, kid." He quit as manager of the Phillies after
one last-place season in 1927, and coached at Harvard for five years.
(JK)
Stuffy McInnis
teams