Books and articles about Dave Bancroft

Bancroft was the classic shortstop. He had quick hands for a ground ball or a deft tag, quickness afoot for covering a middle infielder's territory, and quick-wittedness for lightning response to defensive opportunity. At bat, he was a dexterous switch-hitter, ideal for the leadoff or second spot. In his time, he was considered by most to be better than Maranville, which meant he was the best.

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The formidable Mickey Doolan had been the Phillies' shortstop for nine years before jumping to Baltimore of the Federal League in 1914, and the team floundered until Bancroft arrived from Portland (Pacific Coast League). A beauty from the start, he was a key player in the 1915 pennant drive and two subsequent second-place finishes. Thereafter, the team descended to the cellar, where owner William Baker's policy of selling stars for cash would keep it for a generation. For Bancroft, the Giants gave Baker plenty of money, 35-year-old Art Fletcher, and the first, and lesser, of two Giant pitchers named Hubbell.

Bancroft's three-plus years with the Giants were his best. He was McGraw's field leader and designated cutoff man. In 1921-22, he led the league in putouts, assists, and double plays. He became a .300 batter, had a six-for-six day in 1920, and hit for the cycle in 1921.

In late 1923, he was dealt to the Braves with Casey Stengel and Bill Cunningham for Billy Southworth and Joe Oeschger. McGraw, all heart, said he was giving up the league's best shortstop as a favor to Christy Mathewson (then fronting the listless Braves as their president) and to Bancroft, who would become their playing manager. The truth was that Bancroft was an aging 32, and New York had 20-year-old hotshot Travis Jackson with no place to put him.

A step slower in the field, Bancroft still was a class act, but he couldn't pry the Braves out of the second division. His fine career ended with two years at Brooklyn and a few games with the Giants as he made the inevitable transition to coaching. He ran a downhill course through the minors. Briefly, the old roughneck even managed a women's softball team.

Lifetime, Bancroft remains sixth in total chances for shortstops with 11,844, first in average putouts per game (2.5) and tied for second in average chances per game (6.3). (ADS)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 30, 1916: Behind Eppa Rixey, the Phils take the morning game with Brooklyn, and now lead the NL by a half game. Brooklyn takes the nitecap, 6–1 behind Rube Marquard and they hammer Grover Cleveland Alexander for 11 hits including a homer by Casey Stengel. The Phils also lose SS Dave Bancroft when he breaks his ankle running to 1B. Bancroft had injured the leg earlier in the game while fielding a ball. » June 8, 1920: Failing in his efforts to buy Rogers Hornsby from St. Louis, John McGraw picks up the NL's top SS, Dave Bancroft, from the Phils for over-the-hill SS Art Fletcher, P Bill Hubbell, and cash. » June 1, 1921: The Giants take a pair from Philadelphia, winning 9-2 and 8-3. In the second game Dave Bancroft is 4-for-4, hitting for the cycle. After legging out an inside-the-park homer, he faints on the bench. » April 12, 1922: Giants SS Dave Bancroft handles two assists and three putouts in a 4–3 Opening Day loss to Brooklyn. He will handle 1,046 for the year, putting him even with Rabbit Maranville's 1914 record as the most active shortstops of any season. » April 29, 1922: The NY Giants collect 20 hits, including four inside-the-park home runs, in windswept Braves Field in Boston. George Kelly hits 2, one in the 4th and another in the 9th, and Ross Youngs and Dave Bancroft hit the others. Youngs includes the cycle in his five hits. Phil Douglas coasts to a 15–4 win. » November 12, 1923: John McGraw sends OF Casey Stengel, SS Dave Bancroft, and OF Bill Cunningham to the Braves for P Joe Oeschger and OF Billy Southworth. Bancroft will be named player-manager, one of three players in the swap who will skipper the Braves. » December 9, 1925: Cards' player-manager Rogers Hornsby is named the MVP in the National League, gathering 73 out of a possible 80 votes. Hornsby was runnerup in 1924 to Dazzy Vance. Other strong contenders are Kiki Cuyler, the Pirates top hitter at .357; the Giants' George Kelly; Pirates' SS Glenn Wright; Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance; and Dave Bancroft, who hit .319 and topped NL shortstops in fielding average while managing the 5th-place Braves. » June 18, 1927: Continuing a feud that dates back to Smith's days with the Braves, Pirates C Earl Smith decks Braves manager Dave Bancroft with a right to the jaw after they exchange words in the 7th inning. Bancroft is carried off the field. Smith draws a $500 fine and 30-day suspension. The Pirates score three in the 1st led by Paul Waner's 2-run triple en route to a 7–4 win. Waner extends his hitting streak to 21 games and 13 straight games with extra base hits. He'll have a pair of doubles tomorrow. » October 13, 1927: Dave Bancroft resigns as Braves manager; he will play for Brooklyn. » August 30, 1930: New York's Carl Hubbell loses to Brooklyn 1–0 giving up a run in the 9th. With a runner on 3rd, King Carl walks two intentionally and then walks in the winning run. Giant coach Dave Bancroft argues the call with umpire Lou Jorda so loudly that he is suspended for three games. » January 31, 1971: The Hall of Fame Special Veterans Committee selects seven men for enshrinement: former players Jake Beckley, Joe Kelley, Harry Hooper, Rube Marquard, Chick Hafey, Dave Bancroft, and executive George Weiss.