Books and articles about Gavvy Cravath

Cravath was the home run king of the deadball era. He set marks Babe Ruth would break soon after with the introduction of the lively ball. The tobacco-chewing, cussing bruiser was called "Cactus" for his prickly personality.

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Cravath was a sensation in the Pacific Coast League and the American Association. In between, he failed with the Red Sox, White Sox, and Senators. Given a second chance with the Phillies at age 31, he bloomed. In 1913 he led the NL with 19 HR and 128 RBI - 35 more than runner-up Heinie Zimmerman. His league-high 179 hits gave him a .341 average, his career best. Over the next six years he won five more HR titles, with a high of 24 in 1915, when he repeated as RBI champ. That August 8, he tied a ML record with four doubles in a game. He won the 1919 NL HR crown with 12 in only 83 games.

A gruff player, Cravath proved too easygoing as a manager, lasting just a season and a half at the Phillies helm. He frequently used himself off the bench, and had a league-high 12 pinch hits in 1920. The California native became a justice of the peace in Laguna, but lost his job for being too easygoing. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 14, 1909: On Opening Day in Detroit, Detroit's George Mullin pitches a one-hitter, beating the White Sox, 2-0, and setting a record for fewest base runners in an opener. Gavvy Cravath singles and walks, the only Sox to reach base. » July 18, 1912: Gavvy Cravath swipes home in the 11th inning to give the Phils a 9–8 win over the Cubs. Reliever Tom Seaton is the winner over Jimmy Lavender. Seaton also pitches the 2nd game but loses, 4–2, to Ed Reulbach. » May 3, 1913: The Phillies whip the visiting Giants for the 3rd time in a row, a come-from-behind 3–2 victory. The Phils tie the score at two apiece when Gavvy Cravath clouts a 2-run pinch homer in the 8th off Christy Mathewson. After the first two batters are retired in the 9th, the Quakers push across a run in to win. The struggling Giants are in 5th place. » September 23, 1914: Pete Alexander coasts to a 9–4 win over the Cubs as Gavvy Cravath bangs two homers to lead the Phils' offense. » September 26, 1914: Pete Alexander wins his 9th in a row for the Phils, beating the Reds, 7–4. Gavvy Cravath hits his 18th homer, off King Lear, and Sherry Magee clouts his 15th. » October 1, 1914: Phils slugger Gavvy Cravath belts his ML-record 19th homer, off Brooklyn's Pat Ragan. All of Gavvy's homers this year have come at Baker Bowl, a ML-record for the 20th century, topped only by Chicago's Fred Pfeffer in 1884 (26). Cravath also leads NL outfielders with 34 assists in right field. » April 10, 1915: In the final of the city series in Philadelphia, the Phillies beat the A's, 5–3, when Gavvy Cravath belts a 3-run homer off Bob Shawkey in the 8th. The series, which began in Jacksonville, ends at three wins apiece, and a tie. » April 17, 1915: Behind their ace Pete Alexander, the Phils drill the Giants, 7–1. Christy Mathewson lasts just four innings in taking the loss, as Gavvy Cravath deep sixes Big Six with a double and homer. » August 8, 1915: Phils OF Gavvy Cravath drives home a club-record-tying (Bransfield, 1910) eight runs on four doubles as Philadelphia wins 14–7 in Cincinnati. Two of Gavvy's doubles come with the bases loaded, a ML record, and the only time this century that someone has doubled with the sacks full twice in a game. Alexander coasts home to the win. » September 29, 1915: In Boston, the Phils clinch their first pennant on Grover Alexander's 4th one-hitter and 12th shutout of the year, 5–0 beating Dick Rudolph and the defending champion Braves. Sherry Magee's 4th-inning single is the only safety for Boston, while Gavvy Cravath clouts a 3-run homer in the 1st for the Phils. Cravath ends the year leading the NL in homers (24), slugging, runs, walks, total bases, and is the only National Leaguer with more than a hundred RBIs (115). » October 12, 1915: In game 4, 41,096 see another 2–1 Boston victory, as Ernie Shore gets the win over surprise starter George Chalmers. Gavvy Cravath triples and scores the Phils' lone run. » May 26, 1916: Philley outfielder Gavvy Cravath's strike to the plate cuts down Brooklyn's Casey Stengel for the last out in the 6th and saves Grover Cleveland Alexander's 1–0 shutout win over Sherry Smith. The Phils move into first place on the strength of Alex's 4th shutout of the month. » May 6, 1918: Brooklyn's Dan Griner has a no-hitter with two outs in the 9th, but gives up a hit to Phillie Gavvy Cravath. He nevertheless wins 2-0. » July 7, 1919: In the first game of a doubleheader against the Giants, the Phillies steal eight bases in the ninth but lose 10-5. Fred Luderus, Eddie Sicking, Hick Cady, and Gavvy Cravath each have two thefts. » July 8, 1919: Jack Coombs resigns as manager of the last-place Phils. Slugger Gavvy Cravath replaces him. » May 20, 1920: The Phils hit the cellar, having fallen from first in 17 days. With the season all but over, Phils manager Gavvy Cravath will start fast-working P Lee Meadows every Saturday at home, so Cravath can get an early start to his weekend cottage. » June 6, 1921: Babe Ruth hits a HR off Jim Bagby of Cleveland. The 4-bagger is the 120th of his career, breaking the post-1900 career mark of Gavvy Cravath. » July 20, 1922: At Sportsman's Park, Rogers Hornsby belts a 2-out 9th inning home run with two men on the give the Cards a 7–6 win over Boston. It is the Rajah's 25th home run of the year, breaking Gavvy Cravath's National League home run mark (post-1900). In two weeks, Hornsby will break the record of 27 homers set in 1884 by Chicago's Ned Williamson. » September 15, 1922: C Butch Henline is the first National League player to hit three homers in a game since 1897, as the Phils beat the Cards 10–9. Henline's 3rd home run tied the game in the 9th inning and Cliff Lee then hit the game-winning home run. Lee ends the year with 17 homers—all at Baker Bowl. Only Gavvy Cravath, in 1914, and Mel Ott will have more homers in a season this century coming all at home.