Books and articles about Lou Criger

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Small and agile, light-hitting Lou Criger lasted 16 years in the majors because of his ability as a catcher. Beginning in 1896, he was the batterymate of Cy Young in Cleveland and St. Louis of the National League, and Boston in the American League. Criger caught most of Young's 511 victories; the two played together until Criger's December 1908 trade to the Browns. During the first World Series, played in 1903 between the Boston Pilgrims (later the Red Sox) and Pirates, gamblers offered Criger a bribe to throw the games. Criger spurned it, and caught every inning of the eight games in the Boston victory. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 18, 1901: In Boston's 6-5 loss at Cleveland, 1B Buck Freeman injures his foot chasing a foul ball. Freeman, leading the AL with seven HRs, is replaced by Lou Criger. Buck will be back in the lineup July 27. » July 24, 1901: Milwaukee's Pink Hawley beats Boston, 4-3, and beans C Lou Criger with a pitch. Criger is unconsncious for five minutes before being taken away. Ossee Schreckengost moves from 1B to C and Dowd moves to 1B. » April 27, 1903: Three days after Pilgrim OF Chick Stahl injures his leg sliding, Boston C Duke Farrell fractures his leg while stealing 2B against Washington. This leaves Boston with Lou Criger as its only catcher. » July 15, 1903: With ground rules limiting hits into the crowds to three bases, Cy Young drives home Lou Criger in the 10th inning for a 4-3 win over visiting Cleveland. Addie Joss takes the loss. » September 14, 1904: The Pilgrims with a half-game lead over New York send Bill Dineen to the mound. Patsy Dougherty leads off with a single off Jack Chesbro and Willie Keeler follows with a bunt that C Lou Criger fires into the crowd to allow Patsy to score. Keeler scores a play later. Boston's only tally comes in the 9th on a 2-base error and a wild pitch. New York wins 3­1. The nitecap is called after five innings and a 1-1 score. » October 10, 1904: On the final day of the season, a doubleheader split will give the leading Boston Pilgrims the AL pennant over the Highlanders. 30,000 are on hand in New York for the contests. With the score 2-2 in the top of the 9th and a man on 3B, Jack Chesbro has a spitball get away from him for a wild pitch, and Lou Criger scores Boston's winning run. Bill Dinneen then stops New York in the 9th, hurling his 37th consecutive complete game of the season for an AL mark. New York wins the 2nd game, as George Winter goes the route in a 1-0 loss to the Highlanders, but Boston triumphs by one 1/2 games. The Pilgrim pitchers achieve 148 complete games-an AL record-Both leagues set marks for total complete games: AL 1,098, NL 1,089. » January 27, 1909: Lou Criger sends a telegram to Boston fans expressing his regrets on being traded by the Beaneaters to the St. Louis Browns.