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Seybold's 16 HR in the second year of the American League set a record that lasted until Babe Ruth shattered it with 29 in 1919. When Connie Mack formed the Philadelphia Athletics for the American League's first season (1901), he brought Seybold with him from the Western Association. Mack later described him as "the steadiest and most serviceable of players." Seybold had a 27-game hitting streak in 1901, when fellow Athletic Nap Lajoie had a 28-game streak. He hit .300 three times, topped 90 RBI three times, and was consistently among the AL leaders in HR, sometimes showing well in RBI (second in 1907 and fourth in 1902). He also led the league in doubles in 1903 with 45. Not an especially good fielder, he nonetheless had two unassisted double plays from the outfield in 1907. An injury in 1908 ended his major league career. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 29, 1902: The AL season ends with the Athletics five games in front of St. Louis Browns. Philadelphia's Socks Seybold hits 16 HRs for the highest total to lead the AL until Babe Ruth's 29 in 1919. » September 19, 1903: Cleveland's Ed Killian loses to the Red Sox when he gives up a home run to Fred Parent. Killian will pitch 1001 innings before serving up another roundtripper, to Socks Seybold, on August 7, 1907. » September 1, 1906: The AL's longest game to date takes place in Boston. Rookie Jack Coombs and 24-year-old Joe Harris go the route in a 24-inning struggle, ending with a 4-1 Athletics victory after four hours and 47 minutes. Socks Seybold and Danny Murphy triple with two outs to end the contest. Philadelphia's Coombs faces 89 batters, striking out 18 and giving up 14 hits, while the Pilgrims' Harris fans 14 and yields 16 hits. Harris drops his record to 2-21, and will start next year at 0-6 before exiting the majors for Providence, holding the distinctions of the worst winning percentage (.091 for a 3-30 record) and the fewest wins for any pitcher with 300 innings pitched. The 24 innings pitched will only be exceeded this century by the 26-inning battle on May 1, 1920 between Oeschger and Cadore. » August 7, 1907: The A's Socks Seybold socks a homer off Ed Killian to beat the Tigers. Killian had not given up a homer since September 19, 1903-1001 innings. He lost that game as well, and will tee up just nine homers in his short career. » August 15, 1907: Chief Bender wins his 11th straight for the Athletics, 4-2, over Cleveland, to tighten the pennant race with the Tigers. The Chief is helped by right fielder Socks Seybold who pulls off an unassisted double play. He'll pull off another on September 10th against Boston. » December 22, 1921: Socks Seybold, the holder of the AL season HR record before Ruth, dies at 51 when his car plunges over an embankment.