Harry Hooper

Hall of Fame right fielder and key member of the Golden Outfield.

Harry Bartholomew Hooper (August 24, 1887 – December 18, 1974) was an American professional baseball right fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Hooper batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Hooper was born in Bell Station, California, and he graduated from Saint Mary's College of California. He played for major league teams between 1909 and 1925, spending most of that time with the Boston Red Sox and finishing his career with the Chicago White Sox.

Quick Facts

Position: Right fielder
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Born: 24 August 1887
Birthplace: Bell Station, California, U.S.
Died: 18 December 1974
Place of death: Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Debut league: MLB

Lore & Background

Hooper was often known for his defensive skills, ranking among the league leaders in defensive categories such as putouts and assists by a right fielder. He is the all-time career leader in assists and double plays by a right fielder. During several seasons with Boston, he teamed up with Duffy Lewis and Tris Speaker to form the Golden Outfield, one of the best outfield trios in baseball history. Hooper is also one of only two members of four separate Red Sox World Series championship teams (1912, 1915, 1916, 1918). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

Reader's Guide

Hooper was born on August 24, 1887, in Bell Station, California. His family had migrated to California due to the California Gold Rush. His father, Joseph 'Joe' Hooper, was born in Morrell, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Joe was the fourth child and second boy born to English-born William Hooper and his Portuguese wife Louisa.

Harry was the youngest child in his family of four; he had a sister named Lulu and twin brothers named George and Charlie. Hooper's mother, Mary Katherine (Keller), was from Frankfurt, Germany. Hooper showed an affinity for school, especially in math. After graduating from the high school affiliated with Saint Mary's College of California, Hooper graduated from college there with an engineering degree.

At St. Mary's Hooper demonstrated his skills both academically and on the ball field. Hooper was a pitcher when he signed with the Oakland Commuters in 1907, but converted to a position player. In 41 games with Oakland, he hit .301. He spent the next year with the Sacramento Senators, hitting .344 in 77 games.

His contract also provided work as a railroad surveyor. His manager in Sacramento, Charles Graham, was a scout for the Boston Red Sox and helped arrange a meeting with owner John I. Taylor. Hooper signed a $2,800 contract with Boston. Breaking into the majors with the Red Sox in 1909, Hooper played in 81 games and hit .282.

Between 1910 and 1915, he teamed with Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis to form the Golden Outfield. Religious differences may have been a challenge: Speaker, a Protestant, once went a year without speaking to Hooper or Lewis, who were both Catholic. Hooper became known for his likable personality and sense of humor. He invented a maneuver known as the 'rump-slide' for catching shallow fly balls.

In 1910, he played 155 games and hit .267, leading the AL with 30 assists but also a league-high 18 errors. In 1911, he hit .311. In 1912, his batting average dropped to .242. Boston won the 1912 World Series; Hooper made a catch in the decisive 8th game that The Pittsburgh Press called one of the finest plays in baseball history.

On May 30, 1913, Hooper became the first player to hit a home run to lead off both games of a doubleheader. In 1914, he recorded 230 putouts in right field. On October 13, 1915, in Game 5 of the 1915 World Series, Hooper became the second player to hit two home runs in a single World Series game.