Tris Speaker

Lore & Background

Speaker debuted with the Boston Red Sox in 1907. He became the regular center fielder by 1909 and led the Red Sox to World Series championships in 1912 and 1915. In 1915, Speaker's batting average dropped to .322 from .338 the previous season; he was traded to the Cleveland Indians when he refused to take a pay cut. As player-manager for Cleveland, he led the team to its first World Series title. In seven of his eleven seasons with Cleveland, he finished with a batting average greater than .350. Speaker resigned as Cleveland's manager in 1926 after he and Ty Cobb faced game-fixing allegations; both men were later cleared. During his managerial stint in Cleveland, Speaker introduced the platoon system in the major leagues. Speaker played with the Washington Senators in 1927 and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1928, then became a minor league manager and part owner. He later held several roles for the Cleveland Indians. Late in life, Speaker led a short-lived indoor baseball league, ran a wholesale liquor business, worked in sales and chaired Cleveland's boxing commission. In 1937, Speaker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was named 27th in the Sporting News 100 Greatest Baseball Players (1999) and was also included in the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

In Their Own Story

The August evening in 1912, the river breeze off the Cuyahoga carrying the smell of summer and smoke. The stands at the old ballpark were packed, the kind of crowd that made the air feel thick. Speaker stood in center field, his glove already raised, tracking a line drive that the pitcher had just screamed out of the zone. He read it the way he read everything—instinct, geometry, a lifetime of watching balls leave bats. He closed his eyes for a half-second, let the sound of the bat's crack tell him the depth, and broke into a sprint that the crowd met with a wave of noise. The ball hung in the amber light, and he was under it, glove up, one clean snap of the wrist. He turned, already running, and the crowd roared as if he'd just hit a home run. Because to them, in that moment, it was the same thing. The King had made a routine play into a coronation.

Reader's Guide

Speaker was born on April 4, 1888, in Hubbard, Texas, to Archie and Nancy Poer Speaker. As a youth, Speaker broke his arm after he fell from a horse; the injury forced him to become left-handed. In 1905, Speaker played a year of college baseball for Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute. He worked on a ranch before beginning his professional baseball career. Speaker's abilities drew the interest of Doak Roberts, owner of the Cleburne Railroaders of the Texas League. After losing several games as a pitcher, Speaker converted to outfielder. He batted .318 for the Railroaders. He performed well for the Texas League's Houston Buffaloes in 1907. Roberts sold the youngster to the Boston Americans for $750 or $800. Speaker played in seven games for the Americans in 1907, with three hits in 19 at-bats for a .158 average. In 1908, Boston Americans owner John I. Taylor changed the team's name to the Boston Red Sox. That year, the club traded Speaker to the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern League in exchange for use of their facilities for spring training. Speaker batted .350 for the Travelers and his contract was repurchased by the Red Sox. He logged a .224 batting average in 116 at-bats. Speaker became the regular starting center fielder for Boston in 1909. He hit .309 in 143 games. In 1910 and 1911, Boston finished fourth in the American League standings. Speaker's best season came in 1912. He played every game and led the American League in doubles (53) and home runs (10). He set career highs with 222 hits, 136 runs, 580 at-bats, and 52 stolen bases. He batted .383 and his .567 slugging percentage was the highest of his dead-ball days. Speaker set a major league single-season record with three hitting streaks of 20 or more games (30, 23, and 22). He also became the first major leaguer to hit 50 doubles and steal 50 bases in the same season. The 1912 Red Sox won the AL pennant. In the 1912 World Series, Speaker led the Red Sox to their second World Series title. Speaker was named the AL Most Valuable Player for 1912. Speaker batted .338 in 1913 and .322 in 1915. The Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1915 World Series. On April 8, 1916, Lannin traded Speaker to the Cleveland Indians. In exchange, Boston received Sad Sam Jones, Fred Thomas and $50,000. With an annual salary of $40,000, Speaker was the highest-paid player in baseball. Speaker hit over .350

Did You Know?

• Speaker's fielding glove was known as the place 'where triples go to die.'
• He introduced the platoon system in the major leagues during his managerial stint in Cleveland.
• Speaker set a major league single-season record with three hitting streaks of 20 or more games in 1912.
• He was the first major leaguer to hit 50 doubles and steal 50 bases in the same season.