Home Run Baker
⭐ Hall of Fame 1955
Born: 3/13/1886 in Trappe, MD, USA
Died: 6/28/1963 in Trappe, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1908-09-21 | Final Game: 1922-09-29
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 173 lbs
Full name: John Franklin Baker
Biography
Home Run Baker, born in 1886, was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1908 to 1922. As a position player, he became a key figure in Major League Baseball during the early 20th century, a time when the game was transitioning from the deadball era into a more offensively oriented approach. Baker was known for his powerful hitting and exceptional batting skills, finishing his career with a .307 batting average, 1,838 hits, and 96 home runs. His ability to drive in runs was also notable, as he accumulated 987 RBIs over the course of 1,575 games.
Baker's playing style combined both power and speed, evidenced by his 235 stolen bases, which was quite remarkable for a player of his time. His contributions to the game were significant, as he not only excelled as a hitter but also set a standard for future power hitters. Baker's legacy is marked by his impressive statistics and the impact he had on the evolution of offensive play in baseball, making him a celebrated figure in the sport's rich history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1575 | 5984 | 887 | 1838 | 315 | 103 | 96 | 987 | 235 | 473 | 268 | 0.307 | 0.363 | 0.442 | 0.805 | 22684.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | PHA | AL | 9 | 31 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.290 | 0.0 |
| 1909 | PHA | AL | 148 | 541 | 73 | 165 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 85 | 20 | 26 | 48 | 0.305 | 2346.8 |
| 1910 | PHA | AL | 146 | 561 | 83 | 159 | 25 | 15 | 2 | 74 | 21 | 34 | 36 | 0.283 | 1012.8 |
| 1911 | PHA | AL | 148 | 592 | 96 | 198 | 42 | 14 | 11 | 115 | 38 | 40 | 0 | 0.334 | 2988.4 |
| 1912 | PHA | AL | 149 | 577 | 116 | 200 | 40 | 21 | 10 | 130 | 40 | 50 | 0 | 0.347 | 3927.8 |
| 1913 | PHA | AL | 149 | 564 | 116 | 190 | 34 | 9 | 12 | 117 | 34 | 63 | 31 | 0.337 | 3965.7 |
| 1914 | PHA | AL | 150 | 570 | 84 | 182 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 89 | 19 | 53 | 37 | 0.319 | 2681.2 |
| 1916 | NYY | AL | 100 | 360 | 46 | 97 | 23 | 2 | 10 | 52 | 15 | 36 | 30 | 0.269 | 1295.1 |
| 1917 | NYY | AL | 146 | 553 | 57 | 156 | 24 | 2 | 6 | 71 | 18 | 48 | 27 | 0.282 | 1275.8 |
| 1918 | NYY | AL | 126 | 504 | 65 | 154 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 62 | 8 | 38 | 13 | 0.306 | 1692.1 |
| 1919 | NYY | AL | 141 | 567 | 70 | 166 | 22 | 1 | 10 | 83 | 13 | 44 | 18 | 0.293 | 1082.8 |
| 1921 | NYY | AL | 94 | 330 | 46 | 97 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 71 | 8 | 26 | 12 | 0.294 | 344.3 |
| 1922 | NYY | AL | 69 | 234 | 30 | 65 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 36 | 1 | 15 | 14 | 0.278 | 71.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 91 | 15 | 33 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 0.363 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | WS | NYA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1921 | WS | NYA | 4 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.250 |
| 1914 | WS | PHA | 4 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.250 |
| 1913 | WS | PHA | 5 | 20 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0.450 |
| 1911 | WS | PHA | 6 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0.375 |
| 1910 | WS | PHA | 5 | 22 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0.409 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 1548 | 300 | 2154 | 3155 | 322 | 259 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | PHA | 3B | 9 | 9 | 12 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 1909 | PHA | 3B | 146 | 146 | 209 | 277 | 42 | 16 |
| 1910 | PHA | 3B | 146 | 145 | 207 | 313 | 45 | 35 |
| 1911 | PHA | 3B | 148 | 0 | 217 | 274 | 30 | 26 |
| 1912 | PHA | 3B | 149 | 0 | 217 | 321 | 34 | 25 |
| 1913 | PHA | 3B | 149 | 0 | 233 | 280 | 44 | 19 |
| 1914 | PHA | 3B | 149 | 0 | 221 | 292 | 24 | 20 |
| 1916 | NYA | 3B | 96 | 0 | 133 | 210 | 22 | 16 |
| 1917 | NYA | 3B | 146 | 0 | 202 | 317 | 28 | 21 |
| 1918 | NYA | 3B | 126 | 0 | 175 | 282 | 13 | 30 |
| 1919 | NYA | 3B | 141 | 0 | 176 | 286 | 22 | 28 |
| 1921 | NYA | 3B | 83 | 0 | 84 | 173 | 11 | 16 |
| 1922 | NYA | 3B | 60 | 0 | 68 | 108 | 7 | 7 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 1544 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 17.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1913 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 21.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1912 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 17.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1911 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 8.0 | 64 | 0 |