Recent from talks
Harry Wolverton
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Harry Wolverton
Harry Sterling Wolverton (December 6, 1873 – February 4, 1937), nicknamed "Fighting Harry", was an American professional baseball player. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball from 1898 through 1905 and 1912. He played for the Chicago Orphans, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators, Boston Beaneaters, and New York Highlanders, primarily as a third baseman. He also managed the Highlanders in 1912.
In addition to playing in MLB, Wolverton managed several minor league baseball teams. After he retired from baseball, he worked as a police officer with the Oakland Police Department.
Wolverton was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, on December 6, 1873, to Amanda and John the Baptist Wolverton. John, a veteran of the Civil War, worked with Amanda's father in dyeing. Harry had an older brother, Fred, and a younger sister, Birdie. Fred became a dentist, while Birdie married and moved to Florida.
Wolverton played sandlot ball, and then played for his high school baseball team. Wolverton then enrolled at Kenyon College, where he played American football as a halfback, and baseball as a catcher. However, he left Kenyon after his junior year, as he was facing possible expulsion. Wolverton played semi-professional baseball for a Paulding, Ohio team for the summer of 1895, earning $60 a month ($2,322 in current dollar terms) as a pitcher and first baseman.
Wolverton signed with the Columbus Senators of the Western League on February 22, 1896, beginning his professional career in minor league baseball as a pitcher. During the 1896 season, he struggled with his control, relegating him to the role of a relief pitcher. He did register a .385 batting average in limited at-bats.
The next season, Wolverton was demoted to the Dubuque, Iowa franchise of the Western Association. Pitching for Dubuque, Wolverton hurt his pitching arm. Dubuque began to play Wolverton as a third baseman. His .294 batting average led the team, and he was named team captain. Columbus soon recalled Wolverton, and he responded by posting a .400 batting average through July 1898.
In August 1898, the Chicago Orphans of the National League (NL), a major league, purchased Wolverton from Columbus. He made his debut with the Orphans on September 25. Manager Tom Burns named Wolverton his starting third baseman in 1899, and batted him third in the lineup. The Orphans sold Wolverton to the Philadelphia Phillies on April 28, 1900.
Wolverton tied a major league record in 1900 by hitting three triples in one game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. That season, he batted .282 for the Phillies, recording a career-high 58 runs batted in in 101 games. Late in the 1900 season, he was struck in the head by a pole beside the Philadelphia streetcar tracks, fracturing his skull. He returned to finish the season for the Phillies. Wolverton batted .309 in 93 games in 1901, but broke his collarbone in a collision with Fred Tenney of the Boston Beaneaters. He led the NL in fielding percentage among third baseman (.921).
Hub AI
Harry Wolverton AI simulator
(@Harry Wolverton_simulator)
Harry Wolverton
Harry Sterling Wolverton (December 6, 1873 – February 4, 1937), nicknamed "Fighting Harry", was an American professional baseball player. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball from 1898 through 1905 and 1912. He played for the Chicago Orphans, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators, Boston Beaneaters, and New York Highlanders, primarily as a third baseman. He also managed the Highlanders in 1912.
In addition to playing in MLB, Wolverton managed several minor league baseball teams. After he retired from baseball, he worked as a police officer with the Oakland Police Department.
Wolverton was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, on December 6, 1873, to Amanda and John the Baptist Wolverton. John, a veteran of the Civil War, worked with Amanda's father in dyeing. Harry had an older brother, Fred, and a younger sister, Birdie. Fred became a dentist, while Birdie married and moved to Florida.
Wolverton played sandlot ball, and then played for his high school baseball team. Wolverton then enrolled at Kenyon College, where he played American football as a halfback, and baseball as a catcher. However, he left Kenyon after his junior year, as he was facing possible expulsion. Wolverton played semi-professional baseball for a Paulding, Ohio team for the summer of 1895, earning $60 a month ($2,322 in current dollar terms) as a pitcher and first baseman.
Wolverton signed with the Columbus Senators of the Western League on February 22, 1896, beginning his professional career in minor league baseball as a pitcher. During the 1896 season, he struggled with his control, relegating him to the role of a relief pitcher. He did register a .385 batting average in limited at-bats.
The next season, Wolverton was demoted to the Dubuque, Iowa franchise of the Western Association. Pitching for Dubuque, Wolverton hurt his pitching arm. Dubuque began to play Wolverton as a third baseman. His .294 batting average led the team, and he was named team captain. Columbus soon recalled Wolverton, and he responded by posting a .400 batting average through July 1898.
In August 1898, the Chicago Orphans of the National League (NL), a major league, purchased Wolverton from Columbus. He made his debut with the Orphans on September 25. Manager Tom Burns named Wolverton his starting third baseman in 1899, and batted him third in the lineup. The Orphans sold Wolverton to the Philadelphia Phillies on April 28, 1900.
Wolverton tied a major league record in 1900 by hitting three triples in one game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. That season, he batted .282 for the Phillies, recording a career-high 58 runs batted in in 101 games. Late in the 1900 season, he was struck in the head by a pole beside the Philadelphia streetcar tracks, fracturing his skull. He returned to finish the season for the Phillies. Wolverton batted .309 in 93 games in 1901, but broke his collarbone in a collision with Fred Tenney of the Boston Beaneaters. He led the NL in fielding percentage among third baseman (.921).
Recent media