Bobby Wallace (baseball)

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox baseball biography

Roderick John "Bobby" Wallace (November 4, 1873 – November 3, 1960) was an American Major League Baseball infielder, pitcher, manager, umpire, and scout. Wallace claimed to have invented the continuous throwing motion as a shortstop.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Wallace was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He made his major league debut in Template:Baseball year as a starting pitcher with the Cleveland Spiders. After a 12–14 record in Template:Baseball year, Wallace played outfield and pitcher in Template:Baseball year. In Template:Baseball year, Wallace was an everyday player as he became the team's full-time third baseman, batted .335 and drove in 112 runs.

In Template:Baseball year, Wallace moved to the St. Louis Perfectos (renamed the Cardinals in Template:Baseball year) and changed position to shortstop. He hit .295 with 108 RBI and 12 home runs (second in the league behind Buck Freeman's 25). Wallace changed teams again in Template:Baseball year, when he joined the St. Louis Browns.

His playing time began decreasing a decade later, with his last season as a regular coming in Template:Baseball year. Wallace played in just 55 games in Template:Baseball year, and never played that much again for the rest of his career. In July Template:Baseball year, he returned to the National League and the Cardinals, and played in just eight games that season. After batting .153 in 32 games in Template:Baseball year, Wallace retired with a .268 career batting average, 1059 runs, 34 home runs, 1121 RBI and 201 stolen bases. He played his last game on September 2, 1918, at the age of 44 years and 312 days, making him the oldest shortstop to play in a regular-season game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The record was broken by Omar Vizquel on May 7, 2012.

File:1905 Bobby Wallace.jpeg
Wallace batting in 1905.

Wallace was generally recognized as the AL's best shortstop from 1902 to 1911,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> when he served briefly as Browns player-manager. After moving from third to short, Wallace felt he'd found his place in the infield earning the nickname "Mr. Shortstop". He would also claim to have invented the continuous throwing motion, “As more speed afoot was constantly demanded for big league ball, I noticed the many infield bounders which the runner beat to first only by the thinnest fractions of a second.. I also noted that the old-time three-phase movement, fielding a ball, coming erect for a toss and throwing to first wouldn't do on certain hits with fast men...it was plain that the stop and toss had to be combined into a continuous movement.”<ref name=":0" />

He played for 25 seasons, and holds the record for the longest career by a player who never played in a World Series.

When his playing time diminished, Wallace managed and umpired. He managed the St. Louis Browns in Template:Baseball year and Template:Baseball year and the Cincinnati Reds during part of the Template:Baseball year season. He compiled 62 wins and 154 losses for a .287 winning percentage as a major league manager. He also managed the minor league Wichita Witches in Template:Baseball year. He umpired in the American League in 1915, working 111 games. Upon retiring, he also became a scout.

Later life

Wallace was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Template:Baseball year.

Wallace died on November 3, 1960, in Torrance, California, one day shy of his 87th birthday.

Managerial record

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
SLB 1911 154 47 107 Template:Winning percentage 8th in AL – – – –
SLB 1912 37 10 27 Template:Winning percentage Fired – – – –
SLB total 191 57 134 Template:Winning percentage 0 0 –
CIN 1937 25 5 20 Template:Winning percentage 8th in NL – – – –
CIN total 25 5 20 Template:Winning percentage 0 0 –
Total 216 62 154 Template:Winning percentage 0 0 –

See also

References

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