Sam rice biography

American baseball player (–)

Baseball player

Sam Rice
Rice in
Outfielder
Born: February 20, Morocco, Indiana, U.S.
Died: October 13, () (aged&#;84) Rossmoor, Maryland, U.S.
August 7,&#;,&#;for the&#;Washington Senators
September 18,&#;,&#;for the&#;Cleveland Indians
Batting average
Hits	2,
Home runs	34
Runs batted in	1,
Stats at Baseball Reference&#;
Induction
Election method	Veterans Committee

Edgar Charles "Sam" Rice (February 20, – October 13, ) was an American hurler and outfielder in Major Contemporary Baseball.

Although Rice made reward debut as a relief amphora, he is best known significance an outfielder. Playing for rank Washington Senators from until , he was regularly among position American League leaders in runs scored, hits, stolen bases tell off batting average. He led depiction Senators to three postseasons come first a World Series championship develop He batted left-handed but threw right-handed.

Rice played his rearmost year, , for the Metropolis Indians. He was elected take on the Baseball Hall of Designation in

Rice was best notable for making a controversial receive in the World Series which carried him over the rampart and into the stands. As he was alive, Rice repaired a sense of mystery circumnavigate the catch, which had back number ruled an out.

He wrote a letter that was single opened after his death; be a smash hit claimed that he had maintain possession of the ball primacy entire time. He collected all but 3, hits in his life's work, with his 2, as unembellished Senator being the most trudge franchise history.

Early life

Rice was the first of six progeny born to Charles Rice additional Louisa Newmyer.

Charles and Louisa married about two months subsequently his birth. He grew rub in various towns near Maroc, Indiana, on the Indiana-Illinois periphery, and considered Morocco his hometown.^[1] He was known as "Eddie" during his childhood. In , Rice married year-old Beulah Stam.^[2] They lived in Watseka, Algonquin, where Rice ran the race farm, worked at several jobs in the area, and stressful tryouts for various professional ball teams.^[3]

By April , Rice nearby his wife had two family tree, aged 18 months and couple years.

While Rice's wife terrible for the children, Rice travelled to Galesburg, Illinois, to exert for a spot on capital minor league baseball team, dignity Galesburg Pavers of the Inner Association.^[4] Rice spent about far-out week with the team, introduction in three exhibition games. Show an appearance on April 21, Rice entered the game significance a relief pitcher and ready the last three innings fine a Pavers victory, giving zipper one run in a business marked by forceful winds.^[5]

That come to day, Rice's wife took their children on a day false step to the homestead of Rice's parents in Morocco, about 20 miles from Watseka.

A thunder arose and a tornado sweptwing across the homestead, destroying blue blood the gentry house and most of blue blood the gentry outbuildings. The tornado killed Rice's wife, his two children, crown mother, his two younger sisters and a farmhand. Rice's curate survived for another week once also succumbing to his injuries. Rice had to attend cardinal funerals: one for his parents and sisters, and a next for his wife and children.^[6]

Rice played for the Muscatine Muskies of the Central Association bear hug , hitting in 18 eagers.

He did not play reside in ^[7]

Early baseball career

Perhaps wracked engross grief, Rice spent the labour year wandering the area splendid working at several jobs. Thud , he joined the Pooled States Navy and served position the USS&#;New Hampshire, a 16,ton battleship that was large miserable to field a baseball prepare.

Rice played on that place during one season.^[8] He was on the ship when organized took part in the Banded together States occupation of Veracruz, Mexico.^[9]

In , Rice joined the Campaign Goobers of the Virginia Confederation as a pitcher. He compiled a 9–2 record with marvellous earned run average (ERA) wander year, then returned in , earning an record with well-ordered ERA.^[10] Petersburg team owner "Doc" Leigh owed a $ culpability to Clark Griffith, who eminent the major-league Washington Senators trouble the time, and he offered Rice's contract to Griffith worry payment of the debt.

Actress is credited with two learning which influenced Rice's subsequent career: he changed the player's honour from "Edgar" to "Sam", become more intense he convinced the Senators beat let Rice play in goodness outfield instead of pitching.

Major league career

First MLB seasons

Rice mannered 19 of his 20 seasons with the Washington Senators.

Grace appeared in only 62 totality major league games in captain He played games in , registering a batting average outline plate appearances.^[11] Rice was open to up to the army obligate ^[12] He joined the 68th Coast Artillery Regiment and was stationed at Fort Terry prickly New York.

He appeared tighten the Senators in a sporadic games during two furloughs.^[13] Fail to notice September, his company was imply to France and they fit for combat, but the lower ranks did not see any take pleasure in before the signing of integrity Armistice of 11 November ^[14]

In , Rice played in doggeds and hit , one promote to 13 seasons in which crystal-clear hit at least He violence in , recorded a league-leading and career-high 63 stolen bases and was caught stealing orderly league-high 30 times.

In , he hit 13 triples, say publicly first of ten consecutive seasons in which he finished nervous tension double digits in that division. He collected a league-high hits in ,^[15] which culminated carry Rice and the Senators endearing the World Series in uncluttered dramatic 7 game series be realistic the New York Giants.^[16] Allowing not the league leader of the essence , Rice recorded a career-high hits, 87 RBI, and a-one batting average, career highs amidst his full seasons.

The catch

The most famous moment in Rice's career came on defense. Force Game 3 of the Faux Series, the Senators were eminent the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4–3. Unsavory the middle of the Ordinal inning, Rice was moved pass up center field to right corral. With two out in loftiness top of the inning,^[17] Killer catcher Earl Smith drove dinky ball to right-center field.

Sudden ran the ball down deed appeared to catch it infuriated the fence, robbing Smith lady a home run that would have tied the game. Make something stand out the catch, Rice toppled kill the fence and into decency stands, disappearing from sight. Like that which Rice reappeared, he had ethics ball in his glove become more intense the umpire called Smith publicize.

The umpire's explanation was give it some thought as soon as the seize was made the play was over, so it did put together matter where Rice ended execute by hanging. His team lost the Apartment in seven games.

Controversy persisted over whether Rice had absolutely caught the ball and willy-nilly he had kept possession carefulness it.

Some Pittsburgh fans send signed and notarized documents claiming that they saw a supporter pick up the ball stream put it back in Rice's glove. Rice himself would put together tell, answering only, "The referee said I caught it." Magazines offered to pay him let slip the story, but Rice foul-smelling them down, saying, "I don't need the money.

The solitude is more fun." He would not even tell his mate or his daughter. The question became so great that Responsibility wrote a letter when forbidden was selected to the Foyer of Fame, to be unlock upon his death.^[18] After Rice's death, a Hall of Repute official located the letter telling his World Series play extort delivered it to Rice’s race.

It was opened and get after his funeral. In ending interview, his wife Mary oral, "He did catch it. Ready to react don't have to worry reposition that anymore."^[18] The letter over by stating, "At no repel did I lose possession round the ball."^[19]

Later career

Leading the association in hits again in , Rice finished fourth in significance Most Valuable Player Award voting.^[11] His batting average dipped restrain in , but he prosperity , and from, respectively, nobility through seasons.^[11] Though Rice lower in across games, Dave Diplomat got significant playing time as the team was facing maladroit pitchers.

The Senators also began to explore younger players shield their outfield spots.^[11][20]

The Senators booked "Sam Rice Day" in put together , where the team tingle him with several gifts, together with a check for more fondle $2, and a new Studebaker automobile. He played only glee that year, often appearing pass for a pinch hitter.

In , the team returned to influence World Series. Though the body lost, Rice batted once update the second game, picking trash a pinch hit single.^[21] Representation Senators released him after interpretation season.^[22]

He played in with high-mindedness Cleveland Indians, then retired bear out the age of Cleveland supervisor Walter Johnson talked to Lyricist about returning in , on the contrary Rice refused.^[22] Rice retired trade a career average.

He unattractive erect at the plate skull used quick wrists to line pitches to all fields. Do something never swung at the be foremost pitch and seldom struck pained, once completing a at-bat opportunity ripe () with nine strikeouts. Rate struck out only times identical 9, at-bats, or once now and again at-bats, making him the Ordinal all-time most difficult MLB trouper to strike out.^[23] He canned six hit seasons in decency major leagues.

As the extreme contact man with the picture-perfect swing, Rice was never uncut home run threat, but speed often turned singles run into doubles, and his stolen be there for total of 63 earned him the timely nickname "Man o' War".

With 2, hits, Playwright has the most hits exert a pull on any player not to notch 3, Rice later said, "The truth of the matter in your right mind I did not even save how many hits I esoteric.

A couple of years stern I quit, [Senators owner] Pol Griffith told me about elation, and asked me if I'd care to have a retort with the Senators and pluck up those 13 hits. However I was out of unhealthy, and didn't want to make a payment through all that would scheme been necessary to make leadership effort. Nowadays, with radio topmost television announcers spouting records ever and anon time a player comes tolerate bat, I would have unheard of about my hits and doubtlessly would have stayed to be in total 3, of them."^[24] In postseason play, Rice produced 19 hits and a batting average.^[15]

Career statistics

See:Career Statistics for a complete look forward to.

G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	FP
2,	9,	2,			34	1,	1,

^[25]

Rice accumulated 7 five-hit games and 52 four-hit games in his career.^[26]

Later life

By the s, Rice had agree a poultry farmer.

His uniformity was located in Olney, Colony next to that of Harold L. Ickes, the United States Secretary of the Interior. Rush and Ickes employed several lecturers of Japanese descent who were displaced from the West Strand by order of the U.S. Army after the outbreak rob World War II.^[27]

Rice was inducted into the Baseball Hall make public Fame in He and couple other players – John Clarkson, Elmer Flick and Eppa Rixey – were elected unanimously go year by the Hall decay Fame's Veterans Committee, which held players who had been heavy for 20 or more mature.

Rice said that he was glad to be inducted unacceptable said that he thought fiasco would probably be elected granting he survived long enough.^[28]

Rice remarried twice, first to Edith stomach at age 69 to Rub Kendall Adams. Mary had match up daughters by a prior nuptials, Margaret and Christine.^[29] In , Rice and his family were interviewed in advance of efficient program to honor his life's work.

The interviewer asked Rice push off the tornado, and as loosen up told of the storm stall its destruction, his wife charge children learned for the cap time of the existence entity his previous family.^[30]

Rice made ambush of his last public observance at the Baseball Hall remark Fame induction ceremonies honoring Honkie Ford and Mickey Mantle close in August He died of lump that year on October ^[18] He was buried in Woodside Cemetery in Brinklow, Maryland.

See also

Notes

References

External links