- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Pirates
- League: National League
Thomas A. Leach (1877-1969) consistently ranked among the leading hitters of the 1st decade of the 20th century. His 19-year career was spent primarily as a Pirate. Batting ahead of Honus Wagner, “Wee Tommy” was one of the top HR hitters of the era, but it was his capacity for triples that really distinguished him (ranks 23rd in MLB.) He still holds the record of 4 triples in the ’03 Series & is 1st in the NL in inside-the-park HRs. During his 13 years in Pittsburgh, Leach played on 4 pennant winners and one world champion (’09). Moved to the OF to take advantage of his speed, Leach teamed with Dummy Hoy. As the oldest source for Ritter’s “The Glory of Their Times,” Leach related that Hoy could make a distinctive squeak to signal he would catch the ball, and they relied on sign language only as a last resort.
- Leach was widowed twice in 3 years with Pittsburgh but was blessed to have his 3rd wife Sara until the end of his life, just before his 92nd birthday
- He was the last survivor of the premier 1903 World Series
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Tommy Leach
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
William Henry Keeler (1872-1923) retired in 1910 trailing only Cap Anson in career hits with 2932. He still stands 14th in all of ML baseball in that category. Keeler’s proficiency with the bunt led baseball to change the rules, making a two-strike foul an out. In 13 of his 19 seasons, little William (5’4”) hit over .300 with a BA of .341.
- Ned Hanlon brought Keeler to his Orioles in 1894, building one of the most formidable teams ever. Keeler was one of seven future Hall of Famers on Baltimore’s squad
- No less an authority than John McGraw said “Keeler had the best batting eye I have ever seen.”
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1939
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Grant McGlynn
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
Joseph Jefferson Wofford Jackson (1887-1951) had the “perfectest” swing according to Babe Ruth who copied it. After nearly a century of more contenders, many would still say Shoeless Joe was the purest hitter ever to wield a baseball bat. Expelled from baseball by Judge Landis, Jackson lives in infamy despite demonstrating prowess at the plate and grace afield. While he will ever be branded with the “Black Sox,” Jackson stirred passions that still echo in baseball today.
- Still ranks as the third-highest career batting average in history (.356)
- His .408 average in 1911, his rookie season, is sixth-highest in the modern era
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Fitzpatrick
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Boston
- Team: Red Sox
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Harry Bartholomew Hooper (1887-1974) anchored right field for one of the best outfields in baseball for the Red Sox with Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis from 1910-15. Still holds Boston club records for triples and SBs. Entered the Hall of Fame in 1971 with 2466 hits and a career .281 BA.
- First player to lead-off both games of a doubleheader with a home run
- With Heinie Wagner, was part of a record four Sox World Series championships
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Roy Miller
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: American Giants
- League: Cuban-American Negro Clubs Series
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
John Preston Hill (1882-1951) was a giant among early 20th Century players, starring for the Cuban X Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Leland Giants & the Chicago American Giants of the Negro Leagues. The Virginia native broke in with the Pittsburgh Keystones in 1899 & went on to a renowned career in the US & Cuba playing & managing for 11 teams until his final tenure with the Baltimore Black Sox in 1925. Hill forged a strong bond with Rube Foster while playing for the Leland Giants. Following their phenomenal 1910 season (123-6), Hill was Foster’s captain when he formed the Chicago American Giants. While relegated to playing against minor league white teams, Hill’s teams also held their own when given the chance with MLB squads. For example, the vaunted 1908 Cubs (104 wins) played an October exhibition against the Leland team. Mordecai Brown won two close games to edge the black team.
- Hill’s HOF plaque notes his “rifle arm” in CF, and calls Hill “one of the greatest line-drive hitters of his era”
- Homestead Grays’ Cumberland Posey called Hill “the most consistent hitter of his time”
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 2006
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Summers
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