Harry Hooper

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Harry Bartholomew Hooper (August 24, 1887 – December 18, 1974) was a Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder in the early 20th century.

Hooper batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

Hooper was born in Bell Station, California, and he graduated from St. Mary's College of California.

He played for major league teams between 1909 and 1925, spending most of that time with the Boston Red Sox and finishing his career with the Chicago White Sox. Hooper was often known for his defensive skills and he was among the league leaders in defensive categories such as putouts by a right fielder.

During several seasons with Boston, he teamed up with Duffy Lewis and Tris Speaker to form the Golden Outfield, one of the best outfield trios in baseball history.

Hooper is also one of only two members of four separate Red Sox World Series championship teams (1912, 1915, 1916, 1918).

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

Early life

Hooper was born on August 24, 1887, in Bell Station, California. His family had migrated to California as many other families from the United States due to the California Gold Rush. His father, Joseph "Joe" Hooper, was born in Morrell, Prince Edward Island in Canada. Joe was the fourth child and second boy born to English-born William Hooper, Harry's grandfather, and his Portuguese wife Louisa. Harry was the youngest child in his family of four; he had a sister named Lulu and twin brothers named George and Charlie. Hooper's mother, Mary Katherine (Keller), was from Frankfurt, Germany.

Hooper's two older brothers had been forced to quit school early to work on the family farm, but Hooper showed an affinity for school, especially in math. One of Hooper's teachers helped to convince his parents to allow Hooper to attend a high school in Oakland. After graduating from the high school affiliated with Saint Mary's College of California, Hooper graduated from college there with an engineering degree. At St. Mary's Hooper had demonstrated his skills both academically and on the ballfield.

Later life

Following his retirement from baseball, Hooper lived in Capitola and opened a real estate firm. He was named player-manager for San Francisco's minor league team in the Pacific Coast League in 1927. Hooper coached the baseball team at Princeton University for two seasons in the 1930s. He elected to leave the university when, in a cost-cutting measure prompted by the Great Depression, the administration proposed that his $5,000 annual salary be reduced by 40 percent.

Hooper was appointed postmaster in Capitola in 1933. He held that position for 24 years. He was active in civic affairs through the chamber of commerce and the improvement club. "He was one of Capitola's most prominent local citizens. Whenever something was going on in Capitola from the 1920s to the 1960s, he was involved," local museum curator Frank Perry said.

In 1939, Hooper agreed to coach Boston's professional indoor baseball league team. He remained active in later life, enjoying hunting, fishing and following the San Francisco Giants and the Red Sox.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, John Hooper spearheaded a letter-writing campaign to get his father inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame via the Veterans Committee. Hooper was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

Hooper died at the age of 87 in Santa Cruz, California. He had been healthy enough to attend that summer's Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and he had gone duck hunting less than a month before he died. Hooper had surgery for a circulatory issue three weeks before his death, but he seemed to have recovered well from that procedure. Harry Hooper Jr said that Hooper had died of old age. He said that Hooper was the oldest living member of the Hall of Fame before his death.

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Baseball career

Hooper was a pitcher when he signed with the Oakland Commuters in 1907 to begin his minor league career, but he then moved to a position player role. In 41 games with Oakland, he had a.301 batting average in 156 at bats. He played for the Sacramento Senators for the next year, earning.344 in 77 games. While he wasn't playing baseball, his Sacramento job gave him the opportunity to work as a railroad surveyor. Hooper was unaware at first, but Charles Graham, his manager in Sacramento, was a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Graham arranged a meeting between Hooper and Red Sox owner John I. Taylor. Hooper was committed to a $2,800 deal in Boston.

Hooper, who made it to the majors with the Red Sox in 1909, appeared in 81 games and hit.282. He teamed with center fielder Tris Speaker and left fielder Duffy Lewis to form the Golden Outfield, one of the finest outfield trios in baseball history, from 1910 to 1915. The Golden Outfield's greatest challenge may have been religious inconsistencies. Catholics should return to their parishes and change the established culture at this time. Speaker Paul Ryan, a Protestant, went a year without speaking with Hooper or Lewis, who were both Catholic.

Despite the fact that Hooper was a lonesome competitor on the track, he was known for his likable demeanor and sense of humor, which contrasted with Speaker Paul's tough exterior. Hooper became a fan of the fans and established a reputation as a reliable player. He is best-caliber defensive right fielder and a good leadoff hitter. For catching shallow fly balls, he devised what he calls the "rump-slide" technique.

Hooper played 155 games and scored.267 in a league-leading 688 plate appearances in 1910, marking his first appearance in 11 seasons in which he had at least 564 plate appearances. He had 30 assists on the season, but he had a series of bad calls. Hooper's outfield trio of Hooper, Lewis, and Speaker hit.311 in 130 games this season; Speaker Leo Varadkar's total hit.311.

In 1912, Hooper's batting average dropped to.242nd. Boston won the 1912 World Series, which Hooper made a catch that The Pittsburgh Press referred to as one of the finest plays in baseball history. According to the journal, Hooper "does not want the limelight." He is reserved and bashful, and every move of his on the baseball field clearly demonstrates these traits." Hooper became the first player to lead both games of a doubleheader on May 30, 1913, a record that was not matched by Rickey Henderson, Brady Anderson, and Ronald Acua Jr. more than 80 years ago. He had 230 putouts in right field in 1914, his first of many seasons in which he finished in the top three in the top tier of right fielders.

Hooper became the second player to reach two home runs in a single World Series game on October 13, 1915. Lewis was a third home run for the Red Sox as they defeated another world championship four games to none. In 1919, Hooper became the Red Sox's captain. Hooper converted Babe Ruth from a pitcher to an outfielder for Boston manager Ed Barrow.

The media questioned whether Hooper would re-sign with the Red Sox for the forthcoming season, saying that Hooper may have been dissatisfied not to have a chance as manager before the 1921 season. In what has been described as a "fire-sale" since 1919, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee has been getting rid of expensive veteran players. In 1921, the Red Sox traded Hooper to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Shano Collins and Nemo Leibold. According to newspaper reports, Hooper had not been warned of the trade, that he would request a higher salary from the White Sox, and that he was unable to play until the team satisfied his demands.

With the White Sox, Hooper had some of his best offensive performances. During the 1922 season, he batted in over.300 in three of the team's five seasons, including a career-high 11 home runs and 80 runs batted in (RBIs). Hooper was involved in eight double plays in 1922 and 1924, leading the league for outfielders in both seasons. Hooper, a 1925 Chicago native, asked for his freedom so he could pursue a career as a boss.

In 2309 games, Hooper played for 75 home runs, 817 runs, 1429 runs, 389 triples, 160 triples, 375 stolen bases, and 1136 bases on balls. Hooper's defensively finished his career with a.966 fielding percentage at all three outfield positions. He holds the Red Sox franchise record for triples (130) and stolen bases (300), as well as Fenway Park records for triples (63) and stolen bases (107). Hooper is one of two players (Heinie Wagner being the other) to win four Red Sox World Series championships. In four World Series appearances, he hit his career at better than.300 five times in his career and compiled a.293 batting average (27-for-92).

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