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In today’s measures, Ed Hahn, shown here as a Chicago White Sox in 1909 leaving the batter’s box at South Side Park, would not be your typical right fielder. His lifetime numbers were quite modest, just one home run in 2,405 plate appearances, a career batting average of just .237 with an OPS that registered at a rather meager .613.
But despite Hahn’s less than stellar offensive prowess, his bat did have a shining moment in the 1906 World Series against when his White Sox took on their city rivals the Cubs in the battle of Chicago bragging rights. That years Sox team was aptly called the “Hitless Wonders”, they boasted a team batting average of just .230 and hit just seven home runs the entire year. And Hahn fit right in. The 1906 Cubs were a formable group and were the heavy favorite to win the series, but the Sox and Hahn had other ideas. Hahn went 0 for 6 in the first two games and in Game Three he was beaned in the face by Cubs ace Jack Pfiester, resulting in a broken nose a trip to Cook County Hospital.
But in Game Four the 160-pound Hahn returned with a rubber air hose on his nostril and proceeded to hit .429 the rest of the series and scoring two runs in each of the final two games of the series, and helping the White Sox to a momentous upset and their first ever World Series title.
Hahn would follow 1907 with his best year yet, hitting .255 with 45 RBIs and 17 stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .359. He also lead the league in plate appearances with 698. He would play three more seasons with Chicago and six more seasons after that in the minors before retiring at the age of 40 in 1916.
Take note in the photo of the “PLEASE! DO NOT THROW BOTTLES!”. South Side Park must have seen a lot of unruly crowds!
Have to love all Yankee Players!