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Frank “Home Run” Baker and the 1911 World Series Photo Gallery
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Let’s Recall the 1911 World Series and Frank “Home Run” Baker!

The 2023 World Series is in the record books, and so we extend our congratulations to the Texas Rangers on an exciting win, the first World Series championship in their history. Don’t forget the Rangers franchise actually started out as the expansion Washington Senators and moved to Arlinton, Texas for the 1972 season with Ted Williams as their manager. After heartbreaks in 2010 and 2011, they finally reached the Promised Land!

Today I’ll conclude my annual look at past World Series with a stop in 1911. That year’s Fall Classic featured the American League pennant-winning Philadelphia A’s of Connie Mack (101-50, .669, 13.5 games ahead of the Tigers), vs. the National League pennant-winning Giants of John McGraw (99-54, .647, 7.5 games ahead of the Cubs). The A’s were the defending World Series champions, having beaten the Cubs the previous year, while the Giants were making their first of three consecutive post-season appearances. The A’s would also win pennants in 1913 and 1914.

This was a rematch of the 1905 World Series in which the Giants bested the A’s 4-1. The games were played at the Polo Grounds and Shibe Park. The Series began on October 14 and didn’t conclude until October 26. The Series was notable for having six days of rain between games three and four, the longest delay between games in World Series history until the earthquake-interrupted 1989 World Series. The October 26 ending was also the latest-into-the-year ending to a World Series until 1981. When the Series continued with Game Four on October 24, the A’s, behind the pitching of Hall of Famer Chief Bender, beat the Giants and Christy Mathewson 4-2 to give Philadelphia a three-to-one game advantage. They eventually won the World Series, four games to two. 

In the 1911 World Series, the heroics of the Athletics’ star third baseman, Frank Baker, earned him one of baseball’s greatest nicknames. His homer in Game Two off Rube Marquard provided the margin of victory in that game; and another long one in Game Three off Christy Mathewson tied that game in the ninth, eventually won by the A’s. From that moment on, Frank Baker became known as “Home Run” Baker.

Whenever I talk about Home Run Baker and the great Philadelphia teams of the 1910s, I love to point out that one of our loyal readers, Chris Baker, is actually a great-grandson of Home Run Baker. Chris is justifiably proud of his famous Hall of Fame great-grandfather. As Chris once told me

“The farm was actually his number one priority. Baseball was his sanctuary and, as we know, he played it very well. He was just a normal guy with a big heart who loved the farm…but he could play baseball and he loved it, too.”

Frank Baker’s Great Run: 1910-1914

Frank Baker, who became the Athletics’ regular third baseman in 1909, was known

for his unusually heavy 46-ounce bat. His best years were with the A’s from 1910-1914, hitting .342 in 742 games. He led the American League in home runs every year from 1911 through 1914, leading the league in RBIs in 1912 and 1913. He finished in the top ten in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage every year from 1911 through 1914. Baker also finished in the top ten in runs, hits, doubles, total bases, extra-base hits, and RBIs every year from 1910 through 1914.

Baker hit .409 in the 1910 World Series, leading the A’s past the Cubs in five games; and hit a series-leading .375 in the 1911 World Series. Following Philadelphia’s unexpected defeat in the 1914 World Series, Connie Mack, the cash-strapped A’s owner, sold Baker to the Yankees.

Frank Baker’s Career Stats:

Over his 13 major league seasons, Baker hit .307, with 1839 hits, 915 doubles, 103 triples, 96 home runs, 235 stolen bases, a .363 on-base percentage, and a .442 slugging average. He was a member of six pennant winners, three World Championships, and he acquired a nickname that has become familiar to generations of baseball fans.

The Athletics “$100,000 Infield”

Third baseman Frank Baker was part of the A’s famous “$100,000 Infield,” along with second baseman Eddie Collins, shortstop Jack Barry, and first baseman Stuffy McInnis. Baseball historian Bill James rated the 1914 edition as the greatest infield of all time and also ranked the 1912 and 1913 editions in the top five all-time. They helped the Athletics win four American League pennants in five years (1910, 1911, 1913, and 1914), and World Series championships in 1910, 1911, and 1913. 

Frank Baker was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955, with a class that included Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons, Dazzy Vance, and Ray Schalk. He passed away on June 28, 1963.

Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: All from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from the Frank “Home Run” Baker Wikipedia page.

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