Bobby Veach
| Birthdate | 06/29/1888 |
| Death Date | 08/07/1945 |
| Debut Year | 1912 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Red Sox, Senators, Tigers, Yankees |
| Position | Left Field |
Once a pinch hitter for Babe Ruth, Bobby Veach led all of Major League Baseball in runs batted in and extra base hits from 1915-1922.
Leave a commentIn the collection:
Veach played in one of the greatest outfields of all time with Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford
Veach played in one of the greatest outfields of all time with Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford
The 1915 Tigers outfield is perhaps the greatest of all time. It featured the great Ty Cobb in center, all-time triples leader Sam Crawford in right, and underappreciated Bobby Veach in left.
That season first second and third in RBI and total bases, the only time in big league history outfield teammates have done it. Cobb hit .369 and won the batting title.
Veach hit .312 and paced the circuit with 40 doubles. Crawford led the league in triples with 19. The pair finished tied for the American League lead with 112 RBI.
Both Cobb and Crawford are in the Hall of Fame. Many believe Veach belongs there too. Veach is the only man with at least 2,000 hits and a .310 average without a Cooperstown plaque.
The Tigers outfielder finished in the league’s top-10 in batting average six times, on-base percentage four times, and slugging percentage five times.
He was in the AL’s top-10 in hits, doubles, triples, and total bases eight times each. In three seasons he outdistanced all AL batters in runs batted in, finishing in the top-10 in ten campaigns.
In this letter of September 9, 1987 former commissioner Happy Chandler writes about Bobby Veach and the Hall. The letter reads, “Bobby Veach is certainly worthy of induction into the Hall of Fame. However, the 75% rule has kept many like Bobby out of the Hall of Fame. If we could get that rule changed, many more worthy players would be elected.”
Sam Crawford played right field and often overshadowed Veach who played left
Sam Crawford played right field and often overshadowed Veach who played left
Bobby Veach played alongside Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford for six seasons. With Cobb in center flanked by Veach in left and Crawford in right, the trio formed one of baseball’s best outfields.
Though Veach was an outstanding player, he was often overshadowed by his Cooperstown contemporaries. While the three were teammates from 1912-1917, Veach topped the .300 mark three times, led the league in runs batted in twice, and doubles once. He hit .299 with a .369 on-base percentage and an OPS+ of 132.
Though the period coincided with the end of Crawford’s career he still put up impressive marks. While roaming the Detroit outfield with Veach, Crawford hit .305 with a .367 on-base mark and a 141 OPS+.
For his career Veach put up numbers worthy of Cooperstown consideration: a .310 lifetime average, .370 on-base percentage, 2,063 hits, 2,942 total bases and a 127 OPS+. As good as those stats are, they pale in comparison to Crawfords’ 2,961 hits, 144 OPS+, and 4,328 total bases. Crawford also recorded a still-standing MLB-record 309 triples.
Shown here is a correspondence between Crawford and longtime collector Jim Taylor of La Canada, California. Taylor kept in contact with Crawford and often drove up the California coast to visit with the Hall of Famer.
On the back of this postcard, Sam Crawford again writes to friend and autograph collector Jim Taylor. “Dear friends, a card to send greetings. Very fine weather here and no rain in sight. We hope the Taylor’s are all O.K. With all good wishes, Mary and Wahoo.”
Much more about Crawford can be found on his own page on the site by clicking here.
All 12 of Veach's seasons in Detroit came alongside Hall of Famer Tyrus Raymond Cobb
All 12 of Veach's seasons in Detroit came alongside Hall of Famer Tyrus Raymond Cobb
Bobby Veach’s good-natured personality and friendly disposition extended from his personal life to the baseball diamond and beyond. It also rubbed the fiery Ty Cobb the wrong way. Cobb wanted Veach to play with a more angry intensity.
The Georgia Peach played center flanked by Veach in left for each of Veach’s dozen seasons in Detroit. During their time together Veach hit .311 with a .370 on-base percentage and 130 OPS+.
Though the numbers are solid, they’re dwarfed by Cobb’s performance. For the 12 years as Veach’s teammate, Cobb led the AL in batting average seven times. The Georgia Peach hit .377 with a .449 on-base percentage and 176 OPS+ while playing next to Veach.
Many believe Veach’s career warrants another look by the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee. He remains the only player to hit as high as .310 and amass at last 2,000 hits outside of Cooperstown.
Shown here is a Ty Cobb autograph in the form of a personal check from 1945. More on Cobb can be found by clicking here.
Veach's run in Detroit ended after the 1923 season, 12 years years into his Tigers career
Veach's run in Detroit ended after the 1923 season, 12 years years into his Tigers career
Bobby Veach’s time in Detroit lasted 12 seasons. His final campaign in the Motor City was 1923. His Tiger farewell year included a .321 average and a .388 on-base percentage.
Shown here is a sheet signed in 1923 by seven Detroit Tigers, including Veach. By virtue of his 1945 passing, Veach’s signature remains quite difficult to find.
On top of the sheet is the autograph of Del Pratt. The second baseman’s WAR is higher than Hall of Fame second sackers Red Schoendienst, Bill Mazeroski, and other Cooperstown men.
Directly below Pratt is the autograph Hall of Fame left fielder Heinie Manush who made his debut the same year he signed this sheet. The rookie slashed .334/.406/.471 that season.
Under that is the autograph of Bob Fothergill, owner of a .325 career average. His signature is seldom seen by virtue of his early demise at age 40 in 1938.
The autograph of pitcher Ray Francis helps date the page to 1923, his only year with the Tigers. Francis is the rarest signature on the page. A veteran of only three big league seasons, Francis last played in 1925 and died in 1934.
Late in his career Bobby Veach played in his only World Series in 1925 with the Senators
Late in his career Bobby Veach played in his only World Series in 1925 with the Senators
Bobby Veach roamed big league outfields for 14 years. Though he played on many fine teams, Veach reached the World Series only once.
In 1925, his final season in the Show, Veach played for the Red Sox and Yankees before finishing the year with the Senators. Selected by Bucky Harris’ Washington club off of waivers on August 17th, Veach appeared in 18 games for the DC team.
The Senators won the American League pennant and took Veach to his only Fall Classic. In the 7-game loss to the Pirates, Veach had an RBI in his only at bat.
Shown above is a letter written and signed by manager Harris. Dated 17 days before the opening of the 1925 World Series, the letter reads, “As the World Series approaches we need your help to have a winning team. Hope you have made arrangements to come at once. You will be a great help to the team. The players seem to have more courage and pep when you’re around. Please do not fail us. Sincerely, Stanley “Bucky” Harris”
Letters from this era handwritten by members of the Hall of Fame are rarely seen.
Does Bobby Veach have a case for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Does Bobby Veach have a case for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Veach has numbers for a strong Cooperstown candidacy. Three times he led the league in RBI while posting 100+ in three additional seasons. Twice he lead the league in doubles, once in triples and hits.
The leftfielder has a .310 lifetime batting average to go along with a .370 on-base mark. Does Bobby Veach belong in Cooperstown?
Hall of Famer Joe Sewell says yes. In this handwritten letter, Sewell lends his support to the former outfielder, writing “Bob Veach was a great player…He should be in the Hall of Fame…”
The two men played against each other in the American League for five seasons, Sewell as a member of the Indians at the start of his career; Veach as his career wound down with Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees, and Senators.
