Jimmy Collins
| Birthdate | 1/16/1870 |
| Death Date | 3/6/1943 |
| Debut Year | 1895 |
| Year of Induction | 1945 |
| Teams | Athletics, Beaneaters, Colonels, Red Sox |
| Positions | Manager, Third Base |
Jimmy Collins was a premier third baseman from 1895-1908. He held the record for putouts at his position until Brooks Robinson surpassed it.
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Jimmy Collins was the greatest-fielding third baseman in the early days of professional baseball
Jimmy Collins was the greatest-fielding third baseman in the early days of professional baseball
Jimmy Collins broke into the big leagues in 1895 with the National League’s Boston Beaneaters. He spent parts of 13 of his 14 MLB seasons in Boston in both the AL and NL.
Regarded as the finest-fielder at his position, Collins revolutionized the game. In the 1800s it was the shortstop who fielded bunts. With his quick feet and strong arm, Collins was the first third baseman to regularly field the sacrifice attempts.
Collins jumped from the NL to the AL after the 1900 season. Despite the league change he stayed in the same city. In 1901 he became player/manager of the Boston Americans who later became the Red Sox.
In 1903 he led the Americans to baseball’s first World Series. Backed by the pitching of Cy Young and Bill Dinneen, Boston beat Honus Wagner’s Pirates. Collins remained at the post until the middle of the ’06 season.
By the time he retired as a player in 1908 he was baseball’s all time leader in putouts by a third baseman. Collins held the record until Brooks Robinson surpassed it in the 1970s.
His career totals include 1,999 hits, 983 RBI, and a .294 lifetime average. As a skipper he piloted Boston to a 455-376 record, good for a .548 winning percentage.
In addition to the ’03 World Series triumph, Collins’ Boston teams also earned the 1904 AL pennant. That season no World Series was played.
Collins’ excellence was recognized when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame just months after his death in 1943.
As captain and player/manager Jimmy Collins helped Boston earn the first World Series title
As captain and player/manager Jimmy Collins helped Boston earn the first World Series title
Hall of Fame third baseman Jimmy Collins holds a special place in Red Sox lore. When the National League first agreed to play the American League in baseball’s World Series, Collins played a large role.
Collins jumped from Cooperstown manager Frank Selee’s Boston NL entry to the fledgling Boston Americans (later the Red Sox) in the AL’s first season of 1901. Immediately installed as the club’s captain and skipper, Collins led them to the American League pennant.
In baseball’s first Fall Classic his Boston squad faced off against Honus Wagner’s Pittsburgh Pirates. In the best of 9 tilt, Cy Young and Bill Dinneen combined for the necessary five victories to make Boston baseball’s first World Series champion.
In the collection is a baseball signed at that reunion with the signatures of six of the players who competed in 1903. On this panel is the pair of pitchers who secured the title for the Boston club. Bill Dinneen claimed three of the necessary five victories while Denton True “Cy” Young pitched his way to the other two.
