Tommie Leach
| Birthdate | 11/4/1877 |
| Death Date | 9/29/1969 |
| Debut Year | 1898 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Colonels, Cubs, Pirates, Reds |
| Positions | Center Field, Shortstop, Third Base |
The National League home run champion in 1902, Tommie Leach hit 63 homers in his 19-year career, only 10 of which were hit over the fence.
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Tommie Leach signed ball with five others from first World Series in 1903
Tommie Leach signed ball with five others from first World Series in 1903
In baseball’s first World Series Tommie Leach hit four triples to establish a record that still stands today. In the collection is this baseball signed by Leach and five others from that 1903 battle won by Cy Young’s Boston Pilgrims and Leach’s Pirates. The diminutive Leach stood 5’6″ but was tall in stature in the early part of the game. Amassing 2,143 career hits, Leach enjoyed a 19-year big league career that started in 1898. This panel of the ball is signed by Hall of Fame Pirate player-manager Fred Clarke, Pittsburgh utility man Art Krueger, Boston shortstop Freddy Parent, and Leach.
Second autographed panel of the Golden Jubilee ball with Cy Young and Bill Dinneen
Second autographed panel of the Golden Jubilee ball with Cy Young and Bill Dinneen
The inaugural World Series in 1903 featured the Boston Americans — renamed the Red Sox in 1907 — and the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1953 baseball decided to have a Golden Jubilee in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Series. 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. A four-time 20-game winner, Dinneen won 170 games over the course of his 12-year playing career. When his pitching career ended Dinneen became a highly respected American League umpire from 1909-1937. In fact Dinneen was so well regarded that he was selected to call balls and strikes in the first All Star game in 1933. Young of course went on to win 511 games and have the most prestigious award given to pitchers named in his honor.
Lengthy 1908 Barney Dreyfuss handwritten with mention of Tommie Leach and Honus Wagner
Lengthy 1908 Barney Dreyfuss handwritten with mention of Tommie Leach and Honus Wagner
The first 15 years of Tommie Leach’s big league career were spent with owner Barney Dreyfuss’ Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. In the collection is a letter handwritten by Dreyfuss who alludes to a feud with newspaper men before closing the letter with an assessment of his team’s fortunes for the upcoming 1908 season.
“With Fred (Clarke), Honus (Wagner), and (Tommie) Leach to build around we expect to put together another first division on the field.”
Though his Pirates would win 98 games, they would finish second to the Chicago Cubs who went on to win the World Championship. The following year they did bring the crown back to Pittsburgh.
Inducted 76 years after his 1932 death, Barney Dreyfus presents a challenge to autograph collectors.
Pittsburgh’s 5’6″ home run champ!