
Big Dan Brouthers
Baseball's First Great Slugger
Roy Kerr(Author)
McFarland & Co Inc (Publisher)
Published on 11. October 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
216 pages
978-0-7864-7560-5 (ISBN)
Description
Described as "the Greatest Batsman in the Country" by sportswriters of his era, Dennis "Big Dan" Brouthers compiled a .342 batting average, tying with Babe Ruth for ninth place all-time, and slugged 205 triples, eighth all time, in 16 major league seasons. He won five batting and on-base percentage titles, and seven slugging titles, and was the first player to win batting and slugging crowns in successive years.
Although he ranked fourth among nineteenth-century home run hitters, many fair balls he hit into the stands or over the fence were counted only as doubles or triples due to local ground rules. Brouthers was extremely difficult to strike out--in 1889, for example, he did so just six times in 565 plate appearances. He was the first player to be walked intentionally on a regular basis.
This comprehensive biography of Dan Brouthers examines his life and career from his youth as an apprentice in a print and dye factory to his final years as an attendant at the Polo Grounds. It corrects numerous errors that have crept into earlier accounts of his life, and clarifies his position as one of the greatest hitters ever to play the game.
Although he ranked fourth among nineteenth-century home run hitters, many fair balls he hit into the stands or over the fence were counted only as doubles or triples due to local ground rules. Brouthers was extremely difficult to strike out--in 1889, for example, he did so just six times in 565 plate appearances. He was the first player to be walked intentionally on a regular basis.
This comprehensive biography of Dan Brouthers examines his life and career from his youth as an apprentice in a print and dye factory to his final years as an attendant at the Polo Grounds. It corrects numerous errors that have crept into earlier accounts of his life, and clarifies his position as one of the greatest hitters ever to play the game.
Reviews / Votes
"The latest installment in McFarland & Company's line of definitive biographies of deserving players without them.... Kerr found many widespread, intransigent errors imbedded in the accepted life story of Brouthers.... [He] sets the record straight."-Spitball.More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
30 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
358 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7864-7560-5 (9780786475605)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Roy Kerr, a retired professor of Spanish and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), lives in Lakeland, Florida.
Content
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ?ix
Preface ?1
One.?The Wappingers Falls Boy: 1858-1880 ?3
Two.?The Champion Batsman of the Country: 1881-1885 ?27
Three.?Big Dan: 1886-1888 ?48
Four.?Old Jed: 1889-1891 ?76
Five.?Big Brother with the Stick: 1892-1895 ?96
Six.?The Sage of Wappingers Falls: 1896-1906 ?119
Seven.?The Once Famous Ball Player: 1907-1932 ?152
Epilogue: The Grand Old Man of the Game ?177
Appendix A: Dan Brouthers' Nicknames ?183
Appendix B: Dan Brouthers' Longest Hits ?185
Appendix C: Dan Brouthers' Major League Statistics ?188
Chapter Notes ?191
Bibliography ?199
Index ?203
Acknowledgments ?ix
Preface ?1
One.?The Wappingers Falls Boy: 1858-1880 ?3
Two.?The Champion Batsman of the Country: 1881-1885 ?27
Three.?Big Dan: 1886-1888 ?48
Four.?Old Jed: 1889-1891 ?76
Five.?Big Brother with the Stick: 1892-1895 ?96
Six.?The Sage of Wappingers Falls: 1896-1906 ?119
Seven.?The Once Famous Ball Player: 1907-1932 ?152
Epilogue: The Grand Old Man of the Game ?177
Appendix A: Dan Brouthers' Nicknames ?183
Appendix B: Dan Brouthers' Longest Hits ?185
Appendix C: Dan Brouthers' Major League Statistics ?188
Chapter Notes ?191
Bibliography ?199
Index ?203