The $100,000 Infield
1910 Philadelphia AthleticsHome Field: Shibe Park
World ChampionsHit: #2 R, #1 BA
W - 102 L - 48Pitch: #1 OR, ERA
Manager: Connie MackDef: #1 FA

This club marked the beginning of the American League's first great dynasty. The Philadelphia Athletics would win four pennants and three World Series titles between 1910 and 1914. This group of teams is best remembered for its $100,000 infield of third baseman Frank Baker, shortstop Jack Barry, second baseman Eddie Collins, and first baseman Stuffy McInnis. Veteran Harry Davis was still the regular first sacker in 1910, but lost his job to the younger McInnis the following season. The $100,000 figure did not represent the salary of this group. Far from it, it represented the estimated market value of the group should Connie Mack decide to sell the foursome.

Collins and Baker, future Hall of Famers, led the offense. Collins batted .322 and led the squad with 81 RBIs. Baker, who would gain the moniker "Home Run" in the 1911 World Series, led the team in runs scored. Baseball was still built around defense and pitching in these deadball days, and Philadelphia was the best in the league at both. Jack Coombs won a league high 31 games and posted a sparkling 1.30 ERA. Joined by Chief Bender and Cy Morgan, whose ERAs were also under 1.60, the Athletics had a staff ERA of just 1.78, the lowest in American League history.

Mack's crew easily dispatched of the Chicago Cubs in the World Series, winning four games to one. Collins and Baker both topped .400, outfielder Danny Murphy knocked in nine runs in five games, and the A's used only two pitchers, Coombs and Bender, in the series. In fact, only a late Cubs rally in game four prevented a sweep.

Philadelphia added World Championships in 1911 and 1913, but was upset by the Boston Braves in the 1914 fall classic. During that offseason, Bender and Eddie Plank left to play in the rival Federal League. Mack, fearing further defections, began dismantling the team starting by selling Collins to the White Sox. It took another 15 years before the Philadelphia Athletics recovered from that.



Pos Player Bats AB H R HR RBI BA    AL Rank
C Jack Lapp L 192 45 18 0 17 .234  
1B Harry Davis R 492 122 61 1 41 .248  
2B Eddie Collins L 583 188 81 3 81 .322    #4 BA; #3 RBI
SS Jack Barry R 487 126 64 3 60 .259  
3B Frank Baker L 561 159 83 2 74 .283  
LF Bris Lord R 288 80 55 1 20 .278  
CF Rube Oldring R 546 168 79 4 57 .308  
RF Danny Murphy R 560 168 70 4 64 .300  
                   
OF Topsy Hartsel L 285 63 45 0 22 .221  
C Ira Thomas R 180 50 14 1 19 .278  
C Paddy Livingston R 120 25 11 0 9 .208  
OF Heinie Heitmuller L 111 27 11 0 11 .243  
SS-2B Stuffy McInnis R 73 22 10 0 12 .301  
1B Ben Houser L 69 13 9 0 7 .188  
                   
Total: Team   5167 1376 673 19 541 .266  
  League Average   40917 9959 4573 145 3659 .243  

Pitcher Throw G IP W L ERA PCT    AL Rank
  Jack Coombs R 45 353 31 9 1.30 .775    #1 W; #2 ERA; #3 K
  Chief Bender R 30 250 23 5 1.58 .821    #4 W; #5 ERA, K
  Eddie Plank L 38 250 16 12 2.01 .571  
  Cy Morgan R 36 291 18 12 1.55 .600    #4 ERA
  Harry Krause L 16 112 6 6 2.88 .500  
  Jimmy Dygert R 19 99 4 4 2.55 .500  
                   
Total: Team       102 48 1.78    
  League Average           2.53    

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