Tris Speaker

Tristram E. Speaker (April 4, 1888 in Hubbard, Texas - December 8, 1958 in Lake Whitney, Texas), nicknamed ?Spoke? (a play on his last name) and ?Grey Eagle? (for his prematurely graying hair), was an American baseball player considered to be the best defensive center fielder to ever play the game. Speaker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during the second year of voting, 1937.

Pre-Professional Career

Tris Speaker was born on Wednesday, April 4, 1888 in Hubbard, Texas, Archie and Nancy Peer Speaker. He suffered a broken right arm in a fall from a horse so was forced to use his left hand for throwing. Eventually he became very comfortable with it and stayed a southpaw even when his right arm healed. Then his left arm was injured in a football accident. Surgeons advised amputation, but he refused. He recovered to become one of baseball?s great hitters and outfielders, a manager of a world?s championship team and seventh member of the game?s Hall of Fame. In 1905 Speaker played his one and only year of college baseball for Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute.

Related Topics:
April 4 - 1888 - Hubbard, Texas - Southpaw - Football - Amputation - 1905 - Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute

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