![]() ![]() The Americans decided to convert Freeman into a first baseman. Boston Americans Team picture of the 1901 Boston Americans Freeman is at center of the back rowįor the 1901 season, Freeman and teammate Jimmy Collins moved across town to the Boston Americans (later known as the Boston Red Sox), for the inaugural season of the American League. On September 1, during a game between Boston and the New York Giants, assigned umpire Ed Smartwood had to leave the game due to injury the final four innings were completed with Freeman umpiring at home and Bill Carrick of the Giants umpiring at first. Freeman's offensive numbers for the season were well down from the year before, as he recorded six home runs and 65 runs batted in during 117 games played. The Senators were one of the teams disbanded as the league contracted from twelve teams to eight.įreeman spent the 1900 season with the Boston Beaneaters (later known as the Boston Braves), where he did not get along with manager Frank Selee. Earl Wagner correctly foresaw that the National League would be reduced in size. Freeman's tally was not surpassed until 1919, when Babe Ruth hit 29 home runs with the Boston Red Sox.įreeman's contract was sold to Boston in February 1900, as Washington owner J. Williamson's home field of Lakeshore Park was less than 200 feet (61 m) down the foul lines and 300 feet (91 m) to center, and prior to 1884 balls hit over the fence at Lakeshore Park had been ground rule doubles of Williamson's 27 homers, only two were hit away from home. Although Freeman failed to equal Ned Williamson's record of 27 home runs in a season, recorded in 1884 with Chicago, Freeman's total is generally regarded as the greater achievement. The 25 home runs that Freeman recorded for the 1899 Senators were truly remarkable by the standards of the time the second highest total that year was 12 by Bobby Wallace of St. Following his strong showing with the bat, he was named as the Senators' first-choice right fielder for the following season. 523 slugging percentage during the final weeks of the 1898 Senators season. Albeit with only 107 at bats in 29 games, he recorded a. In light of this, the Senators decided to retrain Freeman as a right fielder, believing that he would be even more useful with the bat than he was with the ball. Since Freeman's time as a pitcher with the Statesmen, he had bulked out and had begun to show real skill with the bat (in his 18 at bats in 1891 he had recorded a batting average of. His longest stint was in the Eastern League with Toronto from 1896 to 1898.įreeman returned to the Washington roster in September of the 1898 season, when Arthur Irwin took over as manager the team was now known as the Senators and played in the National League. From 1892 through 1898, he played in the Pennsylvania State League, Eastern League, New England League, and Western League. Freeman played in a further four games during the season, finishing up with a 3–2 record and an earned run average of 3.89 in 44 innings pitched, while striking out 28 but also walking 33.įollowing the 1891 season's conclusion, Freeman did not play in the majors again for seven years. Washington Statesmen įreeman made his major league debut as a left-handed starting pitcher with the Washington Statesmen of the major league American Association on June 27, 1891, registering the loss in a 4–5 defeat to the Philadelphia Athletics. Freeman was one of the top sluggers of his era, his most famous feat being the 25 home runs he hit during the 1899 season.Ī native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, Freeman showed talent as a pitcher from a young age he later received advice from early African-American player Bud Fowler to practice hitting more. Listed at 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) and 169 lb (77 kg), he both batted and threw left-handed. John Frank "Buck" Freeman (Octo– June 25, 1949) was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century. June 27, 1891, for the Washington Statesmen
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