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Babe Adams and the 1909-1910 Pirates Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to see photos in full size and to start Photo Gallery:
A Baseball Babe “Four Bagger!”
Babe Adams
In recent days, I’ve written about “Babe” Ruth, “Babe” Dahlgren, and “Babe” Herman. Thanks to one of the readers who suggested I make it a Babe “Four Bagger” by including “Babe” Adams, the rookie hero of the 1909 World Series.
In going through my files, I came on to this great photo of the 1910 Pirates, with Babe Adams in the middle of the front row. The photo is amazingly clear for a photo from 1910, and even includes a few 1910-era photobombs! I’ve included the complete player IDs below, so take a good look and see how many names you can come up with below looking at the identifications.
Babe Adams’ Career
A two-time 20-game winner, Babe played 19 years in the majors (1906-1926), all with the Pirates except for one game in 1906 with the Cardinals. This paragraph from his Wikipedia page
Babe Adams (Charles Conlon collection)
summarizes his outstanding career:
“Noted for his outstanding control, his career average of 1.29 walks per 9 innings pitched was the second-lowest of the 20th century; his 1920 mark of 1 walk per 14.6 innings was a modern record until 2005. He shares the Pirates’ franchise record for career victories by a right-hander (194), and holds the team mark for career shutouts (47); from 1926 to 1962, he held the team record for career games pitched (481).”
Of course, it was in the 1909 World Series where Adams really left his mark. He was the surprise starter in Game One and went on to pitch three complete-game victories, each a six-hitter. With a shutout in Game Seven, he became the first rookie to start and win a World Series Game Seven. This was a feat not duplicated until 2002 by John Lackey. In addition, he was still on the team in 1925 when the Pirates again won the World Series, the only player remaining from the 1909 Series winner.
A Little Information About The 1909-1910 Pirates
In the 29th year of the existence of the franchise, and the 24th as a member of the National League, the 1910 Pirates played in front of 436, 586 fans, their second year in Forbes Field. The Pirates won the classic 1909 World Series four games to three against the Tigers. That’s the World Series that pitted the two great Dead Ball Era stars, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner against each other, with Wagner staring for the Pirates, while Cobb having a disappointing series. Under Fred Clarke’s leadership, the 1910 team finished 86-67, third in the National League, 17 ½ games behind the pennant-winning Cubs.
Some Interesting Tidbits From This Photo
- Deacon Phillippe, fifth from left middle row, was the starting pitcher in the very first World Series game in 1903, and remains one of the most underappreciated pitchers from the Dead Ball Era. [Ed. note: One of his descendants, actor Dean Phillipi, is a regular reader of the website, as is Jim Phelps, the great-grandson of Eddie Phelps, the catcher in the first World Series].
- George Gibson was a future Pirates manager.
- There’s a set of major league brothers in the photo: Howie and Harry Camnitz
- There’s three Hall-of-Famers in the pic. Can you pick them out?
- Babe Adams was the rookie star of the 1909 World Series-winning three games.
1910 Pittsburg Pirates Player Identifications:
Top Row, L-R: Willis Humphries, Bud Sharpe, Sam Frock, Vincent Campbell, Chick Brandom, Bill Powell, Lefty Moore, Nick Maddox, Eddie Bridges, Harry Camnitz, Dots Miller. Middle Row, L-R: Tommy Leach, Pat O’Connor, Lefty Leifield, Sam Leever, Deacon Phillippe, President Barney Dreyfuss, Chief Wilson, Ed Abbaticchio, Bobby Bryne, Honus Wagner (HOF). Front Row, L-R: Pitcher Cuttinn, Dolly Grey, Bill McKechnie (HOF), Mike Simon, Ham Hyatt, Babe Adams, Manager Fred Clarke (HOF), Cleon Webb, Howie Camnitz, George Gibson.
Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: Featured photo sent to me a few years ago by Don Stokes: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Don-Stokes-Old-Time-Baseball-Colorizations-923346241033508/photos/?ref=page_internal; All others from Google search
Information: Excerpts edited from the Babe Adams and Pittsburgh Pirates Wikipedia page.