Earl Webb
Encyclopedia
William Earl Webb was an American
right fielder
in Major League Baseball
, playing from 1925 to 1933. He played for five teams, including the Boston Red Sox
for three years. He was born in White County, Tennessee
and died in Jamestown
, Tennessee. In 1931, while playing for the Red Sox, he hit a record 67 double
s, a record that still stands today. He had a career batting average
of .306 with 56 home run
s. Webb finished second in the league in extra base hit
s in 1931 with 84. His .333 batting average in 1931 was seventh-highest in the American League. He also finished seventh in the 1931 American League Most Valuable Player voting. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed.
on US Highway 70 in White County
. Speaking at the dedication ceremony were Brian O'Connor of Cookeville
, master of ceremonies, Herd Sullivan, County Executive, representing White County, Wallace Austin, Chairman, White County Commission, Calvin Dickinson, Board Member, Tennessee Historical Commission, and Phil Glebe of Brighton
, Michigan
, grandson of Earl Webb. The unveiling of the marker was performed by Brian O'Connor, Phil Glebe, and two of Earl Webb's daughters, Iris Glebe and Earlene Abed.
The text of the marker:
EARL WEBB
BASEBALL RECORD HOLDER
William Earl Webb was born in White County,
Tennessee, on September 17, 1897. His family
moved to Bon Air and then Ravenscroft, where
Earl worked in the coal mines and played
baseball for local teams. He began in the
minor leagues in 1921, and switched from
pitching to the outfield. In the major leagues,
he played with five teams between 1925 and
1933. In 1931, while with the Boston Red
Sox, the left-handed batting Webb hit 67
doubles, setting a longstanding single-
season record.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, playing from 1925 to 1933. He played for five teams, including the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for three years. He was born in White County, Tennessee
White County, Tennessee
White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 23,102. Its county seat is Sparta.-History:...
and died in Jamestown
Jamestown, Tennessee
Jamestown is a city in Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Fentress County. The city population was 1,839 at the 2000 census. The 2008 estimated population is about 2,300.-History:...
, Tennessee. In 1931, while playing for the Red Sox, he hit a record 67 double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s, a record that still stands today. He had a career batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .306 with 56 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. Webb finished second in the league in extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s in 1931 with 84. His .333 batting average in 1931 was seventh-highest in the American League. He also finished seventh in the 1931 American League Most Valuable Player voting. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed.
Historical Marker
On September 17, 2006, the 75th anniversary of his setting the record for doubles in a season, and the 109th anniversary of his birth, a State of Tennessee historical marker honoring Earl Webb was unveiled at De Rossett, about ten miles east of SpartaSparta, Tennessee
Sparta is a city in White County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,599 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of White County. It was the hometown of Lester Flatt of the bluegrass music legends Flatt and Scruggs.-Geography:...
on US Highway 70 in White County
White County, Tennessee
White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 23,102. Its county seat is Sparta.-History:...
. Speaking at the dedication ceremony were Brian O'Connor of Cookeville
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
, master of ceremonies, Herd Sullivan, County Executive, representing White County, Wallace Austin, Chairman, White County Commission, Calvin Dickinson, Board Member, Tennessee Historical Commission, and Phil Glebe of Brighton
Brighton, Michigan
Brighton is a principal satellite city of Metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, grandson of Earl Webb. The unveiling of the marker was performed by Brian O'Connor, Phil Glebe, and two of Earl Webb's daughters, Iris Glebe and Earlene Abed.
The text of the marker:
EARL WEBB
BASEBALL RECORD HOLDER
William Earl Webb was born in White County,
Tennessee, on September 17, 1897. His family
moved to Bon Air and then Ravenscroft, where
Earl worked in the coal mines and played
baseball for local teams. He began in the
minor leagues in 1921, and switched from
pitching to the outfield. In the major leagues,
he played with five teams between 1925 and
1933. In 1931, while with the Boston Red
Sox, the left-handed batting Webb hit 67
doubles, setting a longstanding single-
season record.