Jack Flater
Encyclopedia
John William Flater was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Philadelphia Athletics
just at the end of the 1908 season (September 18-October 3). The 5'10", 175 lb. right-hander was a native of Sandymount, Maryland
.
Flater pitched in five games for the Athletics. He hurled complete games in all three of his starting assignments, and he finished two other games in relief. He pitched much better than his 1-3 record would indicate. In 39.1 innings
he allowed only 49 baserunners (35 hits
, 12 walks, and 2 hit batsmen), and just 9 of the 15 runs
that scored against him were earned runs. His ERA
was an excellent 2.06. He was pitching for a team, however, that won 68 games, lost 85, and made 272 errors
, including 3 by Flater himself. The games he lost were by scores of 2-1, 3-2, and 5-4.
Four of his famous teammates on the Athletics were future Hall of Famers Chief Bender
, Eddie Collins
, Jimmy Collins
, and Eddie Plank
.
Flater died at the age of 87 in Westminster, Maryland
, and is buried in nearby Sandymount, MD.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
just at the end of the 1908 season (September 18-October 3). The 5'10", 175 lb. right-hander was a native of Sandymount, Maryland
Carroll County, Maryland
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 167,134. It was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton , signer of the American Declaration of Independence. Its county seat is Westminster....
.
Flater pitched in five games for the Athletics. He hurled complete games in all three of his starting assignments, and he finished two other games in relief. He pitched much better than his 1-3 record would indicate. In 39.1 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
he allowed only 49 baserunners (35 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 12 walks, and 2 hit batsmen), and just 9 of the 15 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
that scored against him were earned runs. His ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
was an excellent 2.06. He was pitching for a team, however, that won 68 games, lost 85, and made 272 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, including 3 by Flater himself. The games he lost were by scores of 2-1, 3-2, and 5-4.
Four of his famous teammates on the Athletics were future Hall of Famers Chief Bender
Chief Bender
Charles Albert "Chief" Bender was a pitcher in Major League Baseball during the first two decades of the 20th century...
, Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. , nicknamed "Cocky", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive...
, Jimmy Collins
Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century who was widely regarded as being the best third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson...
, and Eddie Plank
Eddie Plank
Edward Stewart Plank , nicknamed "Gettysburg Eddie", was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He is the first left-handed pitcher to win 200 games and then 300 games, and now ranks third in all-time wins among left-handers with 326 career victories and first all-time in career shutouts by a...
.
Flater died at the age of 87 in Westminster, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greater Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV...
, and is buried in nearby Sandymount, MD.