Jim Cockman
Encyclopedia
James Cockman was a third baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played for the New York Highlanders
in 1905. He stood at 5' 6" and weighed 145 lbs.
. He started his professional baseball career in 1896 and batted .300 that year for the Virginia League's Roanoke Magicians. The following season, he played for the London Cockneys of the Canadian League. He batted a career-high .413 to win the batting title.
Although Cockman did "pretty good work with the stick," he was released by Toronto in 1898 and then went to the Atlantic League's Reading Coal Heavers
. In 1900, Cockman played in the Eastern League, International League, and Interstate League
. He posted a .307 batting average
in the Interstate League, and it was the last time in his career that he would bat over .300.
From 1901 to 1903, Cockman played in the Western League
with the Minneapolis Millers
and Milwaukee Creams. He then spent most of the following four seasons with the Eastern League's Newark Sailors. In 1905, he hit just .232 but was acquired by the New York Highlanders (later known as the Yankees) in September. Cockman played 13 MLB games over the final month of the season. He went 4 for 38 (.105) at the plate, with 0 home run
s and 2 runs batted in
. At 32 years old, he was the oldest player to ever make his major league debut with the New York Yankees franchise.
Cockman went back to Newark in 1906. After short stints in Toronto and St. Paul, he played for the Western League
's Lincoln Railsplitters from 1909 to 1911. In 1912, he batted .262 in the Nebraska State League
and then retired after the season.
Cockman died in 1947 in his hometown of Guelph. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
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...
who played for the New York Highlanders
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1905. He stood at 5' 6" and weighed 145 lbs.
Career
Cockman was born in Guelph, Ontario, CanadaGuelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
. He started his professional baseball career in 1896 and batted .300 that year for the Virginia League's Roanoke Magicians. The following season, he played for the London Cockneys of the Canadian League. He batted a career-high .413 to win the batting title.
Although Cockman did "pretty good work with the stick," he was released by Toronto in 1898 and then went to the Atlantic League's Reading Coal Heavers
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
. In 1900, Cockman played in the Eastern League, International League, and Interstate League
Interstate League
The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. The longest tenured of these was the last incarnation, which played in the Middle Atlantic States from 1939 through 1952, and was one of the few mid-level minor...
. He posted a .307 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 :...
in the Interstate League, and it was the last time in his career that he would bat over .300.
From 1901 to 1903, Cockman played in the Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
with the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
and Milwaukee Creams. He then spent most of the following four seasons with the Eastern League's Newark Sailors. In 1905, he hit just .232 but was acquired by the New York Highlanders (later known as the Yankees) in September. Cockman played 13 MLB games over the final month of the season. He went 4 for 38 (.105) at the plate, with 0 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 and 2 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. At 32 years old, he was the oldest player to ever make his major league debut with the New York Yankees franchise.
Cockman went back to Newark in 1906. After short stints in Toronto and St. Paul, he played for the Western League
Western League
Western League may refer to:* Western League , the predecessor to North American baseball's modern American League* Western League , one of two professional baseball minor leagues in Japan...
's Lincoln Railsplitters from 1909 to 1911. In 1912, he batted .262 in the Nebraska State League
Nebraska State League
The Nebraska State League was an American professional baseball league with five incarnations. At least, the name was adopted five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 and from 1956 to 1959....
and then retired after the season.
Cockman died in 1947 in his hometown of Guelph. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.