Tuck Turner
Encyclopedia
George A. "Tuck" Turner (February 13, 1866 – July 16, 1945) was a 19th century Major League Baseball
player for the Philadelphia Phillies
and St. Louis Browns
. Born in West New Brighton
, New York
, "Tuck" broke into the National League
with the Philadelphia Phillies
in 1893 at the age of 20. In reality he was 26, being born in 1866, but as was a common practice in baseball at the time, Tuck told everyone he was younger than he really was. In 1894, Tuck was part of one of the great hitting outfields in baseball history with Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson
, Ed Delahanty
, and Turner all hitting over .400 for the year. Tuck finished second that season with a .418 batting average to Hugh Duffy
, who also happened to set the single-season batting average record of .440. For those Phillies teams though, a pennant wasn't to be as the late 1890s were the peak of the powerful Original Baltimore Orioles
and Boston Beaneaters.
Turner's best seasons were 1894 and 1895, with Tuck leading the league in hitting with a .411 batting average through August 1895. By the tail end of 1895 and the beginning of 1896, Turner had lost his batting touch and so was traded to St. Louis for Duff Cooley
. According to accounts in the defunct sports journal, The Sporting Life Turner contracted malaria
with recurrent attacks in 1897 and 1898. This is in response to what happened to cause this promising major leaguer to suddenly lose his touch with the bat.
Before reaching the majors, Turner was a paid player in the Buffalo Amateur Baseball League of the Amateur Athletic Union
. From 1899 to 1901, Turner played with the Hartford Indians in the Eastern League, replacing legendary Louis Sockalexis
in the field his first season. Turner's post-majors career included stops in the Western League
, Connecticut League
and New England League
.
Turner grew up in West New Brighton with Jack Taylor
, a solid pitcher for the Phillies in the mid-1890s, Jack Sharrott, George Sharrott
and Jack Cronin
. All would go on to careers in the National League.
Early 20th century Cleveland ballplayer Terry Turner
frequently went by the nickname "Tuck." On October 3, 1897 while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Tuck Turner accomplished a rare feat by hitting an inside-the-park grand slam. Turner's .418 batting average in 1894 is ninth all-time for Single-Season MLB Batting Average and also the highest in a single season for a switch hitter.
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...
player for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and St. Louis Browns
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Born in West New Brighton
New Brighton, Staten Island
New Brighton, formerly an independent village, is today a neighborhood located on the North Shore of Staten Island in New York City, USA. The neighborhood comprises an older industrial and residential harbor front area along the Kill Van Kull west of St. George.The village of New Brighton was...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, "Tuck" broke into the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 1893 at the age of 20. In reality he was 26, being born in 1866, but as was a common practice in baseball at the time, Tuck told everyone he was younger than he really was. In 1894, Tuck was part of one of the great hitting outfields in baseball history with Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson
Sam Thompson
Samuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
, Ed Delahanty
Ed Delahanty
Edward James Delahanty , nicknamed "Big Ed", was a Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 for the Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators, and was known as one of the early great power hitters in the game.He was elected to the Baseball Hall of...
, and Turner all hitting over .400 for the year. Tuck finished second that season with a .418 batting average to Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.-Career:...
, who also happened to set the single-season batting average record of .440. For those Phillies teams though, a pennant wasn't to be as the late 1890s were the peak of the powerful Original Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
and Boston Beaneaters.
Turner's best seasons were 1894 and 1895, with Tuck leading the league in hitting with a .411 batting average through August 1895. By the tail end of 1895 and the beginning of 1896, Turner had lost his batting touch and so was traded to St. Louis for Duff Cooley
Duff Cooley
Duff Gordon "Sir Richard" Cooley was a professional baseball player whose career spanned 17 seasons, 13 of which were spent in Major League Baseball . Cooley, an outfielder and first baseman, had a career batting average of .294 in 1,317 games played...
. According to accounts in the defunct sports journal, The Sporting Life Turner contracted malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
with recurrent attacks in 1897 and 1898. This is in response to what happened to cause this promising major leaguer to suddenly lose his touch with the bat.
Before reaching the majors, Turner was a paid player in the Buffalo Amateur Baseball League of the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
. From 1899 to 1901, Turner played with the Hartford Indians in the Eastern League, replacing legendary Louis Sockalexis
Louis Sockalexis
Louis Francis "Chief" Sockalexis , nicknamed The Deerfoot of the Diamond, was an American baseball player...
in the field his first season. Turner's post-majors career included stops 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...
, Connecticut League
Connecticut League
The Connecticut League, also known as the Connecticut State League is a now defunct minor baseball league based in Connecticut. The league began as off-shoot of the original Connecticut State League in 1902 as a Class D league with teams in eight cities...
and New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
.
Turner grew up in West New Brighton with Jack Taylor
Jack Taylor (19th century baseball player)
John Besson "Brewery Jack" Taylor was a baseball player in the National League from 1891 to 1899. He is often confused with John W. "Jack" Taylor, who also played in the NL during an overlapping period...
, a solid pitcher for the Phillies in the mid-1890s, Jack Sharrott, George Sharrott
George Sharrott
George Oscar Sharrott was a 19th century Major League Baseball pitcher. He played from 1893–1894 with the Brooklyn Grooms.-External links:*...
and Jack Cronin
Jack Cronin
John J. Cronin was a 19th century Major League Baseball pitcher. He played from 1895-1904. He is buried in Oceanview, Cemetery, Section L, formerly known as Vallhalla Cemetery in Staten Island, New York.-External links:*...
. All would go on to careers in the National League.
Early 20th century Cleveland ballplayer Terry Turner
Terry Turner
Terrance Lamont Turner was an infielder in Major League Baseball who played between 1901 and 1919 for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Cleveland Naps/Indians and Philadelphia Athletics . Turner batted and threw right-handed...
frequently went by the nickname "Tuck." On October 3, 1897 while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Tuck Turner accomplished a rare feat by hitting an inside-the-park grand slam. Turner's .418 batting average in 1894 is ninth all-time for Single-Season MLB Batting Average and also the highest in a single season for a switch hitter.