John Franklin Baker was born on March 13, 1886, in Trappe, Maryland.
Baker made his big league debut on September 21, 1908 at the age of 22 for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, and would become the teams starting 3rd sacker for Mack's famous $100,000 Infield from 1910-1914.
Baker became famous for hitting home runs, a rarity in the deadball era, when he hit two home runs, one off legendary pitcher vhristy Mathewson, in the 1911 World Series ,in which the Athletics beat John McGraw's New York Giants, 4 games to 2.
Baker led the American League in home runs in 1911-14 in RBI in 1912-13, and in 1909 his 19 triples led the A.L.
"Home Run" Baker walloped 96 round trippers in his 13 year career with the Athletics and NewYork Yankees.
Baker manned the hot corner for four Philadelphia American League Championships, 1910-14, and three Athletics World Championship teams, 1910-11-13.
Baker also played in the 1921 and 1922 World Series with the Yankees, and played his final big league game with the Yankees on September 29, 1922, at age 36.
In his 13 big league seasons Baker played in 1,575 games, hit .307, with 96 HRs, 991 RBI, with 1,838 base hits, 315 doubles, 103 triples, and 887 runs scored in 6,667 plate appearances and 5,984 official at bats.
In 1955 Frank Baker was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
On June 28, 1963, Frank Baker died in his hometown of Trappe, at the age of 77.
Today we salute one of the finest ballplayers of the early 20th Century... Happy Baseball Birthday! "Home Run " Baker!
PLAY BALL!
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