Miller Huggins

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Contents 1 Overview 2 Playing Career 3 Managerial Record 4 Transactions 5 External Links

Overview

Miller James Huggins (March 27, 1878-September 25 1929) is most remembered for being the manager of the New York Yankees during the 1920's. Huggins was also a second baseman for the Cincinnati Reds and the Saint Louis Cardinals from 1904 until his final game in 1916. Furthermore, before managing the Yankees, Huggins was the player/manager of the Cardinals from 1913 until 1916.

Playing Career

Miller Huggins, know as "Mighty Mite" during his career, was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the American Association before the 1904 season. His first season with the Reds, the 5'6 Huggins played 140 games at second base and hit .263 with 96 runs scored, 12 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, and 30 RBI's. For the next five seasons Huggins would be the Reds starting second baseman often times being at, or near the top of the league in On-Base %, runs, walks, and stolen bases. In the February before the 1910 season Huggins was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with Frank Corridon and Rebel Oakes. The previous year Huggins had only hit .213 in 57 games for the Reds.

In his first season with the Cardinals, Huggins led the league in bases on balls and was second in times on base. Huggins played seven seasons with the Cardinals before becoming their full time manager in 1917. During Huggins 13 year career he batted .265 with a .382 OBP, 948 runs, 1,474 hits, and 1,003 BB.

Managerial Record

During Huggins time with the St. Louis Cardinals, he was also the player/manager for the team from 1910 until 1916 when he took over as full time manager. Huggins teams never had much success during his stay with the Cardinals and never finished higher than third place. Huggins compiled a record of 346 wins and 415 losses in 774 games (.455 winning percentage) while the manager of the Cardinals. After the 1917 season, a season when the team went 82-70 for a third place finish, Huggins was fired.

Before the 1918 season even started Huggins was hired by the New York Yankees to be their manager. Huggins led the Yankees to a fourth place finish his first year. In his next two seasons the Yankees finished third both years, but each season Huggins had managed the team he had improved their record. Finally in 1921, Huggins and the Yankees won the American League Pennant with a record of 98-55. The team’s improvement coincided with their purchase of the games first superstar: Babe Ruth. Beginning with 1921 the Yankees under Huggins reeled off three straight pennants, including a World Series win in 1923 against the New York Giants. Huggins won an additional three more American League Pennants in 1926-28 with World Series wins in 1927 and 1928. In 1927 Huggins led the Yankees to a 110-44 record. That Yankees team was known as Murderer's Row led the league in nearly every offensive category and is considered one of the greatest teams ever.

In 1929 Huggins developed erysipelas, which is a bacteria infection that attacks the skin. Huggins died on September 25, 1929 at the age of 51. Huggins became the first Yankee to have a plaque dedicated in his honor in 1932. His plaque still sits in what is known today as Monument Park.

Huggins managerial totals are shown below:

Team	G	W	L	PCT
St. Louis Cardinals	774	346	415	.455
New York Yankees	1,796	1,067	719	.597
Total	2,570	1,413	1,134	.555

Finally, in 1964, Miller Huggins was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Committee on Veterans.

Transactions

• Before 1904 season: Purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the American Association
• February 3, 1910: Traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Frank Corridon and Rebel Oakes to the St. Louis Cardinals for Fred Beebe and Alan Storke.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Managerial Record
• Miller Huggins: Hall of Fame Page - BaseballHallofFame.org
• Miller Huggins Biography howstuffworks.com