It’s April 20, so that means it’s time for me to pay homage to my namesake, James “Steamer” Flanagan, whose 28 at bats represents but a cup of coffee in the bigs, but nonetheless a spot in the Baseball Almanac. (and a long career compared to Moonlight Graham) Today is Steamer’s birthday.
I know. 420 is a funny birthday to have. But on April 20, 1881, I’m doubtful that stuff was around. At least for James Paul “Steamer” Flanagan, my namesake who played briefly for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1905, as a teammate of the legendary Flying Dutchman, Hall of Famer Honus Wagner.
After the Irishman attended the University of Notre Dame, he worked his way up to the bigs in 1905, Shown at right is Steamer’s 1905 tobacco-baseball card. which is, for obvious reasons, my favorite among all others. In case you were wondering, 7 hits in those 28 at bats, including a double and a triple, for a respectable lifetime average of .280. He scored 7 runs for the 8 times he reached base, stealing 3 bases in as many attempts.
It was at the end of his minor league season in 1905 that the Pittsburgh Pirates bought Flanagan for $1,500. He was 25 when he made his debut with the Pirates on September 25, 1905, pinch hitting in the ninth against Factoryville legend and Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson.
He started in center field batting third ahead of Hall of Famer Honus Wagner in six of the Pirates last nine games. In his first start he was 3 for 5 with a triple and scored two runs. He finished 8 for 25, that’s a .320 average, scored seven runs and stole three bases.
Despite that showing and despite credible reports that Flanagan would be signed in 1906 by the New York Giants or the Phillies, he never played in the Major Leagues again.
Shades of “Moonlight” Graham.
Happy Birthday Steamer.
Postscript:
Curious to know a bit more about Steamer Flanagan, I did a little digging this year and ran across an article about him written by Jack Smiles at the SABR Website. (SABR is the ” Society for American Baseball Research”, founded, appropriately, in Cooperstown NY.)
I spoke with the author, Smiles, who found Flanagan’s rise from and return to relative obscurity to be an interesting one. The unanswered question was why, after a stellar debut in late 1905, did he not play another game in the major leauges.
The article contained a more detailed biography of my namesake, including an interesting story about Flanagan’s trip to Cuba to play baseball a year after his short stint in the major leagues. It is excerpted below, with permission from Jack Smiles and SABR:
In December 1906 Flanagan toured Cuba with a team of major and minor leaguers including Detroit center fielder Matty McIntyre. Back home in January 1907 he told the Wilkes-Barre Times of a peculiar feature in games on the island: “If a player doesn’t like a decision he may kick about it for a minute. Then a gong is rung and if the player does not return to his position immediately a patrol wagon is run onto the field and the recalcitrant player is loaded in and taken to the city jail.” He elaborated in an article in Sporting Life: “In one game at Havana I stayed out in the field after the inning had closed, as I did not expect to come to bat in that inning. I went back to the fence and lay down. Suddenly I heard a bell ring and all the boys on our bench ran out to where I was and, seizing me by the arms, they took me to the bench. Do you want to be run in? they asked. It appears that the umpire had waved to me to go in to the bench, but I had not seen it and my minute had expired without me saying a word. If the police arrest so many men that one side has not enough to continue, the entire receipts of the game go to the city for the poor. And they have big crowds there, too. We averaged about 4,000 to a game.”
Flanagan commented that the Cubans knew the game perfectly, pulling off the squeeze play and delayed steals in a finished manner. “They are quick on their feet, and throw the ball with force which is seldom seen here,” he said. “The ball comes in to the home plate on a line, not on a bound, as you see it in this country.”
I could not help but think of LA Dodger Yasiel Puig.
Steamer’s bio, at Wikipedia
Steamer Flanagan
Outfielder
Born: April 20, 1881
Kingston, Pennsylvania
Died: April 21, 1947 (aged 66)
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 25, 1905 for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
October 7, 1905 for the Pittsburgh PiratesCareer statistics
Batting average .280
Home runs 0
Runs batted in 3
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1905)James Paul Flanagan (April 20, 1881 – April 21, 1947) was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates just at the end of the 1905 season (September 25-October 7). The 24-year-old rookie, who stood 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and weighed 185 lbs., was a native of Kingston, Pennsylvania, and attended the University of Notre Dame.
Flanagan played well during his time with the Pirates. In seven games he hit .280 (7-for-25) with one double, one triple, three runs batted in, and seven runs scored. He also had three stolen bases. In the field he handled 19 chances flawlessly for a fielding percentage of 1.000.
Two of his famous teammates on the Pirates were future Hall of Famers Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke.
Flanagan died at the age of 66 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
[…] “Steamer” FlanaganYesterday, I posted my annual homage to James “Steamer” Flanagan (1881-1947), my namesake who had a cup of coffee in the major leagues as a September call up for […]