Charlie Babb

From BR Bullpen

Charles Amos Babb

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 165 lb.

• Debut April 17, 1903
• Final Game September 2, 1905
• Born February 20, 1873 in Milwaukie, OR USA
• Died March 19, 1954 in Portland, OR USA

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"Quick on his feet, a perfect fielder and way above the average in hitting, everything points to his rapid advance in the base ball profession. We . . . see in him the making of the greatest third baseman of the age." - by a Portland correspondent to Sporting Life, April 25, 1896

Charlie Babb was 30 before he made his debut in the majors in 1903 with the New York Giants. He played three seasons in the majors. He was in the minors from 1896-1913, although since he was 23 in 1896, he may have played earlier than that as well.

In 1902 he hit .298 for the Indianapolis Indians, who went 96-45. Oddly, Babb's .298 average was the highest among the regulars since no regular hit over .300, even though the team batting average was .281.

In 1906 he managed at Memphis in the Southern Association, keeping the job until 1910. He managed the Norfolk Tars in the Virginia League in 1911, and the Altoona/Reading team in the Tri-State League in 1912. He was an interim manager at Wichita in the Western League in 1913.

The "Baseball Rookies Encyclopedia" says that Babb holds the modern (post-1901) record for a major league rookie getting hit by a pitch, with 22 in 1903.

Babb is also remembered for being traded, along with another player, in December 1903 for Bill Dahlen, a near-Hall of Famer who was past his best years at that point.

"Although he is anything but a graceful fielder, Charlie Babb, the Brooklyns' short stop, is quite a base-hit killer." - Sporting Life of August 6, 1904

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