Harry Blake
From BR Bullpen
Harry Cooper Blake
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 7", Weight 165 lb.
- Debut July 7, 1894
- Final Game October 9, 1899
- Born June 16, 1874 in Portsmouth, OH USA
- Died October 14, 1919 in Chicago, IL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Harry Blake played six seasons in the majors, mostly for the Cleveland Spiders and mostly as a right fielder. He also played in the minors through 1909.
Blake was a major league regular at a very young age. In 1894, he was a 20-year-old rookie regular, on a team whose average age was 28. The two regulars who were closest in age to him were Jesse Burkett at age 25, and Cupid Childs at age 26.
Although listed at 5 ' 7 ", he was sometimes called "little Harry Blake" in the press. While with Cleveland, his teammates nicknamed him "Dude". His stronger hitting later in his major league career was attributed to breaking the cigarette habit.
He died in a fire in a rooming house where he was staying.
"In the ninth inning there was a little confusion at third between Clark and Reitz about a thrown ball. It didn't amount to much. There are ten teams in the League that wouldn't have profited by it. But Harry Blake utilized the opportunity and sneaked in from third with the winning run after the game seemed, like history, 'gone beyond recall'." - Sporting Life, May 23, 1896
"Harry Blake is playing centre field for the Indians as well as Jimmy McAleer ever played it. Blake appears to be back in his 1895 form." - Sporting Life, May 15, 1897
"Harry Blake is called 'the great emergency hitter' by Missouri fans." - Sporting Life, May 27, 1899
