Who is Tris Speaker? The Most Forgotten Legend in the History of Baseball (Baseball Storytime #4)

[@Cam23]

A couple of things that need to be addressed: -In the video, it should be a .345 average, not .354 -The lack of Tris Speaker footage is for one major reason: copyright strike. I have been flagged before for using old baseball footage, and I’m trying my best not to get my channel revoked for it. Also, there’s not much footage that was easily accessible for me to get without breaking KZbin/MLB policy.

[@stumarston6812]

He's not a household name, but true baseball fans certainly know of Tris Speaker.

[@juliebraden6911]

Yes it's a sensationalist headline for sure.

[@timwakefield]

He's very well known among Red Sox fans, and I'm sure with Guardians fans too.

[@raygsbrelcik5578]

AMEN!!

[@bigbensarrowheadchannel2739]

I grew up in Limestone County TX. Not far from Hubbard TX. Tris was born and raised there. He is also buried there too. They named the little league fields after him. He's a legend around this neck of the woods.

[@johnschuh8616]

Way back when I was 9 I first started following MLB. In 1948 while following the Indians first heard about Speaker, Hard to believe his style for fielding center field. How the heck could he do that!

[@marshaevelyn1]

Speaker never got lost on me. As a Red Sox fan he was one of members of one of the greatest defensive outfields of all time with Duffy Lewis in left and HOFer Harry Hooper in right.

[@shawnk1899]

The internet is pretty cool for reasons like this. Speaker can become more famous now than he ever was. The name will never be forgotten!

[@lendrury2771]

When I was a young kid in the late 60s my great uncle used to talk about tris speaker because he had seen him play a number of times but I did not realize how good this guy was until years later The man was a veritable hitting machine and he performed at a high level for years I realize that he played in the first couple decades of the 20th century but tris speaker put up some outstanding numbers and ive read where he was great defensively too

[@Cam23]

It’s all relative to the time period you come from. Speaker was an incredibly talented player who in his time was an all time great, therefore should be celebrated for his accomplishments, regardless of era!

[@johnschuh8616]

And evidently he learned to hit on the job. Always, it seems a line drive hitter rather than a swinger.

[@carnivalgods4573]

Heck ya he's one of the greatest players ever. Elite two way player, all time doubles leader, three time world series champ, and he's Texan.

[@moonrich3492]

The Gray Eagle's glove was known as the place where triples go to die.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

Great cover. But a glaring error: his lifetime average was .345, not .354. He had the bad luck of playing parallel to Cobb: thus only one batting title to Cobb's 12. Where it not for Speaker, Cobb would have had 13 in a row. Joe Jackson, at .356 lifetime, never won a title, also because of Cobb.

[@lendrury2771]

Yes it is an error but ill take 345 any day of the week

[@randymoore4027]

Inasmuch as Cobb played Right Field for several seasons, Speaker’s Center Field tenure is more impressive! Mays should be accorded the GOAT Center Fielder!

[@MrAitraining]

The Boston Red Sox could have had Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth in the outfield from the late teens all through the 1920's

[@BlueCollar-218]

Williams(LF) Cobb(CF) Ruth(RF) Speaker backing up Cobb. He was amazing.

[@USMC-cv5sd]

That's not a gold glove caliber outfield.

[@scallywag4978]

I agree, the average person, even the average baseball fan, may have forgotten or never knew about Speaker. However, I do believe those of us who treat the game of baseball almost as a religion, we are well acquainted with the name. The problem is sharing the spotlight with the likes of Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Honus Wagner. A legend among legends, but time can be cruel unfortunately and many become lost to it. Speaker, Collins, Sissler… ghosts that haunt the greatest game man ever conjured, but certainly not forgotten.

[@Diggerdog2nd]

When I was a kid growing up in the 1970's I was a baseball freak & studied all of the eras to that point & Tris Speaker was my chosen favorite. Also I think Cobb started winning consecutive batting titles in 1907 not 1910.

[@riverview9320]

Smokey Joe quote is from the best baseball book: Glory of Their Times.

[@larryhatcher8927]

Being a Braves fan, I always took an interest in King Kelly. The only problem being is that Kelly played so long ago there is not even any movie of him playing the game. All we have is the numbers...Those were pretty good. The good thing about living in today's time is that everything is digital....It will be just as clear a thousand years from now as it is today

[@the_mike_essen_show2484]

One of the 10 best players in baseball history

[@robertadams5107]

I've been a baseball fan for over 60 years and I know of Chris Speaker I visited the Hall of Fame back in the 80s and I seen his plaque there

[@reesethompson4647]

Tris Speaker is the great uncle of this one umpire at my softball league

[@Cam23]

That's awesome!

[@TheBatugan77]

Is his name Gabby?

[@peterorfan523]

The one and only SPOKE...🍺🍺🍺

[@MrJmangini]

It’s not that home runs weren’t cool. They played with a wooden centered ball they call the dead ball. Home run baker led the league in home runs 4 straight years and never had more than 14 in a season.thats what makes Babe’s home run record so amazing. He played his first 6 years with that dead ball.

[@Michael-xk3sp]

I grew up in 50s and 60s, and he was a true legend in NYC for those who played.

[@rsfaeges5298]

As a kid in the Cleveland suburbs I played in the Tris Speaker Little League

[@JamesHorn-i4b]

A hell of a world series game with all of them teams

[@sdgakatbk]

There is the book Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend which is a good read. In terms of all time defensive center fielders, I put him in a class with Mays. Playing shallow the way he did and could during the dead ball era was a stroke of genius. One thing he did that Cobb never did was win a World Series. I think this is more highly thought of today than it did back in the dead ball era. Today with some great athletes in some sports, not winning a championship tends to dampen their legacy a bit, (ie: Marino in football). During the dead ball years, when he hit 10 home runs in 1912, he tied for the lead league with Home Run Baker. There were other years during the dead ball era, he was in the top 5 in home runs. Speaker was not the first to use the Platoon System. George Stallings used it in 1914 with the Miracle Braves. I'm guessing it goes back earlier than that. I like the clip of Carl Mays in the background at 8:16.

[@beelzebub9387]

Speaker is my backup Cf to Cobb on my all time MLB team.

[@dougleclaire9424]

No Willie Mays?? What??

[@TheBatugan77]

​@@dougleclaire9424 No. No Willie Mays.

[@camoss3724]

@@dougleclaire9424 I agree. Mays would be my starting CF.

[@jeanpayano1506]

Mays was better than both

[@timrobinson5626]

Yeah in this age and time we live in now unless you have video of the games or old tv broadcasts of MLB games people tend to forget how great these old timers were way back when

[@Cam23]

Absolutely

[@jaytrace1006]

Great player!

[@RichardSmithII]

Homie was the coach for Cleveland's first world's championship!

[@adolfobeteta4565]

Man, the Red Sox made some bad trades from 1915-1920. Imagine Speaker and Ruth sharing the outfield? Surely they would've won at least 3 titles together.

[@Cam23]

That’s an all time great duo if they hadn’t messed that up! 😂

[@markjohnson9455]

Well done

[@Cam23]

Thank you!

[@pukulu]

Easily 1 of the greatest players in baseball history. He rarely struck out but drew plenty of walks. He hit for a high average all the way through his career until the very end. He was a doubles specialist, the best of them all. At age 35 in 1923 he hit 59 doubles, had 130 RBIs and hit .380. He was not a home run hitter, but neither was Ty Cobb.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

No one hit homers in the dead ball era. His still standing career doubles record basically pegs him though as one of the best power hitters of his era. I haven't looked it up, but I bet his slugging ave would prove it. (Looked it up. Cobb exceeded him in slugging as well, winning eight titles to Speaker's one. But lifetime, Cobb is. 512 slugging to Speaker's .500...so it's close. But the larger point, maybe, is that Cobb was all that in power too. He was the all-around best offensive weapon til Ruth came along. Interestingly too, Cobb and Speaker had their only +10 homer seasons in the 20s when they were well into their 30s, while still maintaining their high averages. Both played through 1928).

[@pukulu]

@@nicholasschroeder3678 Cobb, Speaker, Honus Wagner, Shoeless Joe Jackson were all fantastic hitters during the dead ball days. So was "Home Run" Baker and Eddie Collins. If they were around today they might not be consistently hitting .340 or above but they would be among the best hitters today as well.

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

@@pukulu Well, I only think you can compare an athlete to his time and the competition he faced. The numbers compared across ages are really meaningless--all the conditions are different, including social conditions. There are a few clips of Honus Wagner speaking. Worth listening to to get a feel for the age. The people and the game were rough and hardscrabble.

[@g.t.richardson6311]

@@nicholasschroeder3678 well eddie collins was a star in the dead ball era, and was still a star in the live ball era, he adapted and was still one of the best well into the 1920s and he could surely still play. Led the league in stolen bases in 1909, and led the league again 15 years later. I’m willing to guess the others would have done the same

[@g.t.richardson6311]

Ps and his batting average was consistent for 1910s and 1920s, always good.

[@fruticetum]

Chris Speaker was indeed a great ballplayer.

[@ellisblom339]

Tris Speaker is maybe the best defensive center fielder of all time. He is not the most forgotten, but one of them.

[@jodymicheallee]

He of 792 doubles and 6 (maybe more) unassisted double plays from center field

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

i havent . forgotten him!

[@luisvaldes1568]

15,000 grand is about $250,000 10 years later if I'm correct. I first learned of Speaker as a kid back in 1978 when Pete Rose hit his 3,000 hit and I wanted to know the other 12 members of that club at that time.

[@samuelthomasperkins]

Based upon stats and the opinions of contemporary players, Speaker was certainly a top 5 defensive center fielder in MLB history. Probably top 3 along with DiMaggio and Mays.

[@graniteman62]

He was a player who put everything on the field, was well liked thus didn't get the press.

[@Michael-xk3sp]

Thanks for correcting it.

[@jacobjones5269]

Doubles machine.. He and Biggio both got 50 doubles and 50 steals in a season..

[@BaseballerZ-l8r]

Cool, do one on Will Clark now, please.

[@jamesdelap4085]

Amazing these guys hit anything with their back in the day' swings. . .Including Babe Ruth. (How bad was the pitching?).

[@brettbanta2100]

792 doubles is f@#king insane 😊

[@dougleclaire9424]

Why all the old Yankees footage?? IS there no existing film footage of Speaker in action?

[@Cam23]

1. There’s not much that is easily accessible to the public. 2. I would get a copyright strike using any footage even if there was any since it’s locked up in a figurative vault.

[@Cam23]

Plus I was going for a more Ken Burns esque video, and I made this video long before I knew much at all about Final Cut Pro

[@TheBatugan77]

Hey, Dug! Why all the Yankees footage? Why NOT? Watch how you say Yankees, son. Or you'll get some footage up your assage. Duggie.

[@Michael-xk3sp]

Ya did not mention Joltin' Joe. Speak was the best center fielder until Joe came around-then Willie and all the rest.

[@lillianspeaker6531]

i am related to tris speaker he is my great great great uncle my last name is speaker and he was my grand fathers great uncle

[@Cam23]

That's really cool!

[@Jim-h3z]

Lillian you have a relative in Emory texas Trent speaker my nephew

[@roybal1975]

GET A GENEALOGY DONE ON THE SPEAKER NAME.

[@RickyBrough-el3ep]

Always wondered how shallow did he play?

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Well done 👏

[@Nestor123057]

I read his biography. First, he was a glove man, meaning he was better known for his fielding prowess. So was Willie Mays. Willie was assured by his manager that as long as he could hit around .250, Mays was his centerfielder. Fortunately, Mays could also hit and so could Speaker. Also, Speaker was an admitted member of the KKK, which did not add to his fame over the years. Btw, so was Rogers Hornsby. Different times, but bigots none-the-less.

[@2012photograph]

Thank your enlightening

[@robertadams5107]

The narrator of the story is obviously a young guy I've been a baseball fan for over 60 years and I don't particularly care for all these numbers they have nowadays Chris speaker is definitely a Hall Famer one of the greatest center fielders of all time

[@Cam23]

Numbers can be overwhelming but they definitely speak volumes to his all time great success. All time leader in doubles is a pretty insane achievement

[@twinsboy_3410]

Is that film reversed at 3:48? Never seen The Babe swing right.

[@Cam23]

That’s a good question…I’m not sure! I didn’t reverse it myself but I suppose whoever at MLB that uploaded this would know definitively

[@henry-bo3np]

Pretty much every baseball fan knows who Tris Speaker is. He is not "forgotten."

[@Cam23]

I agree, but you'd be surprised how many baseball fans don't know who he is (compared to other players of similar caliber). Especially the younger fans of baseball!

[@henry-bo3np]

@@Cam23 sadly, nowadays we can say that about almost anything. Many young people graduating from government schools are functionally illiterate. Don't sweat it. Tris Speaker is an all-time great, one of only 5 baseball players with 3,500+ career hits. We and other knowledgeable baseball fans know who Tris Speaker is! 🙂

[@geraldstein8623]

Thanks for this. I realize this is a brief history, but Speaker was a more complicated man than is captured here. Moreover, he played ball in the "dead ball" era, not the time before home runs became "cool" as the narrator suggests. According to Timothy Gay's biography, Speaker was a member of the KKK. He was notoriously anti-Catholic, though he may have mellowed in this regard over time. He was also a compulsive gambler (not only on baseball). Gambling in baseball and various methods of cheating were greater in Speaker's era than the single example involving Speaker offered in this video, and certainly more widespread than the Black Sox scandal. Nor were owners and even the American League President Ban Johnson free of taint. All that said, Speaker was undoubtedly among the elite ballplayers of all time.

[@Cam23]

Speaker was by no means a role model. In the process of researching for this video, I was solely looking at baseball accomplishments and his career story, and I neglected to look at his life story as a whole. It’s unfortunate the reality, but in terms of baseball history, he tends to be left out when talking about some of the greatest players to play the game.

[@RRaquello]

The Red Sox team of that time was split with factions. You could call them the Catholics & the Masons. The Catholics were mostly Irish players, though the most famous of them was Babe Ruth, who was German. Speaker & Joe Wood were the leaders of the Masonic faction, and Speaker's KKK membership was tied into his Masonic background, since the KKK was an offshoot of the Freemasons. It seems weird now, but these issues were a big deal at the time. I don't think it's a coincidence that just as Ruth came along, the Sox sent Speaker to Cleveland. The Red Sox knew what they had in Ruth. Later on, when the Indians signed Larry Doby, Speaker was a coach with the team and was given a lot of credit for helping convert Doby from an infielder to and outfielder, and this is supposed to be a surprise because of Speaker's KKK membership, but when Speaker was in the Klan, it was more of an anti-Catholic, anti-Labor and anti-immigrant organization than an anti-black one. When Ray Chapman, one of Speaker's closest friends, was killed, Speaker didn't attend his funeral. The newspapers at the time reported that he was too broken up, but the real reason was that Chapman's wife was Catholic. None of this takes away from Speaker's greatness as a player. It was just the times he lived in.

[@marshaevelyn1]

Quite true. The Highlanders had a first baseman Hal Chase who was known to gamble impromptu with fans on the outcome of plays during the game. Players made much less in Speaker's day so they found ways to supplement their income.

[@gregb6469]

When you listed the common responses to greatest center fielder, you left out one serious contender for the title-- Joe DiMaggio.

[@Cam23]

I mentioned a handful of names, I didn’t purposely leave out DiMaggio. The video would be 30 minutes long if we were having the discussion of who the best center fielder was. The video was “Who is Tris Speaker” not “Who is the best center fielder of all time.” Take it with a grain of salt

[@TheBatugan77]

You got schooled, greggie. Something that needs to be done more often, you ignorant little shit.

[@TonysMusic1974]

The video of Babe Ruth is epic in a video about . . . . . TRIS SPEAKER :-)

[@Cam23]

Yeah, not much footage for Tris Speaker 😂 unless I wanted to just show pictures of him the whole time (which are also limited)

[@TonysMusic1974]

@@Cam23 that would have been preferable. You can sort of make the photos move a little during editing (like Ken burns did a lot) but that's just my two cents. Good topic to choose for a video

[@Ynalaw]

Devon White was the best center fielder and bathroom throne hoverer.

[@keithmotsinger918]

The Peach better hitter okay, but I'm talking outfielder Gray Eagle !

[@hushpuckena126]

Speaker, great as he was, played in the shadow of Ty Cobb, whose fiery, combative personality dominated that of most others, including the more reticent Speaker. Then would come Mantle, Mays and Griffey long after.

[@Anthony-rt5oj]

Cobb is still the best but speaker is really close

[@Amick44]

Quite close.

[@Anthony-rt5oj]

@@Amick44 most definitely there’s a reason why he was in hof in the original class (not talking about the first five) but in my honest opinion there should be more 19th century players inducted they’ve been forgotten

[@user-en7qh9jv4b]

Sounds like a Baseball legend.

[@sammyweed4771]

He is not forgotten for me . He’s on my line up for allstar team. He’s top 15 best ball player ever.

[@JohnBaranich-wv6ot]

This video was good, but the background screen had things about the Yankees and not Speaker.

[@Cam23]

See pinned comment, but essentially there's no footage of Speaker in public domain

[@joerusso8483]

Very interesting

[@MelvinFlannagan]

Is it true he carried a piece of rope used in hanging? Ken Burns documentary reference it.

[@acousticshadow4032]

Why all the Babe Ruth/Yankee footage on a Tris Speaker video? 🤔🤔🤔

[@Cam23]

The lack of Tris Speaker footage is for one major reason: copyright strike. I have been flagged before for using old baseball footage, and I’m trying my best not to get my channel revoked for it. Also, there’s not much footage that was easily accessible for me to get without breaking KZbin/MLB policy.

[@LegionOfPablo]

I don't think anyone will ever break his record of 792 doubles.

[@Cam23]

Agreed!

[@trisspeaker9572]

We need to keep his name alive

[@Cam23]

Yo is this the real Tris Speaker tho 👀

[@smittycle9952]

We know him in Cleveland

[@markbrenzel9419]

Speaker also hit 222 triples which is 6th all time. Despite that, he never led the league in triples.

[@choward5430]

I love these videos. My only issue with this era of MLB baseball is the devout and executed racism. I don't doubt many of these players were great. But they didn't play against all of the best players. DiMaggio said Satchel Paige was the greatest pitcher he ever faced. But DiMaggio didn't have to face Paige in MLB games! Perhaps the 56-game streak would have been 28.

[@Cam23]

I agree 💯

[@billebrooks]

Paige is not the greatest example to bring up in a Tris Speaker video as he was barely a contemporary. Oscar Charleston, on the other hand, was a contemporary and was also a fellow centerfielder. Comparing Speaker and Charleston is interesting...they are very similar players.

[@LazlosPlane]

Who says Speaker is forgotten>????? Ridiculous.

[@Cam23]

I've encountered many who are not aware of Speaker's baseball legacy. But I agree, it is ridiculous

[@LazlosPlane]

@@Cam23 If they do not know about Speaker they are not really baseball fanatics.

[@MrBendylaw]

You forgot to include his nickname: 'Spoke'.

[@allensaunders449]

Played during the dead ball era

[@dafyd201]

"Only hit 7 homeruns"? Dead era, 7 is very respectable for the era.

[@Cam23]

When you’re used to watching modern baseball it’s hard not to! I’m aware he played in the deadball era it’s just a reaction to the stat.

[@dafyd201]

@@Cam23 Yeah, I've always found it humorous that "Home Run" Baker was briefly on the same team as Babe Ruth. Baker never hit more than 12 homers in a season, but played mostly during the dead ball era.

[@Cam23]

@@dafyd201 What a different time! Truly is insane how far ahead Babe was in terms of homers for his time. Hitting more than the whole league did is pretty ridiculous

[@JamesHorn-i4b]

A ty with a Cobb

[@roybal1975]

LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT COBB AND SPEAKER WERE THROWING GAMES WTF! THAT IS GAMBLING AND WHAT DID PETE ROSE GET BANNED FOR????? GAMBLING OMG I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS EVERY DOCUMENTARY I HAVE SEEN ABOUT COBB NEVER MENTIONED THAT ABOUT HIM.

[@bryonhogg485]

Your film footage is of the Babe

[@Cam23]

You're right, it's because back when I made this video I found no footage of Tris Speaker, and the clips I did find put me at risk of a copyright strike.

[@thomaswood7030]

You.forgot.metion.he.was.also.a.clans.man.to.there.were.lots.of.them.back.then

[@JamesHorn-i4b]

Right bat boy

[@ericduchess8647]

Andy Van Slyke

[@JamesHorn-i4b]

Now I know why I don't vote because of the Washington senators lol

[@amihays7449]

Very good👏👏 please do more

[@garypiont6114]

Jim Landis, Jimmy piersall.

[@Doug19752533]

0:15 greatest CF ever? i HAVE to go with Cobb. his stats speak for themselves. HOWEVER i will say this - - - - on my all time greats team, Tris Speaker is the backup CF other mentions: LF - Joe Jackson/Ted Williams RF - Babe Ruth 1B - Lou Gehrig/Jimmy Foxx 2B - Rogers Hornsby 3B - Mike Schmitt SS - Honus Wagner DH - Mickey Mantle (best switch hitter ever!) C - Josh Gibson/Yogi Berra/Roy Campanella/Mickey Cochrane SP - Cy Young/Walter Johnson this is an incomplete list, and of course is subjective. i know there are many other great players who would fill out the bench and bullpen, and over a 162 game season would be rotated in and out in order to give them all playing time should see my Fictional Player team! lol

[@BlueCollar-218]

Lose the dh. It is not a true exhibition of baseball and takes away from some of the strategies.

[@staringatthesun861]

This is why I laugh when people insist Derek Jeter is the greatest player ever, I disagree, and in turn they laugh at me. Because in 100 years, only baseball nerds like us will even know who Jeter is. The same as with Tris Speaker now.

[@JamesHorn-i4b]

Boston braves then old Milwaukee braves right sand lot bar

Speaker, like many of the great baseball players, came from a rinky-tink town that nobody ever heard of.

[@lanacollins5300]

Literally my uncle. Lol

[@Cam23]

I’m assuming great or great great uncle right?

[@JamesHorn-i4b]

The Great day and the great year of his life

[@larrylawson2912]

What the hell does a video of the New York Yankees taking batting practice have to do with Tris Speaker. The information you provided on Speaker was excellent, but again, the video seems out of place to me. My opinion only, sir. Thank you for providing us with information on one of the greatest players to ever play the game. I understand he was a virulent racist, and that he didn't really get along well with any of his teammates. But on the field? Speaker was as good as it gets, a monster player.

[@Cam23]

I appreciate the honesty, although finding footage of Speaker is nearly impossible so that’s why I didn’t use any videos of him. Most videos these days use footage unrelated as copyright prevents use of highlights without consent of MLB

[@TheBatugan77]

Knock it off, Larry. 👈😡 Or I'll knock YOU off!

[@larrylawson2912]

@@TheBatugan77 😎😁

[@mariocisneros911]

Not with the Cubs

[@Cam23]

What’s not with the cubs?

[@TheBatugan77]

Be quiet, mario.

[@patji123]

The video has nothing to do with the narrative. Screwy. Skip this.

[@Cam23]

Screwy indeed, it was one of the first projects I ever did and considering I had zero footage available to me I made do with what I had. You skipping an amateur project of mine does not offend me

[@doddsino]

Tris was also a member of the KKK, although at a time when it was seen as more of a political party, albeit a lot of the scandals weren't as well known as they'd become. Rogers Hornsby would be the only other major MLB player to also be a member.

[@Cam23]

That’s unfortunate. I guess that is a major part of why his legacy is tainted.

[@bustercherry9643]

Speaker appears to have mellowed as he got older when it came to race relations. Larry Doby thought the world of Speaker and looked at him as a mentor.

[@extanegautham8950]

not by me!