BOBBY VEACH
Left Fielder, 1912-1923
--Class of 1925--
Bats - Left
Throws - Right
Born - 6/29/1888
Died - 8/7/1945
Biography:
Bobby Veach started his professional baseball career as a pitcher, but he ended it as one of the greatest outfielders in Detroit Tigers history. Often overshadowed by the other great Tiger outfielders that surrounded him during his era, he still imposed his own fear in opposing pitchers. A .300 hitter in nine of his 12 seasons, he was a great power hitter who occasionally led the American League in doubles and triples. He also led the league in RBIs three times, and the Tigers, six times. He had great speed that served him well in left field and on the base paths. He also was noted for having a strong throwing arm. Veach recorded the first cycle in Tigers history when he went 6-for-6 in a 12-inning game against the Boston Red Sox. Veach’s relationship with Ty Cobb was icy, and it isn’t difficult to understand why. In order to "motivate" the easy-going Kentuckian, Cobb once ordered Harry Heilmann to heckle Veach mercilessly from the on-deck circle. After the season was over, Cobb was supposed to tell Veach about the plan. He never did. Veach and Heilmann never reconciled. An avid hunter, Veach used to hunt with Fowlerville resident Charlie Gehringer, planting the seeds for Gehringer’s career as a Tiger great.
Hitting:
Code:
Year Ag Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS+ TB SH HBP
1912 24 DET AL 23 79 8 27 5 1 0 15 2 5 .342 .388 .430 137 34 3 1
1913 25 DET AL 137 491 54 132 22 10 0 64 22 53 31 .269 .346 .354 106 174 15 5
1914 26 DET AL 149 531 56 146 19 14 1 72 20 20 50 29 .275 .341 .369 111 196 22 3
1915 27 DET AL 152 569 81 178 40 10 3 112 16 19 68 43 .313 .390 .434 142 247 18 4
1916 28 DET AL 150 566 92 173 33 15 3 91 24 15 52 41 .306 .367 .433 136 245 24 3
1917 29 DET AL 154 571 79 182 31 12 8 103 21 61 44 .319 .393 .457 159 261 25 9
1918 30 DET AL 127 499 59 139 21 13 3 78 21 35 23 .279 .331 .391 121 195 17 4
1919 31 DET AL 139 538 87 191 45 17 3 101 19 33 33 .355 .398 .519 158 279 22 5
1920 32 DET AL 154 612 92 188 39 15 11 113 11 7 36 22 .307 .353 .474 119 290 15 7
1921 33 DET AL 150 612 110 207 43 13 16 128 14 10 48 31 .338 .387 .529 133 324 27 1
1922 34 DET AL 155 618 96 202 34 13 9 126 9 1 42 27 .327 .377 .468 122 289 36 8
1923 35 DET AL 114 293 45 94 13 3 2 39 10 3 29 21 .321 .388 .406 111 119 14 3
YR From To G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG SB CS OPS+
TOTALS 12 1912 1923 1604 5979 859 1859 345 136 59 1042 512 345 .311 .370 .444 189 75 130