Samuel Earl (Sam) Crawford

Samuel Earl “Wahoo Sam” Crawford

Detroit Tigers Player (1903 – 1917)

Sam Crawford was born in Wahoo, Nebraska and was a star athlete at Wahoo High School where he led his high school football team to two state championships and was noted for his “foot racing”. He joined a traveling baseball team went from town to town, in 1899 was sold to the Cincinnati Reds and over the next few years developed into one of the best sluggers in baseball. Crawford signed on with the Detroit Tigers in 1903 where he would finish off the final 15 years of his career. Crawford teamed with Ty Cobb to form one of the best hitting outfield duos in baseball, leading the Tigers to three consecutive World Series appearances (1907 – 1909). Crawford had the rare combination of power and speed and was a feared hitter during his time. Crawford’s overall statistics show a .309 batting average with 2,951 hits, 97 home runs, 1,525 RBI, 1,391 runs, 309 triples and 366 stolen bases. He led the league in home runs twice and RBI on three occasions. Sam Crawford was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957, was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, Crawford’s name was honored by the Tigers, and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1958. He passed away on June 15, 1968 at 88 years of age.