Everett Scott

Everett Scott
File:Everett Scott 1922.jpg
Shortstop
Born: (1892-11-19)November 19, 1892 Bluffton, Indiana
Died: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 14, 1914, for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
July 27, 1926, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Batting average	.249
Home runs	20
Runs batted in	551
Teams
Boston Red Sox (1914–1921) New York Yankees (1922–1925) Washington Senators (1925) Chicago White Sox (1926) Cincinnati Reds (1926)
Career highlights and awards
4× World Champion (1915, 1916, 1918, 1923) Led American League in fielding percentage 7 straight years (1916–22) Boston Red Sox Captain New York Yankees Captain Third longest streak of consecutive games played in MLB history (1,307)

Lewis Everett Scott (November 19, 1892 – November 2, 1960), nicknamed "Deacon", was an American professional baseball player. A shortstop, Scott played in Major League Baseball for 12 seasons as a member of the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds, from 1914 through 1926. Scott batted and threw right-handed.

Scott served as captain of both the Red Sox and Yankees, who have become fierce rivals. He compiled a lifetime batting average of .249, hitting 20 home runs with 551 RBI in 1,654 games. He led American League shortstops in fielding percentage seven straight seasons (1916–22) and appeared in 1,307 consecutive games from June 20, 1916, through May 6, 1925, setting a record later broken by Lou Gehrig. As of 2015 it is still the third-longest streak in history.

After retiring from baseball, Scott became a successful professional bowler. He died in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 67. He was posthumously inducted into the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame and Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Early life

Scott was born in Bluffton, Indiana. He attended Bluffton High School, where he played for the school's baseball team. He graduated in 1909. Scott married his high school sweetheart, Gladys Watt, in 1912.

Career

Early career

Scott made his professional debut with the Kokomo Wild Cats of the Class D Northern State of Indiana League in 1909, and moved to the Fairmont Champions of the Class D Pennsylvania–West Virginia League for the remainder of 1909 and the 1910 season. He joined the Youngstown Steelmen of the Class C Ohio–Pennsylvania League in 1911, and remained with them in 1912, when they played in the Class B Central League.

Jimmy McAleer, a native of Youngstown and minority owner of the Boston Red Sox of the American League (AL), noticed Scott playing for the Steelmen. On McAleer's suggestion, the Red Sox purchased Scott from Youngstown in 1913, and optioned him to the St. Paul Saints of the Class AA American Association. Towards the end of the 1913 season, the Red Sox recalled Scott.

Bill Phillips, manager of the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the outlaw Federal League, attempted to convince Scott to jump from the AL after the 1913 season, but Scott remained with the Red Sox.

Boston Red Sox

Scott made his major league debut on April 14, 1914 for the Red Sox. He was a member of three Boston Red Sox World Series championship teams in 1915, 1916 and 1918. On June 20, 1916, Scott began a consecutive games played streak. He broke George Pinkney's MLB consecutive games played streak of 577. The Red Sox named Scott team captain for the 1921 season, after the previous captain, Harry Hooper, was traded to the Chicago White Sox.

New York Yankees

After the 1921 season, the Red Sox traded Scott with Bullet Joe Bush and Sad Sam Jones to the New York Yankees for Rip Collins, Roger Peckinpaugh, Bill Piercy, Jack Quinn and $100,000 ($1,326,679 in current dollar terms). Del Pratt succeeded Scott as captain of the Red Sox.

With Peckinpaugh, the captain of the Yankees traded, Babe Ruth was named the new team captain. Ruth was suspended in May 1922 and Scott was named captain in Ruth's place. Scott remained the Yankees' captain through 1925.

Scott played with the Yankees in the 1922 and 1923 World Series, winning in 1923. On May 2, 1923, he was presented with a gold medal by Secretary of the Navy Edwin C. Denby in honor of his 1,000th consecutive game. Scott broke Perry Lipe's professional baseball record for consecutive games played of 1,127 on September 14, 1923. By the following offseason, manager Miller Huggins began to consider ending Scott's streak. Huggins benched Scott on May 6, 1925 in favor of Pee Wee Wanninger, ending his record consecutive games played streak at 1,307.

Later career

The Washington Senators selected Scott off waivers from the New York Yankees in June 1925, paying the Yankees the waiver price of $4,000. With the Senators, Scott served as Peckinpaugh's backup. The Senators reached the 1925 World Series, but lost.

Though it was reported that Scott would retire to manage his business in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Chicago White Sox signed Scott in February 1926, and the Cincinnati Reds selected him in July 1926. His final MLB appearance came with the Reds on July 27, 1926.

Scott signed with the Baltimore Orioles of the International League for the 1927 season, receiving his unconditionally release on August 4. He signed with the Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association in August, playing in 33 games for them. Scott played with the Reading Keystones of the International League in 1928 and 1929, receiving his release in July 1929.

Later life

Scott was an avid bowler, and he competed in ten-pin bowling events sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress. He bowled against professional Hank Marino after his retirement from baseball. Scott also owned bowling alleys in Fort Wayne.

Lou Gehrig, a former teammate of Scott's on the Yankees, surpassed Scott's record of consecutive games played in August 1933 in a game against the St. Louis Browns. Gehrig's streak began in 1925, the same season Scott's streak ended. Scott attended the game as a special guest of the Browns.

Scott died in Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana at age 67. He was posthumously inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

See also

• MLB consecutive games played streaks

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• BaseballLibrary.com
• Scott Padded Shoes To Escape Being Cut; Played 1307 Straight Games At Short, by Harry Grayson, June 21, 1943

Preceded by Babe Ruth

New York Yankees team captain 1922 to 1925

Succeeded by Lou Gehrig