Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins (January 16, 1870 – March 6, 1943) was an American professional baseball player. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball. Collins was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
| Jimmy Collins | |
|---|---|
| Third baseman / Manager | |
| Born: January 16, 1870 Niagara Falls, New York, U.S. | |
| Died: March 6, 1943 (aged 73) Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 19, 1895, for the Louisville Colonels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 29, 1908, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .294 |
| Home runs | 65 |
| Runs batted in | 983 |
| Managerial record | 455–376 |
| Winning % | .548 |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1945 |
| Election method | Old-Timers Committee |
Collins was especially regarded for his defense. He was best known for his ability to field a bunt—prior to his debut, it was the shortstop who fielded bunts down the third base line—and is regarded as a pioneer of the modern defensive play of a third baseman. As of 2012, he is second all-time in putouts by a third baseman behind Brooks Robinson. At the plate, Collins finished his career with 65 home runs, 1055 runs scored, 983 RBI and a .294 batting average.
Collins was also the first manager of the Boston Red Sox franchise, then known as the Boston Americans. He was the winning manager in the first-ever World Series, as Boston defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1903 World Series, five games to three.