| Hal Chase | |
|---|---|
 Chase with the Cincinnati Reds in 1917. | |
| First baseman / Manager | |
| Born: February 13, 1883 Los Gatos, California, U.S. | |
| Died: May 18, 1947 (aged 64) Colusa, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 26, 1905, for the New York Highlanders | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 1919, for the New York Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .291 |
| Hits | 2,158 |
| Home runs | 57 |
| Runs batted in | 941 |
| Stolen bases | 363 |
| Managerial record | 86–80 |
| Winning % | .518 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Harold Homer Chase (February 13, 1883 – May 18, 1947), nicknamed "Prince Hal", was an American professional baseball first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, widely viewed as the best fielder at his position. During his career, he played for the New York Highlanders (1905–1913), Chicago White Sox (1913–1914), Buffalo Blues (1914–1915), Cincinnati Reds (1916–1918), and New York Giants (1919).
Babe Ruth and Walter Johnson named Chase the best first baseman ever, and contemporary reports described his fielding as outstanding. He is sometimes considered the first true star of the franchise that would eventually become the New York Yankees. In 1981, 62 years after his last major league game, baseball historians Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.
Despite being an excellent hitter and his reputation as a peerless defensive player, Chase's legacy was tainted by a litany of corruption. He allegedly gambled on baseball games, and also engaged in suspicious play in order to throw games in which he played.[1] He was also indicted as an early conspirator in the 1919 Black Sox scandal but was acquitted. He was informally banned from the majors late in the 1919 season, and formally banned in the aftermath of the Black Sox scandal.
- ^ Goode, Christopher. California Baseball, From the Pioneers to the Glory Years. Lulu Press.