Lave Cross

Lave Cross
Third baseman / Catcher
Born: (1866-05-12)May 12, 1866
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died: September 6, 1927(1927-09-06) (aged 61)
Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 23, 1887, for the Louisville Colonels
Last MLB appearance
June 6, 1907, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Batting average.292
Hits2,651
Home runs47
Runs batted in1,371
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Lafayette Napoleon Cross (born Vratislav Kriz, May 12, 1866 – September 6, 1927) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from 1887 to 1907. Cross played most of his 21-year career with Philadelphia-based teams in four different leagues. One of the sport's top all-around players in the years surrounding the turn of the 20th century, when he retired he ranked fifth in major league history in hits (2,644) and runs batted in (1,371), ninth in doubles (411) and total bases (3,466), and third in games played (2,275) and at bats (9,064).

Cross also excelled as a defensive player. After beginning his major league career as a catcher, he led third basemen in fielding percentage five times, and ended his career with nearly every fielding record at that position: games (1,721), putouts (2,306), assists (3,706), total chances (6,406), and fielding average (.938); his 212 double plays ranked third behind Billy Nash and Arlie Latham. He captained the Philadelphia Athletics teams which captured two of the first five American League pennants.