Nap Lajoie

Yikes.

Career stats:
.338/.380/.467/.847__1504 R__3242 H__657 2B__83 HR__1599 RBI__150 OPS+
1 Triple Crown (1901)


Of French-Canadian descent, Napoleon Lajoie was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island on September 5, 1874.

He started his career in 1896 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, but in 1901, he crossed the city to be a member of the Philadelphia Athletics. That season, he had one of the greatest seasons ever as he hit .426/.463/.643, especially for a second baseman. The same year, Najoie was intentionally walked with the bases loaded, the second in history and only one of six players ever (Almer Dalrymple, Del Bissonette, Bill Nicholson, Barry Bonds, and Josh Hamilton). One year later, the Phillies filed an injunction against Najoie, saying he could only play for the Phillies, but instead, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians, who renamed themselves the Naps in his honor. Until 1905, Najoie was the best player in the majors.

Ty Cobb arrived in the majors in 1905, and the two quickly began an intense rivalry. That rivalry boiled over in 1910. The two were locked in a close battle for the hitting title, and both wanted the prize, a Chalmers automobile. Instead of trying to add to his average, Cobb took the last two games off, sure his average was high enough. Najoie, however, was well-liked, definitely more than the obnoxious and sometimes violent Cobb. The St. Louis Browns allowed Najoie to go 8-for-8 in the final series, six of them on bunts when the third baseman played unusually far back on such a speedy hitter, to officially win the title (Cobb may not have won anyway as one of his games happened coincidentally to be counted twice). Choosing not to take sides, the Chalmers Auto Company gave both players a car.

The slick-fielding second baseman returned to the Athletics for two final seasons. In perspective as a second baseman, Lajoie's numbers are staggering (side note: I had never heard of him before this -- a key reason I'm doing this as there will be many more I don't know). He was elected into the Hall of Fame as the leading vote-getter in 1937 with 168 of the 201 votes.