The first player ever to bat in a World Series was an outstanding leadoff hitter. Beaumont’s chunky build (5’8″, 190 lbs) belied blazing speed that helped him beat out many infield hits. On July 22, 1899, at the Pirates Exposition Park, he got six infield hits in six at-bats and scored six runs. Nicknamed for a shock of red hair, Beaumont batted .352 as a rookie and led the NL with .357 in 1902, and scored 100 or more runs each season from 1900 to 1903, with a league-high 137 in ’03.
