Jake Beckley

The lefthanded Beckley is first all-time in games played at first base. The powerful 5’10” 200-lb slugger hit .300 or better 13 times, including six straight years, 1899-1904. He had 2930 hits lifetime, and his 244 triples rank fourth on the career list. He scored 100 runs five times in the 1890s, and stole 315 bases in his career. On September 26, 1897 he hit three homers against the Cardinals while playing for the Reds. When on a hitting spree, his blood-curdling cry of “Chickazoola” rattled pitchers.

Beckley also won fame with his glove. His 25,000 chances and 23,696 putouts rank first all-time among first basemen. However, he had a notorious scatter-gun arm, and runners always took the extra base on him. He also had a unique hidden-ball trick: He hid the ball under one corner of the base.