Nicknamed “Suitcase Bob” for his travels from team to team, Seeds eventually bought a Class-D franchise in Texas, put his wife in charge, and went off to play in higher classifications.
In his first 59 games in Newark (International League) in 1938, Seeds hit 28 HR, equaling his entire major league output. Playing at Buffalo on May 6, he singled in his first at-bat, and then hit home runs in four consecutive innings (fourth-seventh). His 12 RBI in the game set an International League record. The next day, also against Buffalo, he hit three more HR, a single, walked, and struck out, for two-day totals of 9-for-10, seven HR, and 17 RBI.
The April 15th entry of Bill James Baseball Stats 2001 Calendar notes that Seeds — born Ira Robert Seeds — was the only twentieth-century ballplayer with the initials “IRS”.
