Hooks Dauss
Hooks Dauss twirled his trademark curveball in Detroit for 15 seasons, winning at least ten games 14 times, despite pitching for mediocre teams that never won a pennant and finished better than fourth in only five of his years. A heart condition forced him to retire in 1926 with 222 career victories - the most in Tigers' history.
Played For
Detroit Tigers (1912-1926)
Best Season: 1917
Dauss deserved better than the 17-14 record he was saddled with. The Tigers struggled to score him runs, as the righty posted a nifty 2.43 ERA and hurled six shutouts. He lost three games when his team failed to score for him, and six more when they tallied two times or fewer.
Factoids
Hooks Dauss led the American League in hit batsmen three times and ranks among the all-time leaders in that category.
Gumshoe
After his retirement in 1927 due to an irregular heartbeat, Dauss worked for Pinkerton's National Detective Agency in St. Louis for several years as a detective. Dauss was described by a fellow co-worker as "likable, dependable, and sturdy."
Where He Played
Dauss was a starter from 1913-1923, but he was also used in relief about ten times per year. In 1924, manager Ty Cobb converted Dauss into a reliever, but the next year the righty was back in the beleaguered Detroit rotation.
Born
George August Dauss was born on September 22, 1889, in Indianapolis, IN.
Died
July 27, 1963, St.Louis, MO
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: DET
Major League Debut
September 28, 1912
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1912
Rabbit Maranville
Cy Williams
Del Pratt
Bobby Veach
Ray Schalk
Casey Stengel
Buck Weaver
Ray Chapman
Herb Pennock
Dauss had one of the finest curveballs in the American League, earning the nickname "Hooks" or "Hookie." He relied heavily on the breaking pitch, as his fastball was considered average at best.
Similar Players
Mel Harder
Related Players
George Mullin, whom Dauss replaced as the Tigers' ace, and whose career franchise win total Dauss surpassed... Ty Cobb, Dauss's teammate for all of his 15 years with Detroit.
Replaced
George Mullin, the winningest pitcher in Detroit history before Dauss.
Replaced By
Rookie right-hander Sam Gibson, in the 1926 Detroit rotation.
Best Strength as a Player
His curveball.
Largest Weakness as a Player
His fastball. Some critics also claimed that Dauss was "too nice," and if he'd toughen up a bit, he might win more games.
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