Elmer Flick
One of the most anonymous Hall of Famers, Elmer Flick was a sharp-hitting outfielder who played in the last few years of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century. His biggest claim to fame is that he was nearly traded for Ty Cobb. The Tigers made an offer of Cobb straight up for Flick after the 1907 season, but Cleveland declined. Flick used a large-handled bat to chop balls into the dirt or spray line drives to the opposite field. He was a quick baserunner and a decent outfielder. In his ten seasons as a regular, he never batted lower than .297.
Played For
Philadelphia Phillies (1898-1901)
Philadelphia Athletics (1902)
Cleveland Indians (1902-1910)
All-Time Rankings
Elmer Flick ranks #39 among the Top 50 all-time at RF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1900
Flick won the American League batting title in 1905 (.308), but in 1900 he finished at or near the top in several offensive categories and batted .367. He led the National League with 110 RBI and finished second in homers (11) and slugging (.545), as well as in total bases and extra-base hits. He also swiped 35 bases (he led his league in steals twice).
Flick vs. Lajoie
On May 31, 1900, Flick and Philadelphia teammate Nap Lajoie were involved in a fist fight prior to their game that day. Lajoie decked Flick with a shot to the jaw, breaking his hand. Despite the bruised jaw, Flick played that day. Lajoie was fined $50 and sidelined for five weeks with the broken hand. He was suspended without pay by the Phillies during that stretch. The details of their argument are unknown, but two theories have been suggested by historians:
(1) Lajoie took offense to a remark Flick made concerning Lajoie's appearance. Flick was a snappy dresser and Lajoie, though he was a superstar, was often jabbed at by teammates for his sloppy attire.
(2) Flick and Lajoie simply didn't like each other. Flick was slightly younger than Lajoie and challenged Nap for supremacy as team star. Lajoie was very cognizant of his image and standing with his teammates and the two players egos erupted in a fight.
Whatever the reason, the fight proved costly to Lajoie and the team. The Phillies were in first place, four games ahead when the altercation took place. When Lajoie returned, they were in second place, five games out. They finished in third, eight back of Brooklyn. The two future Hall of Famers mended their differences and went on to play together for the rest of their careers, in Philly and later in Cleveland. Flick was Lajoie's teammate every season of his career, from 1898-1910.
Born
Elmer Harrison Flick was born on January 11, 1876, in Bedford, OH.
Died
January 9, 1971, Bedford, OH
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
Primary Position: OF
Primary Team: CLE
Major League Debut
May 2, 1898
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1898
Coming soon...
Similar Players
Kip Selbach, and Brett Butler (who was probably a better player than Flick).
Related Players
Sam Rice, Eppa Rixey and John Clarkson were inducted into the Hall of Fame with Flick in 1963... Carl Yastrzemski broke Flick's mark for the lowest batting average that led a league in batting. Yaz hit .301 in 1967... Nap Lajoie
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1938 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.4% |
1963 |
Veterans |
|
% |
|
Transactions
Before 1902 Season: Jumped from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Philadelphia Athletics; May 16, 1902: Purchased by the Cleveland Bronchos from the Philadelphia Athletics.
Ty Cobb was offered to Cleveland for Flick in a trade by Detroit after the 1907 season. Cobb had just won the batting title and was 10 years younger than Flick, but the Tigers wanted to get rid of the troubled player, who had few friends on the team. The Indians declined the deal.
Replaced
"Buttermilk" Tommy Dowd and "Little Phil" Geier, who played right field for Philadelphia in 1897.
Replaced By
In 1908, Flick was sidelined for much of the season with a stomach ailment. The illnes bothered him for the rest of his career, and it's possible he had a gall bladder problem or ulcers. At any rate, after the age of 32, Flick played in less than 100 games and hit .254. The Indians shuttled several players into right field from 1908-1910, most notably Wilber Good and Bris Lord.
Best Strength as a Player
Hitting for average.
Largest Weakness as a Player
No glaring weaknesses.
Learn More about Elmer Flick
Search Amazon.com for Books about Elmer Flick ⇒
Search for Elmer Flick at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
