Harry Hooper

Played For
Boston Red Sox (1909-1918)
Chicago White Sox (1921-1925)

All-Time Rankings
Harry Hooper ranks #22 among the Top 50 all-time at RF. Rankings ⇒

Best Season: 1913
It's difficult to choose a best season for Hooper. He had decent offensive numbers with the White Sox in the 1920s, but that was after the juice was added to the game and every outfielder was hitting .300 plus. His peak seasons came when the ball was dead (1910-1919). He was a leadoff hitter with good pop, finishing in the top ten in triples seven times and homers three times. In 1913 he hit .288 in a .256 league, had the most total bases of his dead-ball years, and stole 26 while scoring 100 runs.

Factoids
On May 30, 1913, Harry Hooper became the first player to hit a home run to lead off both games of a doubleheader. He accomplished this against the Senators. It took 80 years for anyone to match this feat, when Rickey Henderson did so.

Outfielder Harry Hooper was the first American Leaguer to wear "flip-down" sunglasses in a game. He wore them in in 1911.

Born
Harry Bartholomew Hooper was born on August 24, 1887, in Bell Station, CA.

Died
December 18, 1974, Santa Cruz, CA

Batted:  Left
Threw:  Right

Primary Position:  OF

Primary Team:  BOS

Major League Debut
April 16, 1909

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1909
Zack Wheat
Harry Hooper
Stuffy McInnis
Dots Miller
Jimmy Austin
Chief Meyers
Jack Quinn
Art Fletcher
Burt Shotton

Nicknames
Hoop, Prince Harry

Similar Players
Josh Devore, Clyde Milan, Max Carey, George J. Burns

Related Players
In 1993, Rickey Henderson joined Hooper as the only players to hit a home run to lead off both games of a doubleheader. Hooper had done it on May 30, 1913.

Hall of Fame Voting Year Election Votes Pct 1937 BBWAA 6 3.0% 1938 BBWAA 4 1.5% 1939 BBWAA 5 1.8% 1948 BBWAA 2 1.7% 1950 BBWAA 2 1.2% 1951 BBWAA 3 1.3% 1971 Veterans %

Post-Season Appearances
1912 World Series
1915 World Series
1916 World Series
1918 World Series

Post-Season Notes
Hooper established a record by hitting in 13 straight World Series Games (all five in 1915 and 1916, and the first three games of the 1918 Series). This mark was later broken by Hank Bauer.

Batting Feats

• October 13, 1915: 2 HR in WS Game...

Notes
Hooper was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971. That was the era when just about anyone who had played the outfield between 1920 and 1935 and was still living, was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.

Transactions
March 4, 1921: Traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox for Shano Collins and Nemo Leibold.

After Boston owner Harrison Frazee sold off most of his star players, including Babe Ruth, Hooper was determined to get his just dues. In 1919 and again in 1920, Hooper held out for more money, but after agreeing to a contract, was dealt to the White Sox prior to the 1921 season for Shano Collins and Nemo Leibold, both outfielders. Both of those players best years were behind them and the deal turned out to be a good one for the ChiSox, who got five solid years from Hooper.

Replaced
Part way through the 1909 season, rookie Hooper took over in left field for veteran Harry Niles, who was used as a utility man for the remainder of the year.

Replaced By
Hooper retired from the big leagues after the 1925 season, and in '26 the White Sox had Bill Barrett in right field. Barrett was so shy he was dubbed "Whispering Bill."

Best Strength as a Player
His throwing arm.

Largest Weakness as a Player
Lack of Power.

Learn More about Harry Hooper
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