

In 1918, Pipp hit only two home runs, but batted. Pipp hit nine home runs in 1917, again leading the league. Pipp led the American League in home runs with 12 in 1916 Baker finished second with 10. The Yankees added Home Run Baker in 1916, and they formed the center of the Yankees' batting order. They made Pipp their starting first baseman in time for Opening Day of the 1915 season. The Yankees had struggled prior to Ruppert and Huston's purchase, having only one winning record in their previous eight seasons. On February 4, 1915, the Tigers sold Pipp and outfielder Hugh High to the Yankees, receiving $5,000 for each player ($134,000 in current dollar terms).

After Ruppert and Huston completed the purchase of the team, the other American League owners, with the exception of Frank Navin, the owner of the Tigers, broke their word. One of the deals Ruppert and Huston negotiated was their purchase of Pipp. As part of the agreement, the other team owners in the American League agreed to help the Yankees restock their system with prospects. In January 1915, Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston agreed to purchase the New York Yankees of the American League. 526 slugging percentage, and 290 total bases. He led all batters in the league with 15 home runs, a. In 1914, Pipp played for the Rochester Hustlers of the International League. He committed seven errors in 14 games for Providence, and was demoted to the Scranton Miners of the Class B New York State League, where he only batted. 161, the Tigers reassigned Pipp to the Providence Grays of the Class AA International League. After playing 12 games for Detroit, batting. Pipp made his major league debut with the Tigers on June 29, 1913. Īfter graduating from college, Pipp ended his holdout without receiving a share of the purchase price. Pipp attempted to hold out from the Tigers, demanding a portion of the purchase price, and threatened to return to college. The Detroit Tigers of the American League purchased his contract late in the 1912 season.

Wally pipp professional#
In 1912, Pipp made his debut in professional baseball with the Kalamazoo Celery Champs of the Class D Southern Michigan League. Pipp enrolled at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he studied architecture and played baseball for the Catholic University Cardinals. As a child, Pipp said that he was hit in the head with a hockey puck, which resulted in headaches throughout his life. He was raised as a Roman Catholic, and different sources describe him as being of Irish or German ancestry. Walter Pipp was born on February 17, 1893, in Chicago, Illinois, to Pauline ( née Stroeber) and William H. This began Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games played, which stood as an MLB record for 56 years. In 1925, he lost his starting role to Lou Gehrig, after which he finished his major league career with Cincinnati.Īlthough he is considered to be one of the best power hitters of the dead ball era, Pipp is now best remembered as the man who lost his starting role as the Yankees' first baseman to Gehrig on June 2, 1925, after experiencing a headache. With Babe Ruth, Bob Meusel, Joe Dugan, and Waite Hoyt, the Yankees won three consecutive American League pennants from 1921 through 1923, and won the 1923 World Series. He led the American League in home runs in 19. He and Home Run Baker led an improved Yankee lineup that led the league in home runs. They made him their starting first baseman. A first baseman, Pipp played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds between 19.Īfter appearing in 12 games for the Tigers in 1913 and playing in the minor leagues in 1914, he was purchased by the Yankees before the 1915 season.

Walter Clement Pipp (Febru– January 11, 1965) was an American professional baseball player. September 30, 1928, for the Cincinnati Reds
