Cieradkowski: Rabbit Lowry and the 1921 Baltimore Orioles
From SABR member Gary Cieradkowski at Studio Gary C on May 4, 2020:
Although Jack Dunn’s Orioles won seven consecutive pennants, they did so with an ever-changing outfield lineup. Over those seven summers no less than nine played 90 or more games a year as an outfield regular: Johnny Honig, Jimmy Walsh, Dick Porter, Tillie Walker, Maurice Archdeacon, Bunny Roser, Merwin Jacobson, Bill Holden and Otis Lawry. The last three, 1921’s outfieled of Lawry in left, Jacobson in center and Holden in right, was likely the best crop of the bunch. Between the trio, the three starting outfielders hit a combined .334 with 80 doubles, 37 triples and 34 homers. All three had career years during their time with Baltimore – Jacobson set the International League record the year before with a .404 average and Holden hit 49 doubles that same year – but 1921 was left fielder Otis Lawry’s time to shine.
Lawry starred for the University of Maine baseball team where scouts for several major league teams began courting him. He signed with Connie Mack’s Athletics in 1916 and went straight to the big leagues. Lawry’s major attraction was his speed which earned him the nickname “Rabbit.” His college coach, Monty Cross, a former major leaguer, said, “I’m not exaggerating when I say that Lawry is the fastest man who ever wore a baseball shoe.”
Read the full article here: https://studiogaryc.com/2020/05/04/1921-orioles-otis-lawry/
Originally published: May 11, 2020. Last Updated: May 11, 2020.