Joe Rabbitt

“Missed train by a hare!” – Familiar refrain in Rabbitt’s wires to Beaumont Exporters manager Al Bernsen during the 1924 Texas League season, explaining why he didn’t accompany the team1

Well, of course Joe Rabbitt led various minor leagues in stolen bases – six times altogether. It’s also not every day that a player hits three home runs and ties a world record for running around the bases. Joe Rabbitt did just that on July 24, 1927. The speedster may have also set a baseball record in sprinting from home plate to first base.

Singer. Actor. Boxer. Promoter. Pool hall operator. Add major-leaguer to that list, as this ‘one-hit’ wonder played in two September games for Tris Speaker’s 1922 Cleveland Indians. All of this occurred before his 23rd birthday. “Pug” Rabbitt stuffed a lot into the first third of his life. He even was arrested for assaulting his minor-league team’s business manager over unpaid bonuses. Rabbitt then hopped around the bushes for another decade before getting married and having six daughters.

Joseph Patrick Rabbitt was born on January 16, 1900, in Frontenac, Kansas, This little town in the southeastern part of the state also produced major-leaguers Pete Kilduff – most famously of the 1920 World Series runners-up, the Brooklyn Robins – and Andy Pilney, a former Notre Dame football star who had a cup of coffee with the Boston Bees in 1936. Archie San Romani, an elite American middle-distance runner from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, was also from Frontenac.2

Rabbitt was the fifth child of Patrick Henry (“Paddy”) Rabbitt and Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Mary Jane Rabbitt (née Horan), who was born in Massachusetts. The parents divorced in the same year Joseph was born, according to the 1900 census, which lists only Lizzie as head of household but with no employment. There may have been a reconciliation, however – according to the 1905 Kansas State Census, Paddy and Lizzie lived together and had two more children. Paddy passed away in 1910.

In February 1917, Joe and older sister Mayme sang and acted in a drama titled “The Divorce Question” as part of the Frontenac Opera Club.3 On the diamond, Joe started the year with a local amateur squad, the Frontenac Federals. He quickly developed into a “star third baseman” that spring for the semipro Pittsburg (Kansas) Pirates.4 They performed well against various southeastern Kansas teams. The 17-year-old batted cleanup and collected the only hit in a 1-0 triumph over Scammon (Kansas) in late September.5

Eager to jump into organized ball, Rabbitt was the first player to arrive in camp of the Hutchinson (Kansas) Salt Packers of the Class D Western League in April 1918.6 Nonetheless, Rabbitt and two others were optioned by Hutchinson owner Jack Holland to an independent El Dorado, Arkansas, team run by Ed Killilay (brother of major league pitcher Jack), who also secured the men jobs in the surrounding oil fields.7 Rabbitt played in two games that June for the Sioux City (Iowa) Indians of the Class A Western League.8 Rabbitt’s war registration in the fall of 1918 showed the brown-eyed, black-haired 18-year-old as a mercantile store clerk. As a member of his local Irish-Catholic church, he sang two solos at a Knights of Columbus function in August. That October, Joe served as a pallbearer for a friend killed in action during the Great War.9

Rabbitt sang a solo during the city of Pittsburg’s 1919 St. Patrick’s Day ceremony at City Hall.10 He sang “The Little Trades Ladies” with the Frontenac choral club at a midsummer music festival.”11 On the ball field, he played on Pittsburg’s local entrant in the semipro Trolley League.12 By August, Rabbitt tried a new profession: boxing. In his debut as a pugilist in the lightweight division, he “put (opponent) Griffith to sleep” with a first-round knockout.13 In March 1920, “Pug” Rabbitt secured a 10th-round knockout during a 147-pound lightweight contest.14 Facing stiffer competition later in the year, he was knocked down twice “with the solar plexus blows” in a 10-round decision loss in May,15 then got knocked out in the first round in a summer match. That seemed to end his professional foray into the “sweet science.”

According to the 1920 census, entrepreneur Rabbitt also worked on his “own account” at a pool hall and confectionery. A newspaper article reported that he wished to relocate his pool hall enterprise to Oklahoma.16 Rabbitt also found time for some ball. He briefly played for the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Twins and the Springfield (Missouri) Merchants of the Class D Western Association. He later starred over the summer as a third baseman for a state champion semipro team based in Hope, Arkansas, hitting .425.17

By March 1921, Rabbitt, standing 5-feet-10 and weighing 165 pounds, was again property of Sioux City, but was soon released back to Pittsburg.18 Returning to his stomping ground, Rabbitt in 1921 played shortstop and center field for the Pirates (also known as Manuals) of the Class D Southwestern League, the first time the city of Pittsburg had a team in Organized Baseball in 12 years. (It would be 25 years before they would have another.) In 115 games, the lefty-swinging Rabbitt hit .299, just one hit away from the coveted .300 mark. And the Manuals center fielder rendered a customary vocal solo at a team banquet in August.19

For 1922, Rabbitt was sold to the Muskogee (Oklahoma) Mets, also in the Southwestern League. Rabbitt led the league with 55 stolen bases and hit .297.20 The Cleveland Indians bought him and first baseman Eucal Clanton in August. One report quipped that the state game protector “would no doubt pinch Tris Speaker for dealing with rabbits out of season.”21

Before leaving Muskogee, Rabbitt posted in August what may have been a new record with the fastest bunt-and-run to first, being timed in Hutchinson at three seconds flat. He also was timed around the bases in 14 1/5 seconds and voted the “most handsome ball player” of the day.22 He hit a grand slam for Muskogee on September 10 in a 6-5 win against Sapulpa in the fifth game of their post-season series.23 Sapulpa won the Southwestern League championship 4-3 in 11 innings to take the series 4-2,24 whereupon Rabbitt and Clanton headed for Cleveland.

When manager Speaker noticed the baggage checks on the new rookies’ luggage in the Cleveland locker room, and noticed it said from Muskogee, he remarked: “Must be Clanton and Rabbitt unless the ivory hunters snared a couple unknown to me. Well, one thing I can say, the scouts surely haven’t wasted their summer taking in movie serials or chinning with the waitresses in depot restaurants. Now to meet the boys and tag them.”25 The rookies found there weren’t enough home white uniforms for them, so Speaker “parked Eucal Clanton in one of the tribe’s gray traveling uniforms and put Mike Rabbitt (sic) in the grand stand.”26

Rabbitt made his major-league debut on September 15, 1922, at home at Dunn Field against the Washington Senators as a pinch-runner for Stuffy McInnis in the bottom of the ninth inning. Rabbitt scored the tying run and Riggs Stephenson the winning run on Charlie Jamieson’s triple as the Indians plated three to beat the great Senators ace Walter Johnson, 6-5. That gave “The Big Train” a losing 14-15 record and made a winner of Indians pitcher Dewey Metivier in his major-league debut.

Rabbitt’s second and last appearance occurred six days later. With the Indians already down 8-1 to the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the fifth inning, Rabbitt pinch-hit and singled off Jack Quinn or his only major-league hit. Rabbitt then manned left field for the remainder of the game. Eleven rookies appeared for Speaker that day in the 15-5 loss. Six of them, including Rabbitt, would never play another major-league game.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer commented, regarding Rabbitt, that “Joe is fast and probably can field well but as yet he isn’t used to playing in the shadows of the big stands. The ball comes out differently than it did in Muskogee where the outfielder never lost sight of it.”27

Rabbitt played in Indians intersquad scrimmages during the last week of the month but didn’t play in any of the club’s final five home games. He returned to Frontenac, after which he and local star Pete Kilduff organized all-star teams to face off at the local fairgrounds.28 Rabbitt later spent a few weeks working out prior to spring training in Rogers, Arkansas, at the farm of Frank “Matty” Matthews, who had managed in Pittsburg near Rabbitt’s home in 1921,.29

The Indians returned Rabbitt to Muskogee for 1923. He hit .315 and belted 14 home runs, then signed with the Chicago White Sox for $2,500, to report at season’s end.30 Unfortunately, Rabbitt broke his collarbone in a July home-plate collision, ending his season.31 Nonetheless, his 49 stolen bases paced the SWL.

Rabbitt attended the White Sox 1924 spring training in Winter Haven, Florida. Before camp, he lamented, “What’s the use of coming up to this big league if a guy ain’t going to stick? Why, I can get a hell of a lead off the bases because I know how to shadow box and step around.”32 It was reported that Rabbitt beat outfielder Maurice Archdeacon in a straight sprint during the camp. Archdeacon at that point held the record in the game for circling the bases at 13 2/5 seconds,33 surpassing Hans Lobert, the previous holder of the mark.

The White Sox were stocked with outfielders, so Rabbitt was sold in April to the Beaumont Exporters of the Class A Texas League, along with Red Ostergard and two others, all for second baseman Bill Black.34 Rabbitt hit .313 and collected 41 doubles. His 52 stolen bases (although he was caught 21 times) led the Texas League and set a Beaumont record (later tied by Jo-Jo White in 1931). After missing multiple trains during the season, the tardy Rabbitt would regularly wire manager Al Bernsen with the phrase: “Missed train by a hare!”35

Another yarn attributed to Rabbitt goes as follows: Once in Houston, Rabbitt went to bat with no one on and got a single. He stole second, third, and then home. When he got to the bench, he started griping about the fans not cheering him.

“What? Cheer you?” asked Ostergard, “These babies here had just as well you not make the run.”

“Well, I’m out trying to win ball games for their town, why not cheer me?”

“Their town, hell, man, this is Houston,” Ostergard said.

Joe looked the situation over and said: “Well, I’ll be jiggered; I thought we were in Beaumont.”36

Beaumont sold Rabbitt back to the Chicago White Sox in September 1924.37 He was recalled by the ChiSox38 but never saw action. After the season, Rabbitt was sent out to the Shreveport (Louisiana) Sports of the Texas League.39

Shreveport lent Rabbitt to the Dallas Steers in late May 1925 for a week when Hack Miller was injured by being struck in the head.40 The pugilist Rabbitt got into a fistfight with Shreveport business manager Bob Tarleton in July over a disputed bonus. Rabbitt claimed he was owed $75, which Tarleton denied. So Joe put up his dukes, assaulted Tarleton, and was arrested, charged, and fined $20.41 He was quickly sold by Shreveport to the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association, even though Rabbitt was tied for the league lead with 14 thefts.42 He stole 10 more bases in 70 games for the Travelers.43

Rabbitt attended the White Sox 1926 training camp in Shreveport, but for just a week, being quickly sold in early March to the San Antonio Bears. Back in the Texas League, Rabbitt hit .304 with only 21 stolen bases in 139 games. After the season, he was sold to the Omaha Buffaloes of the Class A Western League. In the offseason he promoted fights in Birmingham, Alabama, with plans to do the same around Amarillo the following winter.

“Brer” Rabbitt, as the San Antonio Light once called him,44 hit .361 for Omaha over 155 games in 1927, which was good only for sixth place in the hit-happy Western League. Joe had seven hits, including two triples and two doubles, in a doubleheader against Des Moines on July 3.45 Also, on multiple occasions, he faced his brother-in-law John Smithson, a successful lefty pitcher for Tulsa in the WL, who had married Joe’s sister Elizabeth. Joe’s brother George played second base for the retailer Brown-Dunkin Co. semipro team in the Tulsa city league during this year.

On July 24, 1927, Rabbitt tied Archdeacon’s record with a time around the bases of 13 2/5 seconds, with “a majority of watches catching him in that time.”46 Rabbitt circled the bases in 13 3/5 seconds in Tulsa on August 18 in a pregame exhibition.47 Less than a month later, Rabbitt posted a pregame time of 13 4/5 seconds.48 For the season, Rabbitt hit .361 and led the Western League with 49 stolen bases, 172 runs, 696 at-bats, and 251 hits, which included 36 doubles, 26 triples, and 20 homers.49 The “fastest base runner in (the) Western League” was sold to Toronto after the season for $3,000 and future players.50 Rabbitt played ball in Mexico in the late fall.

Upon his arrival in Toronto in late March, the local press labeled the ex-boxer Rabbitt “a cocky little fellow, built somewhat on the order of a (Pete) Cote and (Maurice) Archdeacon.”51 Called “Little Joe” during his tenure with the Maple Leafs, Rabbitt led the International League in stolen bases for 1928 with 42.52

Rabbitt opened the 1929 campaign for Toronto in Baltimore, belting three homers in the Leafs’ 10-2 victory.53 He ended the season leading the league again with 46 stolen bases and 18 triples while hitting .288.54 He was one of four players who played in all 168 games,55 while setting a league record with 685 at-bats.56

In 1930, Rabbitt led Montreal’s Hinkey Haines in “Buts Volés” (French for stolen bases) as of early August,57 but ended up second to Haines, 41-37. Joe returned to his home in Tulsa after the season. The next season, Rabbitt hit a pedestrian .265, and again finished second in stolen bases, this time trailing Baltimore’s Denny Sothern, 33-30.58 Rochester won the IL flag all four years Rabbitt was with Toronto. After the season, Rabbitt was traded to the IL’s Buffalo Bisons.59

After eight April 1932 games for the Bisons and manager Ray Schalk, Rabbitt was optioned by President Frank Offerman to the Scranton Miners of the Class B New York-Penn League, However, the player initially balked at the drop in league classification, believing he could hook on with another IL club. After eventually agreeing to the demotion, he slammed a three-run homer in his first at-bat for Scranton, on April 28, but was released less than a month later. Latching on with the Williamsport (Pennsylvania) Grays within the NYPL, Rabbitt quickly compiled a 19-game hitting streak. Nonetheless, he was released mid-July; it was his last organized baseball engagement. One report indicates that Rabbitt hit .299 during his 14-year minor-league career.60

Also in 1932, Rabbitt married Iola Marguerite Short Rabbitt, 11 years younger and Canadian-born, who had emigrated to Niagara Falls, New York that February. Their first daughter, June, was born in February 1933 in Detroit, Michigan.

Rabbitt manned the outfield for the semipro Hartford (Connecticut) Gems in 1933. In August, Rabbitt, still described as “just about as fast as a cotton-tail on the bases,” signed as the center fielder with the Brooklyn Bushwicks, a top semipro squad. Overton Tremper and Ed Boland were beside him in the outer garden.61 Rabbitt helped revitalize the 1933 edition of the Bushwicks.62 Hawaiian third baseman Buck Lai and pitcher Mike Meola were also on the team for manager Max Rosner.

Rabbitt soon made Brooklyn his full-time home. He and the Bushwicks swept doubleheaders from two Negro League teams, the New York Black Yankees and Pittsburgh Crawfords, on consecutive weekends in September.63 Rabbitt returned to the Bushwicks in 1934. In 1935, he played for a semipro team in Millburn, New Jersey. In 1936-37, he managed a local Springfield team based in his newest hometown, Norwalk, Connecticut.

After his playing career ended, Rabbitt was employed at various times as a dishwasher at a diner, a night foreman, and for Ryder Truck Rental, before retiring in 1968 from the Hat Corporation of America.

Joe Rabbitt died on December 5, 1969, in Norwalk, after a short illness. He is buried at St. John Cemetery in Norwalk.64 He was survived by Iola and their six daughters: June, Marion, Eleanor, Patricia, Barbara, and Karen.65

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Gregory H. Wolf and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Jeff Findley.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com, StatsCrew.com, and MyHeritage.com.

Notes

1 Thad Johnson, “Sport World,” Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise, May 10, 1951: 24.

2 “Fight Sooners,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 11, 1937: 13.

3 “In Frontenac,” (Pittsburg, Kansas) Sun, February 8, 1917: 6.

4 “Loth Lines Up Pirates for First Fray April 28,” (Pittsburg) Sun, April 18, 1918: 5.

5 “Smithson Won Hard Game from Sanders,” Pittsburg (Kansas) Daily Highlight, September 24, 1917: 6.

6 “Joe Rabbit (sic) Arrives First,” Hutchinson (Kansas) News, April 6, 1918: 8.

7 “League Park Notes,” Hutchinson News, April 22, 1918: 3.

8 “Joe Rabbitt is Signed Up by the Sioux City Club,” (Pittsburg) Sun, June 13, 1918: 6.

9 “M’Call Family Thanks the State Guards,” (Pittsburg) Sun, October 22, 1918: 4.

10 “Wilson for Ireland or Not Man of His Word,” Pittsburg (Kansas) Daily Headlight, March 18, 1919: 6.

11 “Choral Club Plans Concert,” Pittsburg Daily Headlight, July 11, 1919: 17.

12 “Pirates Win League Game,” Pittsburg Daily Headlight, June 9, 1919: 4.

13 “Knocked Him Out in First,” Pittsburg Daily Headlight, August 12, 1919: 3.

14 “Wild Interest in Match,” (Pittsburg) Sun, February 22, 1920: 8; “Welsh Knocked Out in Tenth,” Pittsburg Sun, March 3, 1920: 6.

15 “Long Had Best of Bout with Malone,” (Pittsburg) Sun, May 27, 1920: 8.

16 “Notes,” (Pittsburg) Sun, June 18, 1920: 5.

17 “Late Sport,” Pittsburg Daily Headlight, September 7, 1920: 5.

18 “Matthews Books Exhibition Games,” Pittsburg Sun, March 25, 1921: 8.

19 “Hold Baseball Banquet,” Pittsburg Sun, August 19, 1921: 4.

20 “Diamonds in the Dusk: Joe Rabbitt,” Diamonds in the Dusk website, accessed January 26, 2025 (224-img2-RABBITT_Joe.pdf).

21 “Notes,” News-Messenger (Fremont, Ohio), August 8, 1922: 5.

22 “Joe Rabbitt Cops Honors in Met-Shocker Events,” Muskogee Daily Phoenix, August 25, 1922: 6.

23 “Rabbitt Beats Yanks Himself,” Muskogee Times-Democrat, September 11, 1922: 6.

24 “Sapulpa Cops Flag in Southwestern by Defeating Muskogee,” Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), September 12, 1922: 10.

25 Francis J. Powers, “Stuffy McInnnis Wins for Indians over Nationals,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 15, 1922: 14.

26 “Spoke Runs Short of White Baseball Suits,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 17, 1922: 3D.

27 Francis J. Powers, “Red Sox Defeat Speaker’s Army of Players, 15 to 5,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 22, 1922: 19.

28 “Rabbitt-Kilduff Aggregations Will Meet at Park,” Pittsburg Sun, October 29, 1922: 8.

29 “’Matty’ Mathews (sic) Lands as Coffeyville Pilot,” Joplin (Missouri) Globe, January 18, 1923: 6.

30 “Joe Rabbitt, Star Base Stealer, Goes to Sox,” Dallas Morning News, July 19, 1923: 11.

31 Norman E. Brown, “Name is Rabbitt and, Boy, He Runs Like That Animal,” Telegram-Forum (Bucyrus, Ohio), July 26, 1923: 6.

32 Warren W. Brown, “Rabbitt Takes Philosophy to Camp,” Washington (D.C.) Times, March 6, 1924: 27.

33 Harold George, “Joe Rabbitt, Former Middleweight Pug and Promoter, Likely to be Fastest Man on Bases in Western Loop,” Omaha Evening World-Herald, March 30, 1927: 19.

34 “Tarleton Bolstering Beaumont Ball Club,” Dallas Morning News, April 25, 1924:

35 Thad Johnson, “Sport World,” Beaumont Enterprise, May 10, 1951: 24.

36 “Diamond Sparklers,” Daily News (Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania), December 6, 1929: 5.

37 Joe R. Carter, “Ostergard, Rabbitt, and Burns May Join Shreveport Squad Next Season,” (Shreveport) Times, September 18, 1924: 8.

38 “Sox Recall 9 From Minors,” Chicago Tribune, September 17, 1924: 18.

39 “White Sox Send Three to Local Baseball Squad,” (Shreveport) Times, October 17, 1924: 10.

40 “Rabbitt Leaves,” El Paso Herald, May 30, 1925: 2.

41 “Little Joe Rabbitt Developed Fighting Ability Down South,” Muskogee (Oklahoma) Daily Phoenix, July 11, 1925: 9.

42 “Rabbitt of Shreveport Secured by Travelers,” Commercial Appeal (Memphis), July 5, 1925: 12.

43 “Official Southern League Batting Records for 1925,” Chattanooga Times, December 14, 1925: 8.

44 “‘Brer’ Rabbitt Calls,” San Antonio Light, April 9, 1927: 4.

45 “Rods and Demons in Even Division,” Lincoln Star, July 4, 1927: 16.

46 Harold George, “Rods Win Two Games; Rabbitt Ties Base Circling Record,” Evening World-Herald, July 25, 1927: 13; “Witches Jolted Twice,” Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), July 25, 1927: 10.

47 “Rabbitt Seeks Record,” Tulsa Tribune, August 18, 1927: 12; “Rods are Topped in Last Game, 7-5,” Tulsa Daily World, August 19, 1927: 10.

48 “Rods’ Hard Hitting Avails Naught When Links Rally in 9th,” Sunday World-Herald (Omaha), September 11, 1927: 22. Maurico Archdeacon of Rochester held the record of 13 2/5 seconds as of 1927.

49 “Imp Wins Western Batting Gonfalon,” Tulsa Daily World, September 18, 1927: 19.

50 “Joe Rabbitt Goes to Toronto Club,” Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star, December 15, 1927: 14.

51 “Maple Leafs Have Boxers with Them,” Toronto Star, March 26, 1928: 11.

52 “Big Dale Alexander Official Champion,” Toronto Star, January 21, 1929: 8.

53 “Joe Rabbitt Gets Three Homers in Opening Game,” The Forum (Fargo, North Dakota), April 18, 1929: 10.

54 “Three Wings Lead Rivals Over Season,” Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York), September 29, 1919: 13. Article shows 17 triples and a batting average of .287, later adjusted as shown in Baseball-Reference.com.

55 “Wings Lower Than First Place Only 8 Days Out of 159,” The Gazette, September 27, 1929: 16.

56 “Reading Takes First Three Place in Int Hitting List,” Reading (Pennsylvania) Times, January 21, 1930: 15.

57 “Dans la Ligue Internationale,” Le Devoir (Montreal), August 11, 1930: 7.

58 Ed Kelly, “Kel-e-Graphs,” The Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania), April 21, 1932: 17.

59 Alfred H. Cohen, “Herd Gets Rabbitt, Harrison for Sax,” Buffalo Evening News, December 8, 1931: 32; Herb Rodems, “Bisons Get Outfielder Rabbitt and Hurler in Deal with Leafs,” Buffalo Times, December 8, 1931: 10.

60 “Diamonds in the Dusk: Joe Rabbitt,” Diamonds in the Dusk website, accessed January 26, 2025.

61 “Kandy Kids Snap Stroudsburg Jinx in Opening Game,” Times Union, August 14, 1933: 13.

62 “Kandy Kids Back in Former Niche,” Brooklyn Eagle, September 25, 1933: 20.

63 Wm. J. Granger, “Bushwicks Take Two Games from Crawfords as 12,000 Look On; Boland Makes a Great Catch,” Brooklyn Citizen, September 25, 1933: 6.

64 Williard R. Williams, “Sports Notes,” The Norwalk (Connecticut) Hour, December 9, 1969: 22.

65 “Joseph P. Rabbitt, Ex-Baseball Player,” Norwalk Hour, December 6, 1969: 2.