Arlie Latham
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Walter Arlington Latham (March 15 1860 - November 29 1952) was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball from 1880-1909. Nicknamed "The Freshest Man on Earth", Latham was a colorful player known for playing practical jokes on his owner Chris von der Ahe and manager Charles Comiskey. In one famous stunt, he lit a firecracker under third base in an effort to "wake himself up". Also he would occasionally put on a clown's nose while walking behind von der Ahe.
Latham was known as a very good base stealer in his day. In 1887, as a member of the St. Louis Browns, he stole 129 bases. This record is not recognized by Major League Baseball, as stolen bases were defined differently prior to 1898. In 1909, he became the oldest man in Major League history to steal a base, at the age of 49. This record has stood for almost 100 years. Latham ended his career with 739 stolen bases. He died in Garden City, New York at the age of 92.
Accomplishments
- 8th all time for stolen bases in a career (739)
- Led the American Association for most runs scored (1886, with 152)
- Led the Major Leagues for most stolen bases (1888, with 109)
- Oldest Player in the Major Leagues (1909, at 49)
External link
- [Baseball-Reference.com] - career statistics and analysis
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