Pete Fox
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Ervin "Pete" Fox (March 8, 1909 – July 5, 1966) was an American professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
player from 1930 to 1946. He played 13 seasons in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
, principally as a
right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...
, for the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
from 1933 to 1940 and the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
from 1941 to 1945. Though his given name was Ervin, Fox became known as "Pete" in 1932 when fans in
Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about east of Houston (city ...
, dubbed him "Rabbit" in reference to his speed, with the nickname reportedly evolving into "Peter Rabbit" and then simply "Pete". Fox compiled a .298 career
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
and finished among the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
leaders in batting average four times—8th in 1935 (.321), 10th in 1937 (.331), 9th in 1943 (.288), and 6th in 1944 (.315). His .321 average in 1935 was third highest on the Tigers team that defeated the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
in the
1935 World Series The 1935 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1935 season. The 32nd edition of the World Series, it matched the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs. The Tigers won in six games for their first championship i ...
. Fox also ranked among the American League leaders in stolen bases on seven occasions between 1934 and 1944.


Early years

Fox was born in
Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is Indiana's List of cities in Indiana, third-most populous city after India ...
, in 1909, the son of a fire captain. He graduated from Bosse High School in Evansville. After graduating from high school, Fox worked at a furniture factory in Evansville and played sandlot baseball.


Playing career


Minor leagues

Fox began his professional baseball career in 1930 with the Evansville Hubs of the
Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Class B level Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymo ...
. After only seven games with the Hubs, Fox was sent to the
Wheeling Stogies The Wheeling Stogies was a minor league baseball team based in Wheeling, West Virginia, that played under several different names at various times between 1877 and 1934. They played mostly in the Central League (baseball), Central League and the M ...
of the Mid-Atlantic League. He appeared in 106 games for the Stogies in 1930, compiling a .339 batting average with 24 doubles, 15 triples, and 14 home runs in 422 at bats. After a strong showing with Wheeling, Fox was recalled to Evansville for the 1931 season. He hit .302 with 33 doubles, 12 triples, and 8 home runs in 490 at bats. Fox spent the 1932 season playing for the
Beaumont Exporters The Beaumont Exporters was the predominant name of a minor league baseball team located in Beaumont, Texas that played between 1920 and 1957 in the Texas League and the Big State League. Beaumont rejoined the Class AA Texas League (1983-1986) and ...
team that won the
Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
pennant. His teammates in Beaumont that year included
Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), p ...
,
Schoolboy Rowe Lynwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe (January 11, 1910 – January 8, 1961) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers (1932–42) and Philadelphia Phillies (1943, 1946–49). He was a three-time Al ...
,
Elden Auker Elden LeRoy "Submarine" Auker (September 21, 1910 – August 4, 2006) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns between 1933 and 1942. Auker batted and threw right-handed. Auker wa ...
, and
Flea Clifton Herman Earl "Flea" Clifton (December 12, 1908 – December 22, 1997), was a professional baseball player for 13 years from 1930 to 1943. He played parts of four season in Major League Baseball as an infielder for the Detroit Tigers from 1934 to ...
. Each of these players would play together on Detroit's 1934 and 1935 pennant-winning teams. Fox led the Texas League in 1932 with a .357 batting average. He also hit 23 doubles, 11 triples, and 19 home runs for Beaumont. Fox, whose first name was actually Ervin, also won the nickname "Pete" while playing for Beaumont. Due to Fox's speed, Beaumont fans began calling him "Rabbit" which then reportedly evolved into "Peter Rabbit" and then simply "Pete".


Detroit Tigers

In 1933, Fox joined the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
and became the team's regular
center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ...
, starting 116 games at the position. He compiled a .288 batting average with 26 doubles, 13 triples, and 7 home runs in his rookie season. Fox was one of three rookies for Detroit in 1933, along with
Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), p ...
and
Marv Owen Marvin James Owen (March 22, 1906 – June 22, 1991) was an American baseball player, manager, coach and scout. A native of northern California, Owen played both baseball and football at Santa Clara University. He made his Major League Basebal ...
, who would be consistent starters for the 1934 and 1935 pennant-winning teams. In 1934, the Tigers acquired left fielder
Goose Goslin Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin (October 16, 1900 – May 15, 1971) was an American professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators (1901–60), Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles#St. Louis B ...
, Jo-Jo White took over as the team's center fielder, and Fox became the team's starting right fielder. In his first season in right field, Fox struggled at the plate with a .285 batting average, but he led the American League with four outfield double plays. The 1934 Tigers won the American League pennant, and Fox set a major league record by hitting six doubles in the
1934 World Series The 1934 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1934 season. The 31st edition of the World Series, it matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers. The Cardinals' " Gashouse Gang" won in seven g ...
in a losing effort against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
. The 1935 season was a breakout season for Fox as he helped lead the Tigers to an American League pennant and a World Series championship over the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
. After Fox began the season with a batting slump, a trade that would have sent Fox to another team fell through. Fox began hitting at a torrid pace after word of the trade became public. He had hitting streaks of 29 and 17 games and had eight hits and 10 runs batted in a double header against the
St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they ...
on June 30, 1935. ''
The Sporting News ''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
'' in a front page profile in late July 1935 credited Fox with being the Tigers' spark plug:
Super work on the part of a single player often provides the winning accelerant for a team which otherwise might remain close to mediocrity in the result column. . . . This season it has been Ervin (Pete) Fox, little outfielder, who has supplied the winning spark, with a recent run of 29 games in which he hit safely having witnessed the definite upswing of
Mickey Cochrane Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane (April 6, 1903 – June 28, 1962), nicknamed "Black Mike", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and De ...
's Bengals.
During the 1935 season, Fox ranked among the American League's leaders in multiple offensive and defensive categories. His .321 batting average was eighth best in the league (third best on the Tigers behind
Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), p ...
and
Charlie Gehringer Charles Leonard Gehringer (May 11, 1903 – January 21, 1993), nicknamed "the Mechanical Man", was an American professional baseball second baseman. He played for the Detroit Tigers for 19 seasons from 1924 Detroit Tigers season, 1924 to 1943 Det ...
), and his .513 slugging percentage was fifth best in the league. He also ranked sixth in runs scored (116), eighth in stolen bases (14), second in times hit by a pitch (6), and fourth in
range factor Range Factor (commonly abbreviated RF) is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by the number of innings or games played at a given defense position. The statistic is premised on the notion ...
among right fielders (1.90). During the six-game 1935 World Series win over the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
, Fox led both teams with ten hits and a .385 batting average. ''The Sporting News'' called Fox "the individual hitting star of the series." In 1936, the Tigers acquired future
Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
outfielder
Al Simmons Aloysius Harry Simmons (born Alois Szymanski; May 22, 1902 – May 26, 1956) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Bucketfoot Al", he had his best years with Connie Mack ...
to play alongside another future Hall of Fame outfielder
Goose Goslin Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin (October 16, 1900 – May 15, 1971) was an American professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators (1901–60), Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles#St. Louis B ...
. The reconfiguration of the outfield, combined with multiple injuries, resulted in Fox losing his position as the team's starting right fielder. Fox suffered an "attack of lumbago" in early May, a sprained finger in July, and was called home from a road trip in August when his five-month son became ill.
Gee Walker Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker (March 19, 1908 – March 20, 1981) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball. During his fifteen-year career he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washingto ...
became the Tigers' starting right fielder and Fox was relegated to a backup role, starting only 49 games in right field in 1936. He compiled a .305 batting average in 220 at bats. In 1937, with Simmons and Goslin having left the Tigers, Fox returned to the starting lineup, playing 105 games in right field, 28 in center field, and 11 in left field. Fox responded to his starting assignment with career bests in batting average (.331) and doubles (39). Along with Fox's outstanding season, Detroit second baseman
Charlie Gehringer Charles Leonard Gehringer (May 11, 1903 – January 21, 1993), nicknamed "the Mechanical Man", was an American professional baseball second baseman. He played for the Detroit Tigers for 19 seasons from 1924 Detroit Tigers season, 1924 to 1943 Det ...
won the 1937 batting championship with a .371 average and first baseman
Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), p ...
added a team record 183 RBIs. The 1937 Tigers compiled an 89-65 record and finished in second place behind the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
. The 1937 Tigers tied a major league record with four players (Fox, Gehringer, Greenberg, and
Gee Walker Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker (March 19, 1908 – March 20, 1981) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball. During his fifteen-year career he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washingto ...
) each compiling 200 or more hits. Fox began the 1938 season at a torrid pace with the bat. By early May, Fox was batting .451. Although his average dipped to .293 by the end of the 1938 season, Fox compiled a career high with 96 RBIs. Fox also ranked among the American League leaders in stolen bases (5th with 16), hits (10th with 186), and triples (7th with 10). Defensively, he led all American League outfielders in games played (155) and
fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...
(.994) during the 1938 season. Fox remained the Tigers' starting right fielder in 1939. He compiled a batting average of .295, and his 2.28 range factor in 1939 led all American League right fielders. In 1940, Fox and
Bruce Campbell Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known best for his role as Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's ''Evil Dead'' horror series, beginning with the short movie '' Within the Woods'' (1978). He has also f ...
alternated as Detroit's right fielder. The Tigers won the 1940 pennant, but Campbell started all seven games in the
1940 World Series The 1940 World Series matched the 1940 Cincinnati Reds season, Cincinnati Reds against the 1940 Detroit Tigers season, Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning a closely contested seven-game series. The victory secured the Reds the second champions ...
between the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
and Tigers. Fox did have one pinch hit at bat in the 1940 Series. In three World Series, Fox played 14 games and batted .327 in 55
at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, ...
s. On December 12, 1940, the Boston Red Sox purchased Fox from the Tigers for a sum reported to be slightly in excess of the waiver price. The sale of Fox was reported to be a source of "genuine regret" among Detroit fans, and Detroit sports writer Sam Greene wrote that Fox had "undeniable appeal as a steady, hard-working craftsman." Greene also wrote in ''The Sporting News'' that Fox had been overshadowed in Detroit by superstars
Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), p ...
,
Charlie Gehringer Charles Leonard Gehringer (May 11, 1903 – January 21, 1993), nicknamed "the Mechanical Man", was an American professional baseball second baseman. He played for the Detroit Tigers for 19 seasons from 1924 Detroit Tigers season, 1924 to 1943 Det ...
,
Goose Goslin Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin (October 16, 1900 – May 15, 1971) was an American professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators (1901–60), Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles#St. Louis B ...
, and
Mickey Cochrane Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane (April 6, 1903 – June 28, 1962), nicknamed "Black Mike", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and De ...
, and noted that it is "often said of Fox that he was 'the most under rated' player among the Battling Bengals."


Boston Red Sox

Fox was a backup outfielder for the Red Sox during the 1941 and 1942 seasons, appearing in 62 games as an outfielder in 1941 and 71 games in 1942. In 1943, the Red Sox lost outfielders
Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...
and
Dom DiMaggio Dominic Paul DiMaggio (February 12, 1917 – May 8, 2009), nicknamed "the Little Professor", was an American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 11-year baseball career for the Boston Red Sox (1940–1953). DiMaggio wa ...
to military service, making room for Fox to emerge as the Red Sox starting right fielder in 1943. He was an All-Star in the 1944 season, in which he batted .315 (6th best in the league) with 37 doubles.


Pacific Coast League

In 1946, Fox played for the Oakland Oaks of the
Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
under manager
Casey Stengel Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder and Manager (baseball), manager, best known as the manager of the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, t ...
. He appeared in 57 games for the Oaks, compiling a .258 batting average.


Family and later years

After his playing career ended, Fox served as a manager for minor league baseball teams in Pawtucket (New England), Waterloo (Three-I) and Hot Springs (Cotton States). He also served as a scout for the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox. He retired from baseball in the early 1950s after his vision deteriorated due to the development of
cataract A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens (anatomy), lens of the eye that leads to a visual impairment, decrease in vision of the eye. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or ...
s. He subsequently worked as a manufacturer's representative in Detroit. Fox was married in 1927 to Elizabeth ("Bettye") Stuteville. Pete and Bettye had one daughter, Beverly June, and one son, James. Peter fathered a son, Donald, in a second marriage (Helen). Don became a pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization, and James became an all-city football player at his father's alma mater, Bosse High School. In 1966, Fox died in
Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, at 57, of cancer. He was interred at Detroit's
Woodlawn Cemetery Woodlawn Cemetery is the name of several cemeteries, including: Canada * Woodlawn Cemetery (Saskatoon) * Woodlawn Cemetery (Nova Scotia) United States ''(by state then city or town)'' * Woodlawn Cemetery (Ocala, Florida), where Isaac Rice and fa ...
. In 1980, Fox was posthumously inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. His daughter, Beverly Markey, and his grandson, Stephen Markey, were present to receive the honor.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Pete 1909 births 1966 deaths American League All-Stars Beaumont Exporters players Boston Red Sox players Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit) Chicago White Sox scouts Deaths from cancer in Michigan Detroit Tigers players Detroit Tigers scouts Evansville Hubs players Major League Baseball outfielders Minor league baseball managers Oakland Oaks (baseball) players Baseball players from Evansville, Indiana Wheeling Stogies players 20th-century American sportsmen