American baseball player (1881-1959)
Baseball player
George Henry "Dode" Paskert
(August 28, 1881 ? February 12, 1959) was an American
center fielder
in
Major League Baseball
who played from 1907 through 1921 for the
Cincinnati Reds
,
Philadelphia Phillies
, and
Chicago Cubs
.
Career
[
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]
Born in
Cleveland
, Ohio, the speedy Dode Paskert was one of the finest defensive center fielders of the
dead-ball era
. He was also a patient hitter who worked pitchers deep into the count as well as a notorious
pull hitter
. Being used most often in the
leadoff position
, Paskert frequently hit for
extra bases
.
[1]
Paskert collected 51
stolen bases
for the Reds in 1910, including stealing second base, third base, and home in the first inning of a 6?5 win over the
Boston Bees
.
[2]
His most productive season in 1912, when he hit a career-high .312
batting average
along with a .420
on-base percentage
and .413
slugging average
, ranking among the top 10 in four offensive categories, and being considered in the
National League
MVP vote at the end of the season.
[1]
From 1912 to 1918 he ranked among the top ten in
doubles
four times and
home runs
once.
[1]
In between, the reliable Paskert batted third in the lineup in each game of the
1915 World Series
for the Phillies against the
Boston Red Sox
, while batting clean-up for the Cubs in each game of the
1918 World Series
, also against the Red Sox.
[1]
In a 15-season career, Paskert hit a .268/.350/.361
batting line
, including 577
runs batted in
, 868
runs scored
, 1613
hits
, 279 doubles, 77
triples
, 42 home runs, and stole 293 bases in 1,716 games.
[1]
Defensively, he recorded a .968
fielding percentage
.
[1]
Afterwards, Paskert played in the minor leagues for the
Kansas City Blues
and
Columbus Senators
of the
American Association
and the
Atlanta Crackers
and
Nashville Vols
of the
Southern Association
, before retiring from baseball.
He was publicly credited with saving the lives of five small children on Feb. 23, 1921, when a fire broke out at the
Union Clothing Co.
on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland while he was passing by. According to news accounts, Paskert "made three trips into the burning building, carrying out five small children wrapped in rugs and his overcoat, and directed other members of three families to safety. His hands and arms were badly burned and his face blistered by the flames."
[3]
Paskert died in 1959 in Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of 77.
[1]
References
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External links
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]