Known as "Slug", or "Slugger" on the Cambridge sandlots, Burns initially pursued factory work after high school, and played for his employer's baseball team.[1] In 1927, he played for the Chatham-Harwich club in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was described as "the hardest hitting first baseman in the league."[1][2][3][4]
Burns's professional playing career began in 1928 for the Brockton Shoemakers of the New England League. After leading the Class A Western League in home runs with 36 in 1929, his contract was purchased by the St. Louis Browns of the American League. After a brief MLB trial in 1930, Burns became the starting first baseman for the Browns in 1931. He handled those duties until he was traded to the Detroit Tigers on April 30, 1936, for pitcherElon Hogsett. He returned to the minor leagues at the end of that campaign for the remainder of his playing career. In Burns's finest season for the Browns, 1932, he scored 111 runs, batted .305, hit 11 homers and drove home 70 runs batted in (RBIs). Over his big league career (1930–36), he appeared in 890 games, and batted .280 with 980 hits, 44 homers and 417 RBIs. His career fielding percentage was .992. He led American League first basemen in assists in 1931 and 1932.
Burns then spent five seasons (1955–59) as a Red Sox coach, working primarily as the third-base coach under manager Pinky Higgins. He scouted for Boston from 1960 until his death, at Brighton, Massachusetts, at the age of 67. As a New England–based Red Sox scout, he is credited with recommending and signing Baseball Hall of FamecatcherCarlton Fisk, a first-round selection in the January 1967 draft.[5]
Spink, J.G. Taylor, ed., The Baseball Register 1956 edition. St. Louis: The Sporting News.
The Baseball Encyclopedia, Macmillan Books, 10th edition.
Specific
^ abJohnson, Harold (Speed) (1933). "John Irving Burns" in Who's Who in Major League Baseball. Chicago: Buxton. p. 97.
^""Enterprise" All-Cape Team". Falmouth Enterprise. Falmouth, MA. September 8, 1927. p. 6.
^""Dud" Larkin Opens Stove League". Harwich Independent. Harwich, MA. November 19, 1930. p. 3.
^"Speaking of Dud Larkin". Harwich Independent. Harwich, MA. March 16, 1933. p. 4.
^Gammons, Peter (February 26, 1990). . Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014.
^Jones, Lloyd (June 15, 2012). "Love of the game: Bob Burns reflects on 42 years as Kennett High baseball coach". Conway Daily Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
^Jones, Lloyd (June 15, 2012). "The history of Jack Burns". Conway Daily Sun. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
jack, burns, first, baseman, john, irving, burns, august, 1907, april, 1975, nicknamed, slug, american, first, baseman, coach, scout, major, league, baseball, played, louis, browns, detroit, tigers, from, 1930, 1936, native, cambridge, massachusetts, burns, st. John Irving Burns August 31 1907 April 18 1975 nicknamed Slug was an American first baseman coach and scout in Major League Baseball who played for the St Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1936 A native of Cambridge Massachusetts Burns stood 6 feet 1 8 m tall and weighed 175 pounds 79 kg in his playing days and batted and threw left handed Jack BurnsFirst basemanBorn 1907 08 31 August 31 1907Cambridge Massachusetts U S Died April 18 1975 1975 04 18 aged 67 Brighton Massachusetts U S Batted LeftThrew LeftMLB debutSeptember 17 1930 for the St Louis BrownsLast MLB appearanceSeptember 27 1936 for the Detroit TigersMLB statisticsBatting average 280Home runs44Runs batted in417TeamsSt Louis Browns 1930 1936 Detroit Tigers 1936 Contents 1 Playing career 2 Coaching and scouting career 3 Personal 4 References 5 External linksPlaying career editKnown as Slug or Slugger on the Cambridge sandlots Burns initially pursued factory work after high school and played for his employer s baseball team 1 In 1927 he played for the Chatham Harwich club in the Cape Cod Baseball League where he was described as the hardest hitting first baseman in the league 1 2 3 4 Burns s professional playing career began in 1928 for the Brockton Shoemakers of the New England League After leading the Class A Western League in home runs with 36 in 1929 his contract was purchased by the St Louis Browns of the American League After a brief MLB trial in 1930 Burns became the starting first baseman for the Browns in 1931 He handled those duties until he was traded to the Detroit Tigers on April 30 1936 for pitcher Elon Hogsett He returned to the minor leagues at the end of that campaign for the remainder of his playing career In Burns s finest season for the Browns 1932 he scored 111 runs batted 305 hit 11 homers and drove home 70 runs batted in RBIs Over his big league career 1930 36 he appeared in 890 games and batted 280 with 980 hits 44 homers and 417 RBIs His career fielding percentage was 992 He led American League first basemen in assists in 1931 and 1932 Coaching and scouting career editBurns became a player manager in the minor leagues with the 1938 Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League replacing Dan Howley on June 27 with the Leafs in eighth place He rallied the team to a fifth place standing that year but when Toronto finished last in 1939 Burns was released He briefly continued his playing career in 1940 appearing in 100 games for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League then spent one year 1942 in the Boston Braves organization as playing skipper of their Bradford Bees affiliate in the Class D Pennsylvania Ontario New York League PONY League After World War II Burns managed the unaffiliated Fall River Indians of the Class B New England League in 1946 Then he joined the Boston Red Sox as a scout in 1947 to 1948 before moving into their farm system as skipper of the Bosox Eastern League affiliates in Scranton and Albany from 1949 to 1954 His 1952 Albany Senators won the league pennant while his 1954 Senators were the EL playoff champions Burns then spent five seasons 1955 59 as a Red Sox coach working primarily as the third base coach under manager Pinky Higgins He scouted for Boston from 1960 until his death at Brighton Massachusetts at the age of 67 As a New England based Red Sox scout he is credited with recommending and signing Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk a first round selection in the January 1967 draft 5 Personal editHis son Bob Burns was a baseball coach at Kennett High School North Conway New Hampshire from 1971 to 2012 6 Each year the school presents the Jack Burns Baseball Award 7 References editGeneralSpink J G Taylor ed The Baseball Register 1956 edition St Louis The Sporting News The Baseball Encyclopedia Macmillan Books 10th edition Specific a b Johnson Harold Speed 1933 John Irving Burns inWho s Who in Major League Baseball Chicago Buxton p 97 Enterprise All Cape Team Falmouth Enterprise Falmouth MA September 8 1927 p 6 Dud Larkin Opens Stove League Harwich Independent Harwich MA November 19 1930 p 3 Speaking of Dud Larkin Harwich Independent Harwich MA March 16 1933 p 4 Gammons Peter February 26 1990 Sharp As Ever Sports Illustrated Archived from the original on March 14 2014 Jones Lloyd June 15 2012 Love of the game Bob Burns reflects on 42 years as Kennett High baseball coach Conway Daily Sun Retrieved July 3 2014 Jones Lloyd June 15 2012 The history of Jack Burns Conway Daily Sun Retrieved July 3 2014 External links edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp Baseball portalCareer statistics and player information from Baseball Reference Jack Burns at Find a GravePreceded byBuster Mills Boston Red Sox third base coach1955 1959 Succeeded byBilly Herman Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jack Burns first baseman amp oldid 1209279775, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
