Born in LeGrand, Iowa, Coombs moved to Kennebunk, Maine with his family at the age of four. He played baseball in high school in Freeport, Maine, and in 1901–02 for Coburn Classical prep school in Waterville.[1][2] Coombs was a 1906 graduate of Colby College in Waterville, where he was a chemistry major and a member of Delta Upsilon. He also participated in football, track, and tennis. Colby's baseball field is named for him.
Baseball career
Three weeks after graduating, Coombs pitched in his first major league game for the Philadelphia Athletics, a seven-hit shutout, defeating the Washington Senators 3–0. He finished 1906 with a 10–10 record and 2.50 earned run average. In 1906, he pitched the longest complete game in the American League, 24 innings against Boston, winning 4–1.[1] The following year, Coombs went 6–9 with a 3.12 ERA. In 1908 and 1909, his record was only 19–16 despite his ERA being 2.00 and 2.32 those years.[3]
Coombs' best season was 1910, which is still one of the best pitching seasons in MLB history. Besides his record of 31–9, he had an ERA of 1.30 and led the American League in wins (31), games played (45), and shutouts (13), which is still the single-season AL record. He won 18 of 19 starts that July and racked up 53 consecutive scoreless innings, which stood as the major league record until Walter Johnson broke it three years later. Don Drysdale and Orel Hershiser later surpassed Johnson's mark. Coombs became one of only 13 pitchers to win 30 games in a season since 1900. He then won three games in the 1910 World Series, in which the Athletics defeated the Chicago Cubs.
In 1911, Coombs led the AL in wins again with 28, even though his ERA went up to 3.53. He won one game in the 1911 World Series, as the Athletics repeated as champions. The following year, he won 21 games.[3]
Coombs did not play much in 1913 and 1914. The Athletics released him, and he signed with the Brooklyn Robins, for whom he played from 1915 to 1918. In the 1916 World Series, he won a game, but the Robins lost the series.[3]
In 1919, Coombs was the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies for 62 games, going 18–44 before being replaced by Gavvy Cravath. He returned to play one final year in 1920 for the Detroit Tigers before retiring. Coombs finished his MLB career with a 158–110 record, a 2.78 ERA, and 1,052 strikeouts.
Coombs was an adept hitting pitcher in his 14-year major league career, compiling a .235 batting average (261-for-1110) with 4 home runs, 123 runs scored, and 100 runs batted in. He played 62 games in the outfield during his career. In six World Series games, he hit .333 (8-for-24) with 4 RBI.[3]
Later life
Coombs became a championship-winning coach at Duke University (1929–52) who sent many players to the majors. Duke University's baseball field is named after him.
Coombs spent his retirement as a sports historian and writer. In 1938, he published Baseball – Individual Play and Team Strategy.
National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion
^ abJack Coombs. Article written by C. Paul Rogers III. SABR Biography Project.. Retrieved on July 23, 2019.
^The National Pastime. Freeport Historical Society. Retrieved on July 23, 2019.
^ abcd"Jack Coombs Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
^. Thanhouser Company Film Preservation, Inc. Archived from the original on 2017-01-07. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jack Coombs.
Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series, or Retrosheet, or SABR Biography Project, The Baseball Cube, or The DeadBall Era
jack, coombs, john, wesley, coombs, november, 1882, april, 1957, nicknamed, colby, jack, after, alma, mater, american, professional, baseball, player, played, major, league, baseball, pitcher, philadelphia, athletics, 1906, brooklyn, robins, 1915, detroit, tig. John Wesley Coombs November 18 1882 April 15 1957 nicknamed Colby Jack after his alma mater was an American professional baseball player He played in Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics 1906 14 Brooklyn Robins 1915 18 and Detroit Tigers 1920 In 1910 Coombs won 31 games during the regular season and three games in the World Series to lead the Athletics to the championship A two way player he also occasionally played as an outfielder Jack CoombsCoombs in 1911PitcherBorn 1882 11 18 November 18 1882Le Grand Iowa U S Died April 15 1957 1957 04 15 aged 74 Palestine Texas U S Batted BothThrew RightMLB debutJuly 5 1906 for the Philadelphia AthleticsLast MLB appearanceJuly 18 1920 for the Detroit TigersMLB statisticsWin loss record158 110Earned run average2 78Strikeouts1 052TeamsPhiladelphia Athletics 1906 1914 Brooklyn Robins 1915 1918 Detroit Tigers 1920 Career highlights and awards3 World Series champion 1910 1911 1913 2 AL wins leader 1910 1911 Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame Contents 1 Early life 2 Baseball career 3 Later life 4 Head coaching record 5 Films 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditBorn in LeGrand Iowa Coombs moved to Kennebunk Maine with his family at the age of four He played baseball in high school in Freeport Maine and in 1901 02 for Coburn Classical prep school in Waterville 1 2 Coombs was a 1906 graduate of Colby College in Waterville where he was a chemistry major and a member of Delta Upsilon He also participated in football track and tennis Colby s baseball field is named for him Baseball career EditThree weeks after graduating Coombs pitched in his first major league game for the Philadelphia Athletics a seven hit shutout defeating the Washington Senators 3 0 He finished 1906 with a 10 10 record and 2 50 earned run average In 1906 he pitched the longest complete game in the American League 24 innings against Boston winning 4 1 1 The following year Coombs went 6 9 with a 3 12 ERA In 1908 and 1909 his record was only 19 16 despite his ERA being 2 00 and 2 32 those years 3 Coombs best season was 1910 which is still one of the best pitching seasons in MLB history Besides his record of 31 9 he had an ERA of 1 30 and led the American League in wins 31 games played 45 and shutouts 13 which is still the single season AL record He won 18 of 19 starts that July and racked up 53 consecutive scoreless innings which stood as the major league record until Walter Johnson broke it three years later Don Drysdale and Orel Hershiser later surpassed Johnson s mark Coombs became one of only 13 pitchers to win 30 games in a season since 1900 He then won three games in the 1910 World Series in which the Athletics defeated the Chicago Cubs In 1911 Coombs led the AL in wins again with 28 even though his ERA went up to 3 53 He won one game in the 1911 World Series as the Athletics repeated as champions The following year he won 21 games 3 Coombs did not play much in 1913 and 1914 The Athletics released him and he signed with the Brooklyn Robins for whom he played from 1915 to 1918 In the 1916 World Series he won a game but the Robins lost the series 3 In 1919 Coombs was the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies for 62 games going 18 44 before being replaced by Gavvy Cravath He returned to play one final year in 1920 for the Detroit Tigers before retiring Coombs finished his MLB career with a 158 110 record a 2 78 ERA and 1 052 strikeouts Coombs was an adept hitting pitcher in his 14 year major league career compiling a 235 batting average 261 for 1110 with 4 home runs 123 runs scored and 100 runs batted in He played 62 games in the outfield during his career In six World Series games he hit 333 8 for 24 with 4 RBI 3 Later life EditCoombs became a championship winning coach at Duke University 1929 52 who sent many players to the majors Duke University s baseball field is named after him Coombs spent his retirement as a sports historian and writer In 1938 he published Baseball Individual Play and Team Strategy Head coaching record EditStatistics overview Season Team Overall Conference Standing PostseasonRice Owls Southwest Conference 1918 1918 Rice 6 8 0 2Rice 6 8 429 0 2 000 Duke Blue Devils Southern Conference 1929 1952 1929 Duke 13 51930 Duke 17 5 State Champions1931 Duke 11 4 State Champions1932 Duke 15 71933 Duke 12 71934 Duke 20 41935 Duke 24 31936 Duke 18 71937 Duke 22 2 State Champions1938 Duke 18 3 State Champions1939 Duke 22 2 State Champions1940 Duke 16 71941 Duke 14 111942 Duke 15 71943 Duke 8 41944 Duke 9 71945 Duke 9 71946 Duke 15 8 State Champions1947 Duke 18 10 13 6 3rd Big Four Champions State Champions1948 Duke 15 121949 Duke 12 17 1 9 13 11th1950 Duke 11 18 unknown southern 1951 Duke 17 8 2nd southern Southern Conference Tournament Champions Co Big Four Champions1952 Duke 31 7 18 3 1st southern College World Series 5th place Duke 381 171 3 689 Total 387 179 3 683 National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament championFilms Edit The four stars of the world champion Philadelphia Athletics Chief Bender Cy Morgan Jack Coombs and Rube Oldring were featured in the Thanhouser Company film The Baseball Bug 1911 4 World s Championship Series 1910 docu short The Baseball Bug 1911 short Animated Weekly No 41 1916 docu short World Series Games 1916 Boston vs Brooklyn 1916 documentary The Baseball Revue of 1917 1917 documentarySee also EditList of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders List of members of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Philadelphia Baseball Wall of FameReferences Edit a b Jack Coombs Article written by C Paul Rogers III SABR Biography Project Retrieved on July 23 2019 The National Pastime Freeport Historical Society Retrieved on July 23 2019 a b c d Jack Coombs Stats baseball reference com Retrieved November 5 2021 The Baseball Bug Thanhouser Company Film Preservation Inc Archived from the original on 2017 01 07 Retrieved 2016 01 22 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jack Coombs Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors or Cuban American Major League Clubs Series or Retrosheet or SABR Biography Project The Baseball Cube or The DeadBall Era Jack Coombs at Find a Grave Portals Biography Baseball Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jack Coombs amp oldid 1133852875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
