Bert Tooley

Albert R. Tooley

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 155 lb.

• Debut April 12, 1911
• Final Game August 9, 1912
• Born August 30, 1886 in Howell, MI USA
• Died August 17, 1976 in Marshall, MI USA

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Biographical Information

"One play by our new first baseman, Bert Tooley, by its lightning speed of thought and action, brought the crowd to its feet. Barrows had led off with a two-bagger for Rochester, and when Priest followed with a scorching grounder to Tooley, (Barrows) was well on his way to third. Tooley . . . whirled with the speed of thought and shot the ball to third, barely nipping Barrows. Such plays are unusual, both for skill and daring, but they win games." - by the Sporting Life correspondent in Newark, appearing on May 2, 1914

Bert Tooley was a regular shortstop during both of his two seasons in the majors, under manager Bill Dahlen. He also played eight years in the minors, much of it in the International League with Newark.

Tooley was born in Howell, MI, 50 miles west of Detroit. Hank Perry was also born the same year in Howell. At age 20, Bert played for the Sharon Giants, a team which also featured Rube Sellers and Bill Collins. Bill would go on to become a teammate of Bert again during several seasons with Newark.

Bert became a major league regular as a rookie with the 1911 Brooklyn Dodgers. At age 24, he was a year older than teammate Zack Wheat. Bert hit .206, but then it was the deadball era and the team as a whole hit .237, with catcher Bill Bergen hitting .132 and third baseman Eddie Zimmerman hitting .185. The 22-year-old Hi Myers, who would later go on to become a star with the team, hit .163 in a cup of coffee.

The team average shot up the next year to .268, and Bert's improved to .234. This time, however, he was by far the lowest among the regulars, with the next lowest average belonging to outfielder Herbie Moran who hit .276 (and who led the team in walks). Bert's last major league game was on August 9. Manager Dahlen gave Bob Fisher almost as many games at shortstop that year as Tooley (although Fisher hit only .233) and in 1913 Fisher won the regular job. Tooley, who had played some at Newark in 1912, would continue with Newark in 1913-15.

Sporting Life reported that he was out of baseball in 1916 with rheumatism, and that he planned to try a comeback in 1917.

"Bert Tooley has been doing the shortstopping in fine style. Moreover he has been batting well and running the bases like a demon." - Sporting Life, August 23, 1913