Emil Frisk

John Emil Frisk

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut September 2, 1899
• Final Game April 23, 1907
• Born October 15, 1874 in Kalkaska, MI USA
• Died January 27, 1922 in Seattle, WA USA

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Biographical Information

"Frisk is the German pitcher who was with the Reds for a while, and fizzled, and then went to Detroit, and fizzled. He went to Denver, discovered at last that he couldn't pitch any more than a rabbit, and began outfielding. Now he is rated as a mighty slugger . . ." - Sporting Life, Sept. 20, 1902

"Emil Frisk, the Wagner of the minors . . . has a total of 2183 (hits) for his 17 years, and the first four years of that time Emil . . . was a pitcher, working . . . infrequently . . . With 272 hits in one season (1904, Coast League), Emil holds what is believed to be a world's record." - Sporting Life, August 22, 1914

Emil Frisk popped up four times in the major leagues, first as a pitcher and then as an outfielder. He got most of his at-bats as a regular for the 1905 St. Louis Browns, a team which lost 99 games, although Frisk played well for them.

He was nicknamed "The Silent Norseman".

In 1904 while playing for Seattle, he led the PCL in batting average.

As a pitcher, Frisk won the Detroit Tigers' first home game in their first season in the American League in 1901. He had previously pitched for Detroit when it was in the Western League in 1899 and when it was in the minor-league American League in 1900.

After his major league days he played in Seattle again, in the Northwestern League, and for Vancouver.

When finished playing baseball, he worked for the Pacific Coast Company.

"With the opening of this season's campaign the American League entered into . . . its fifteenth season as a recognized major league body. Of the hurlers who made up the (original) pitching staffs . . . just three are in harness today (as major or minor league pitchers) . . . Edward Plank is the sole survivor (as a major league pitcher). . . Emil Frisk, who was with the Detroit Tigers in 1901, after quitting the pitching end of the game became famous as an outfielder and heavy hitter. Frisk is in the game today and earning his beans by his wonderful ability to swat the ball at a .300 gait." - Sporting Life, June 10, 1916