Hap Ward

Joseph Nichols Ward

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 6", Weight 166 lb.

• Debut May 18, 1912
• Final Game May 18, 1912
• Born November 15, 1885 in Leesburg, NJ USA
• Died September 13, 1979 in Elmer, NJ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Joseph "Hap" Ward was one of the local players from the Philadelphia, PA area rounded up by the Detroit Tigers to play the famous game of May 18, 1912 when the regular players staged a strike in support of teammate Ty Cobb, who had been suspended. The ragtag group, which also included a couple of Tigers coaches, was routed by the Philadelphia Athletics, 24-2, before the situation was resolved. Ward was the right fielder, batting 9th, going 0 for 2 with 1 walks and 2 strikeouts. The one time he reached base, he was caught stealing.

He is not the same person as the actor Hap Ward, who was very popular at the time, but likely got his nickname from him. He went to Europe during World war I, not as part of the military but with the YMCA, who provided thousands of workers who provided morale support for the enlisted troops taking part in the conflict.

Further Reading

• Kevin W. Barwin: "Paper Tigers: How a Player Strike Put a Team of 'Misfits' on a Major League Field for a Day", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 52 Number 1 (Spring 2023), pp. 5-13.