Mike Menosky

Michael William Menosky
(Leaping Mike)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 163 lb.
• School Indiana Normal School
• Debut April 18, 1914
• Final Game October 7, 1923
• Born October 16, 1894 in Glen Campbell, PA USA
• Died April 11, 1983 in Detroit, MI USA

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Biographical Information

Leaping Mike Menosky was an all-out outfielder who played 9 seasons in the majors.

After attending Indiana Normal School in 1913, he played with the Federal League in 1914 and 1915. He was also sent down to the Federal League's minor league, the Colonial League.

He came back to the majors in 1916 when the Washington Senators purchased him from the Pittsburgh Rebels, and became a regular outfielder with the Senators 1917. After taking 1918 off from the majors while he served in the military, he again became a regular outfielder in 1919.

From 1920 to 1923, he played with the Boston Red Sox. In 1920, he was fourth in the American League in stolen bases, while in 1921 he hit .300. In the Opening Day lineups for the Red Sox in 1920 and 1921, he batted third, while in 1922 he batted lead-off.

One could say that he was the player who took over for Babe Ruth when Ruth left the Red Sox. In 1919, Ruth had been the starting left fielder for the Red Sox, while Harry Hooper played right field. The next year, with Ruth gone, Hooper moved over to left field while Menosky played right field.

The most similar contemporary is Jigger Statz.

After his playing days, Menosky was a probation officer. He was once called on to help a judge decide whether an accused was guilty of throwing a rock 250 feet to cause damage. Menosky was able to throw a baseball that far, but not a rock. The accused was acquitted. Source: Baseball Research Journal, 2002.

Related Sites

• Mike Menosky at the SABR Bio Project