Sammy Strang

Samuel Nicklin Strang
born Samuel Strang Nicklin
(The Dixie Thrush)

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 160 lb.
• School University of North Carolina, University of Tennessee
• Debut July 10, 1896
• Final Game June 2, 1908
• Born December 16, 1876 in Chattanooga, TN USA
• Died March 13, 1932 in Chattanooga, TN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Nicknamed "The Dixie Thrush", Sammy Strang played ten seasons in the majors, mostly in the National League.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Strang was an infielder-outfielder who played 393 games at third base and 238 games at second base, with another 165 in the outfield and lesser numbers of games at shortstop and first base. He spent half of his major league career with the New York Giants and had his finest big league season there in 1906, leading the NL in on-base percentage and stealing a career-high 49 bases. Skipper John McGraw used him sometimes as a pinch-hitter, and there is some speculation that the term "pinch hitter" came about because he came through in the pinch.

Over the course of his big league days, Strang had a lifetime .377 on-base percentage.

After playing in the majors, Strang was with the Baltimore Orioles from 1908 to 1910, where he was mainly used as a utility man. He later managed the Chattanooga Lookouts from 1919 to 1922 and in 1925. He was also baseball coach at Georgia Tech in 1902 and the United States Military Academy from 1909 to 1917.

The Maryland Historical Magazine says Strang was an infantry captain in World War I and was president of the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team from 1919 to 1921. His father, John Bailey Nicklin II, was mayor of Chattanooga from 1887 to 1889 as well as being the president of what is referred to as the "Southern (Baseball) League" in 1901.

In July 1927, Strang sold the High Point Pointers for $1 to a pair of the team's outfielders, Dan Boone and J. "Specs" Smith [1]. The team lost $2,500 in the 1st half of the season. He was president of Chattanooga at the time.

Notable Achievements

• NL On-Base Percentage Leader (1906)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1902 & 1903)
• Won a World Series with the New York Giants in 1905

Related Sites

• Sammy Strang at the SABR Bio Project
• Sammy Strang Nicklin obituary
• Baseball History Daily story about Sammy Strang
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Sammy Strang