He's Also the Only Gavvy in Major League History

[DOUGHBOYS]

When baseball fans think of all-time home run champs in baseball, they think of Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds.
Alright, Bonds has a little bit of a mental asterisk in most baseball minds, but nonetheless a home run king.
While Bonds is a home run king that most baseball fans would like to forget, I am going to talk about a home run king that has been forgotten altogether.

Clifford Cravath was ahead of his time. If there had been a designated hitter during Cravath's time, with a 'live' ball, we may still be talking about the home run records he put up. The dead ball era was a time for bunts, half swings,and level swings. Strike outs were an embarrassment. Full swings were fine, but contact was the name of the dead ball game.
Everything seemed to be against Clifford. He was born in Escondido, California and raised in San Diego. The Major Leagues and most minor league affiliates were east of St. Louis.
Clifford played in semi pro leagues and kicked around with odd jobs. Playing in a semi pro game near the Mexican border, Clifford hit a shot that looked to be destined for extra bases. The ball rocketed toward the outfield only to hit an unsuspecting seagull.
Dead silence.
Then, the Spanish speaking fans started shouting, "Gaviota! Gaviota!"
The 'UnSpanish savvy' thought that the Spanish fans were yelling a term of adoration for Clifford.
They joined in by yelling, "Gavy, Gavy!"
Later sports writers would lengthen the name to Gavvy, so that it would rhyme with 'savvy' in print.
And Gavvy Cravath kept that as his name and nickname for the rest of his life.
In actuality, the word 'Gaviota' means seagull.

For five years, Gavvy played for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. He led them to three pennants during that time. The problem was that Gavvy was considered to slow to be an outfielder and not nimble enough to be an infielder.
But he could hit.
The Angels sold Gavvy to the Boston Red Sox. And at age 27, Gavvy was going to be an old rookie.
The Red Sox were a bad fit for Gavvy. Their outfield boasted of Duffy Lewis, Harry Hooper, and Tris Speaker. Three of the best fly chasers in the league.
Next to them, Gavvy looked like he was wearing cement cleats.
He was traded to the Chicago White Sox and after failing there, to the Washington Senators.
After going 0-6 in a stretch with the Senators, he was sent to oblivion.
Back to the minors. In those days, once you were sent to the minors, there were draft rules that kept a player as a minor leaguer.
Gavvy was sent to Minnesota.
The 1910-11 Minnesota Millers are considered by many to be the greatest minor league team in the history of the dead ball era. Gavvy Cravath was the star. He hit 14 home runs and hit .326
He also did something that was new to the dead ball era. He hit the ball with power to the opposite field. The right field fence was only 279 feet and 30 feet tall. Gavvy knew he could hit even a dead ball that distance, if he could learn to change his swing.
His right field homers became common enough that the owner threatened to fine Gavvy $50 for each home run. Gavvy had broken the same window at a haberdashery three times and the owner was tired of paying for the damages.
14 home runs does not seem like a lot for a year, but the Major League leaders only had 10 that year.
The next year, he outdid himself. He hit .366 and homered 29 times. Twice as much as all but three players in the Majors.
Major League teams wanted him back in the worst way. He was getting more attention at the minor league level than most major leaguers.

Fate intervened. A clerical error in a telegram from Minnesota to Pittsburgh left out the word 'NOT'. The most important three letter word in Gavvy's life. The National Commission, the ruling body of baseball ruled that Gavvy was once again eligible to play in the Big Leagues.
He was 31 and had three Major League home runs.
From 1912 to 1919 he was a terror. He played in the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. A park very similar to the one in Minnesota.
A short right field fence was perfect for the 'Mammoth Cravoth's' as the press referred to them. Almost 80% of his home runs were hit at home.
He finished in the top five of home run hitters every year between 1912-19. He finished one home run away from leading the National League in home runs seven years in a row.
His 24 home runs in 1915 established a new major league record for home runs and it will remain forever, the record for dead ball play.

The man who had three home runs at the age of 31 passed every other hitter of his time in total home runs.
He hit 119 home runs.
In Babe Ruth's first two years of the 'live' ball, he hit 113 home runs.
Cravath again, was a man before his time.

PS-

If nothing is gained from reading this, you will still have the answer to trivia questions.
It was Gavvy Cravath who held both the single season and all-time home run record before Babe Ruth.
And almost all of them came after three home runs and a clerical error allowed him back into the Big Leagues at the age of 31.