Jack Coffey of the 1918 Red Sox — 1918: Babe Ruth and the World Champion Boston Red Sox by Allan Wood
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John Francis Coffey 5’11”, 178 lbs., Batted Right, Threw Right Debut: June 23, 1909 |
Jack Coffey began the 1918 season in the Western League. He played 22 games for the Detroit Tigers before being sold to the Red Sox in mid-August. Coffey was tabbed as a possible replacement for the injured Dave Shean in the World Series, but didn’t play at all.
Coffey’s only other major league experience was as a shortstop with the 1909 Boston Braves. After his time in Boston, Coffey coached the Fordham University baseball team from 1922 to 1955; the university named its baseball field after him.
Coffey spoke French, Spanish, Italian and German fluently and knew a little Latin and Greek. To practice each language, he traveled and lived in France, Germany, Spain, Mexico and South America. He was also known as “Mr. Birthday” for his reputation for remembering the birth dates of more than 3,000 people, both famous and unknown.
Batting Year Ag Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG TB SH HBP 1909 22 BSN NL 73 257 21 48 4 4 0 20 2 11 .187 .229 .233 60 3 3 1918 31 BOS AL 15 44 5 7 1 0 1 2 2 3 2 .159 .213 .250 11 1 0 DET AL 22 67 7 14 0 2 0 4 2 8 6 .209 .303 .269 18 2 1 TOT AL 37 111 12 21 1 2 1 6 4 0 11 8 .189 .268 .261 29 3 1 2 Seasons 110 368 33 69 5 6 1 26 6 0 22 8 .187 .241 .242 89 6 4 Fielding Year Ag Tm Lg Pos G PO A E DP FP lgFP RnF lgRnF 1909 22 BSN NL SS 73 133 213 40 18 .896 .926 4.74 5.21 1918 31 BOS AL 3B 14 11 31 2 0 .955 .948 3.00 3.25 2B 1 1 6 0 0 1.000 .958 7.00 5.31 DET AL 2B 22 55 56 5 6 .957 .958 5.05 5.31 TOT AL 2B 23 56 62 5 6 .959 .958 5.13 5.31 Position Total SS 73 133 213 40 18 .896 .925 4.74 5.21 2B 23 56 62 5 6 .959 .959 5.13 5.30 3B 14 11 31 2 0 .955 .955 3.00 3.29 Overall Total 110 200 306 47 24 .915 .935 4.60 4.98 Minor League Batting Team LG POS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SF SB BA SLG 1911 Denver WL SS 168 580 85 161 31 9 5 58 225 68 .278 .388 1912 Denver WL SS 147 .293 1913 Denver WL SS 134 .291 1914 Denver WL SS 165 628 116 207 29 15 7 287 22 34 .330 .457 1915 Denver WL 3B/? 105 372 61 105 14 6 5 146 20 34 .282 .393 1916 San Francisco PCL SS 135 457 40 102 13 2 0 119 22 21 .223 .260 1917 Des Moines WL 2B 142 499 71 114 19 8 4 161 23 28 .289 .323 1918 Des Moines WL ? 57 186 24 56 21 .301 Incomplete Totals 1053 2722 397 745 106 40 21 58 87 206 .274 Minor League Fielding Team LG POS G PO A E PCT 1911 Denver WL SS 168 .923 1912 Denver WL SS 147 .919 1913 Denver WL SS 134 .931 1914 Denver WL SS 164 238 461 55 .939 1915 Denver WL 3B 75 89 123 13 .942 ? 30 .949 1916 San Francisco PCL SS 129 279 409 38 .948 1917 Des Moines WL 2B 139 329 346 27 .962 1918 Des Moines WL ? 57 181 153 16 .954 Incomplete Totals 1043 1116 1492 149 .946 Manager: Denver, 1914-15 (2nd place both years); Des Moines, 1916-21 (won 1917 Western League pennant). Head Baseball Coach: Fordham University, 1922-59. Graduate Manager of Athletics: Fordham University, 1926-59. Minor Leagues: WL - Western League; PCL - Pacific Coast League.