RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
Roger "Doc" Cramer, an outfielder known for his consistent hitting and defensive skills, played Major League Baseball for several teams over a lengthy career. Born on July 22, 1905, in Beach Haven, New Jersey, Cramer began his professional journey with the Philadelphia Athletics. He made his MLB debut on September 18, 1929, and quickly established himself as a
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Roger "Doc" Cramer, an outfielder known for his consistent hitting and defensive skills, played Major League Baseball for several teams over a lengthy career. Born on July 22, 1905, in Beach Haven, New Jersey, Cramer began his professional journey with the Philadelphia Athletics. He made his MLB debut on September 18, 1929, and quickly established himself as a reliable player.
Cramer was known for his ability to hit for average, a skill that kept him in the lineup throughout his career. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, a combination that served him well in the batter's box and the outfield. Over the years, he became known for his contact hitting, rarely striking out and consistently putting the ball in play. This approach helped him maintain a career batting average of .296.
During his time with the Athletics, Cramer played under the management of Connie Mack, one of baseball's legendary figures. He was part of the team during a successful era, contributing to their strong performances in the early 1930s. In 1931, Cramer played in the World Series, although the Athletics fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
In 1936, Cramer was traded to the Boston Red Sox, where he continued to excel as a leadoff hitter. His tenure with the Red Sox saw him lead the American League in at-bats multiple times, a testament to his durability and the trust placed in him by his managers. Cramer was selected to the All-Star team five times during his career, reflecting his status as one of the league's consistent performers.
Cramer's career took another turn when he joined the Washington Senators in 1941. Although his time with the Senators was brief, he continued to demonstrate his hitting prowess. The following year, he moved to the Detroit Tigers, where he would spend the final years of his career. With the Tigers, Cramer enjoyed a resurgence, helping the team capture the American League pennant in 1945. That year, the Tigers went on to win the World Series, defeating the Chicago Cubs in seven games. Cramer's performance in the series was solid, contributing to the Tigers' championship victory.
Throughout his career, Cramer was known for his defensive abilities in the outfield. He had a strong arm and was adept at tracking fly balls, making him a valuable asset to his teams. His longevity in the game was remarkable, as he played until 1948, retiring at the age of 42. By the end of his career, Cramer had accumulated over 2,700 hits, placing him among the top hitters of his era.
After retiring from playing, Cramer remained involved in baseball, working as a scout for several teams.
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Stories, Photos, Videos, Podcasts, and Publications featuring Doc Cramer Biography
Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of...
/ Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of the major league players for that particular year.
This annual publication was available through the mail and at most major league stadiums. Its decline in popularity is said to be a result of the competition from team yearbooks.
Who's Who covers generally contain photos of the top four stars of the previous year. Each edition featured photos and sketches of sports team top twenty players. A world champion photo usually appeared on the back cover of Who's Who in Major League Baseball while the other league champions appeared on the front cover.
The 1942 edition was devoted entirely to major league playing records as compiled by Leonard Gettelson. ONE FOR THE BOOK,...
/ The 1942 edition was devoted entirely to major league playing records as compiled by Leonard Gettelson. ONE FOR THE BOOK, which was first published in 1949, was a continuation of the 1942 Dope Book.
There was at least one "Al Schracht Dope Book" Published by Sporting News in 1944. This edition consisted of dozens of colorful short news snippets with cartoon illustrations, followed by statistics and writeups of current Hall of Famers and past World Series'.
The Dope Book from 1948 thru 1985 was of an entirely different format. It featured a wide spectrum of articles and statistics. Several features, such as Club Rosters and All Star Game Records, were carried yearly for many years.
Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of...
/ Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of the major league players for that particular year.
This annual publication was available through the mail and at most major league stadiums. Its decline in popularity is said to be a result of the competition from team yearbooks.
Who's Who covers generally contain photos of the top four stars of the previous year. Each edition featured photos and sketches of sports team top twenty players. A world champion photo usually appeared on the back cover of Who's Who in Major League Baseball while the other league champions appeared on the front cover.
The 1942 edition was devoted entirely to major league playing records as compiled by Leonard Gettelson. ONE FOR THE BOOK,...
/ The 1942 edition was devoted entirely to major league playing records as compiled by Leonard Gettelson. ONE FOR THE BOOK, which was first published in 1949, was a continuation of the 1942 Dope Book.
There was at least one "Al Schracht Dope Book" Published by Sporting News in 1944. This edition consisted of dozens of colorful short news snippets with cartoon illustrations, followed by statistics and writeups of current Hall of Famers and past World Series'.
The Dope Book from 1948 thru 1985 was of an entirely different format. It featured a wide spectrum of articles and statistics. Several features, such as Club Rosters and All Star Game Records, were carried yearly for many years.
The 1942 edition was devoted entirely to major league playing records as compiled by Leonard Gettelson. ONE FOR THE BOOK,...
/ The 1942 edition was devoted entirely to major league playing records as compiled by Leonard Gettelson. ONE FOR THE BOOK, which was first published in 1949, was a continuation of the 1942 Dope Book.
There was at least one "Al Schracht Dope Book" Published by Sporting News in 1944. This edition consisted of dozens of colorful short news snippets with cartoon illustrations, followed by statistics and writeups of current Hall of Famers and past World Series'.
The Dope Book from 1948 thru 1985 was of an entirely different format. It featured a wide spectrum of articles and statistics. Several features, such as Club Rosters and All Star Game Records, were carried yearly for many years.
Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of...
/ Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of the major league players for that particular year.
This annual publication was available through the mail and at most major league stadiums. Its decline in popularity is said to be a result of the competition from team yearbooks.
Who's Who covers generally contain photos of the top four stars of the previous year. Each edition featured photos and sketches of sports team top twenty players. A world champion photo usually appeared on the back cover of Who's Who in Major League Baseball while the other league champions appeared on the front cover.
When Sporting News halted printing of the long running Sporting News Record Book in 1942, they replaced it with the...
/ When Sporting News halted printing of the long running Sporting News Record Book in 1942, they replaced it with the Sporting News Guide in 1943, a companion publication to the Sporting News Register, which began publication in 1940. After A.S Barnes stopped publication of their guide (successor to the long-running Spalding Baseball Guide), the Sporting News Guide became the official MLB guide.
When Sporting News halted printing of the long running Sporting News Record Book in 1942, they replaced it with the...
/ When Sporting News halted printing of the long running Sporting News Record Book in 1942, they replaced it with the Sporting News Guide in 1943, a companion publication to the Sporting News Register, which began publication in 1940. After A.S Barnes stopped publication of their guide (successor to the long-running Spalding Baseball Guide), the Sporting News Guide became the official MLB guide.
With the demise of the Spalding-Reach guides after the 1942 edition, the Commissioner’s office put out the official 1943 guide...
/ With the demise of the Spalding-Reach guides after the 1942 edition, the Commissioner’s office put out the official 1943 guide for one season before handing off the "official" guide to A.S. Barnes for the 1945 and 1946 editions. This was colloquially known as the "Barnes Baseball Guide". Since there was no official 1944 guide, the 1945 Barnes guide covers both seasons. The Sporting News took over as the official guide starting with their 1947 edition.
When Sporting News halted printing of the long running Sporting News Record Book in 1942, they replaced it with the...
/ When Sporting News halted printing of the long running Sporting News Record Book in 1942, they replaced it with the Sporting News Guide in 1943, a companion publication to the Sporting News Register, which began publication in 1940. After A.S Barnes stopped publication of their guide (successor to the long-running Spalding Baseball Guide), the Sporting News Guide became the official MLB guide.
Gene Mack began his career as cartoonist for the sports pages of the Boston Globe in 1915. The cartoons in...
/ Gene Mack began his career as cartoonist for the sports pages of the Boston Globe in 1915. The cartoons in this collection depict Major League ball parks and famous players of the era. Accompanying each full page cartoon is a page of text featuring a little history and a description of the field pictured.
Gene Mack began his career as cartoonist for the sports pages of the Boston Globe in 1915. The cartoons in...
/ Gene Mack began his career as cartoonist for the sports pages of the Boston Globe in 1915. The cartoons in this collection depict Major League ball parks and famous players of the era. Accompanying each full page cartoon is a page of text featuring a little history and a description of the field pictured.
