Quick Facts
Biography
Harry Donald Lord (March 8, 1882 – August 9, 1948) was an American professional baseball player who was a member of the founding team of the Boston Red Sox in 1908.
Early life and education
Harry Lord was born in Porter, Maine on March 8, 1882, and graduated from Bates College in 1908. Lord was 25 years old when he began to play professionally in September 25, 1907, with the Boston Americans. Harry Lord was a third baseman for eleven years (1906–1915), one in college (1905), nine in the majors (1907–1915) and two in the minors (1906–1907). His first professional engagement was at Kezar Falls, Maine. He attended Bates College, where he graduated in 1908 and pitched for the baseball team.
Professional baseball career
Eastern league
He broke into Organized Baseball at age 24 in 1906, with Worcester in the New England League and the next year moved up to Providence in the Eastern League. His performance there caught the attention of the Boston Americans and, at 26 years of age, he began playing professionally on September 25, 1907, for Boston. He played for with the team for three years. On May 30, 1908, Washington Senators's Jerry Freeman's single was the only hit allowed by Boston's Cy Young. Lord had four hits to back Cy's pitching. On April 21, 1909, Lord stole home on the front end of a triple steal in the bottom of the seventh, with Tris Speaker taking third and Doc Gessler taking second. The Sox won the game, 6-2.
On June 30, 1910, the Philadelphia Athletics held a benefit for the widow and children of Mike "Doc" Powers, who had died a few days after the team opened Shibe Park in 1909. Players from the Washington, New York and Boston AL teams took part in a six-inning game against the A's, and also in pre-game contests before 12,000 fans. In one of these contests Lord was timed from home to first in 3.4 seconds.
The Red Sox (July 10, 1910 – August 9, 1910)
When on July 10, 1910, a Walter Johnson fastball broke Lord's finger, the stellar play of his substitute Clyde Engle made Lord expendable. In 1910, the Red Sox fielded ten men who had been or would become MLB managers – no other team in history as ever had more. Lord was joined in this feat by Bill Carrigan, Gavvy Cravath, Doc Gessler, Deacon McGuire, Tris Speaker, Jake Stahl, Bob Unglaub, Heinie Wagner, and Cy Young.
Chicago White Sox (August 9, 1910 – May 18, 1914)
He was traded to the Chicago White Sox on August 9, 1910, with Amby McConnell to the Chicago White Sox for Frank Smith, and Billy Purtell.
In 1911, while playing in Major League Baseball, he had 180 Hits, 103 Runs, 18 Doubles, 18 Triples, 3 Home Runs, 61 RBI and 43 Stolen Bases at (.321/.364/.433) in 141 Games.
On May 8, 1912, the White Sox beat the Washington Senators 7–6, ending Walter Johnson's five-game win streak; Johnson gave up two 2-run home runs, one to Lord in the first and another to Ping Bodie in the fifth. He played for the Pale Hose until 1914 but then got into a salary squabble with owner Charlie Comiskey.
He held out on the Sox, returning for a few games only to demand his release, and disappeared again when Comiskey turned him down.
Federal League
Buffalo Buffeds (1914–1915)
In 1915, the Buffalo Buffeds of the Federal League announced they had signed Lord. When he reported to Chicago in 1914, he was blacklisted by mutual consent of the American and National League owners.
For the 1915 season, the Buffalo team changed its name from the Buffeds to the Blues. Manager Larry Schlafly, was fired form his position June 4. He was replaced temporarily by catcher Walter Blair and then by Lord, who had joined the Blues only eight days before. Buffalo star Hal Chase and Lord were business associates and close friends. Once the managerial change was made, Chase, who had been slumping under Schafly, suddenly came to life.
He batted .328 for the remainder of the 1915 season and led the Federal League in home runs with 17. Lord and Chase took them from the cellar to sixth place with a (59-48) record.
When the Federal League folded, Lord was still blacklisted in the remaining Major Leagues. Lord played his last MLB game on September 27, 1915 at age 33.
Life after baseball
He managed several minor league teams, ending his baseball career in 1925 at age 43.
At times, Lord inspired his teammates with his hustle, earning him the White Sox captaincy; at other times, it seemed he didn't want to play. The two years he batted more than .310 (1909 and 1911), he followed with marks of .267. In 1913, he set single-season American League records for fewest chances accepted (364) and fewest assists (221) by a third baseman in 150 or more games.
After managing in the minors, he entered a number of business ventures in Portland, Maine. His hobbies were "my son and my daughter".
Death and legacy
He died at age 64 on August 9, 1948 in Hospital in Westbrook, Maine, where he had been the last four months of his life and is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Kezar Falls. Surviving him were his wife, his daughter and his son.
Overall record
Overall in MLB, he had 1,024 Hits, 506 Runs, 107 Doubles, 70 Triples, 14 Home Runs, 294 RBI and 206 Stolen Bases at (.277/.326/.356) in 972 Games.