Ginger Beaumont

Who was Ginger Beaumont?

Clarence Howeth "Ginger" Beaumont was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Braves. He was born in Rochester, Wisconsin, and attended Beloit College. During the years 1900-1904 – with the Pirates winning pennants from 1901-03 – Beaumont led the National League in hits three times, scored 100 runs four times, leading the league once, and also captured the 1902 batting championship with a .357 mark. As the Pirates' regular leadoff hitter, he was the first player ever to bat in a World Series game.

Nicknamed "Ginger" for his thick red hair, he used his excellent speed to great advantage; on the day before his 23rd birthday in his rookie season, he had six infield singles and became the first player to score six runs in a game. He was also the first player in major league history to lead his league in hits three consecutive years, which has been accomplished by only five others; he led the NL in hits a fourth time with the 1907 Braves.