Harry Niles

Who was Harry Niles?

Herbert Clyde Niles was an outfielder/infielder in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams between the 1906 and 1910 seasons. Listed at 5 ft 8 in 175 lb., Niles batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Buchanan, Michigan.

Niles entered the majors in 1906 with the St. Louis Browns, playing for them two years before joining the New York Highlanders, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Naps. A valuable utility man and aggressive base runner, he scored 71 runs and stole 30 bases in his rookie season. Then, in 1907 hit career-numbers with a .289 and a .331 on-base percentage while collecting 65 runs and 19 steals, and in 1909 posted career-numbers in games, RBI and extrabases.

On Jun 30, 1908, Niles broke up the perfect game bid of Boston pitcher Cy Young, when batting leadoff for New York walked, then caught stealing. Young retired the next 26 batters and had to conform with a no-hitter. Then, on Aug 30, 1910, New York's Tom Hughes retired 28 batters before surrendering a 10-inning single to Cleveland's Niles.