Larry Doyle

Who was Larry Doyle?

Lawrence Joseph Doyle, nicknamed "Laughing Larry," was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball from 1907 to 1920 who played almost his entire career for the New York Giants. The National League's outstanding second baseman during the 1910s, he was awarded the 1912 Chalmers Award as the league's best player, and won the 1915 batting title with a .320 average. The team captain and top everyday star on three consecutive pennant winners, his .408 career slugging average was the top mark by an NL second baseman when he retired, as were his career totals in hits, doubles, triples, total bases and extra base hits. He ended his career among the major league leaders in career games, putouts, assists, total chances and double plays at second base, and set Giants franchise records for career games, at bats and doubles, each of which was broken by Bill Terry.