Pete Fox

Who was Pete Fox?

Ervin "Pete" Fox was an American professional baseball player from 1930 to 1946. He played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a right fielder, for the Detroit Tigers from 1933 to 1940 and the Boston Red Sox from 1941 to 1945. Though his given name was Ervin, Fox became known as "Pete" in 1932 when fans in Beaumont, Texas, dubbed him "Rabbit" in reference to his speed, with the nickname reportedly evolving into "Peter Rabbit" and then simply "Pete".

Fox compiled a .298 career batting average and finished among the American League leaders in batting average four times -- 8th in 1935, 10th in 1937, 9th in 1943, and 6th in 1944. His .321 average in 1935 was third highest on the Tigers team that defeated the Chicago Cubs in the 1935 World Series. Fox also ranked among the American League leaders in stolen bases on seven occasions between 1934 and 1944.