The Phillies had an unlikely star in Cravath, who became one of the best power hitters of the dead-ball era. Philadelphia played their home games in the Baker Bowl, a hitter-friendly park whose small dimensions were taken advantage of by Cravath. He would win the National League Home Run Title six times, and while his numbers seem pedestrian, today, it was an incredible accomplishment for its time. Cravath also showed good place discipline, twice leading the league in On Base Percentage, and he also led the NL in Slugging Percentage twice, OPS three times, and RBIs twice. He also helped the Phillies win the National League Pennant in 1915.
Cravath’s play fell off in 1920, but he was 39 at the time. He retired shortly after. He left the game with 119 Home Runs, a record for the century until it was destroyed by a player named Babe Ruth.
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