Napoleon Larry Lajoie will dominate his sport and become so popular that long before being called the “Indians” or, more recently, the “Guardians”, the Cleveland team will bear the name “Naps”, a direct reference to the first name of Joy.
A migration that reflects the context of the time
Between 1840 and 1930, nearly a million French Canadians migrated to the United States to try to improve their lot.
Whether due to the scarcity of land or the attraction of more advanced American industrial development, many of them, like the parents of Napoléon Lajoie, took the road to the Midwest or New England.
Napoleon was born in Woonsocket (Rhode Island) in 1874. With little schooling and the youngest in a family of eleven children, he began working very early as a sweeper in a textile factory.
A young street sweeper in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in 1915. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
A meteoric rise
As soon as he puts on a baseball glove and starts hitting with authority while playing in a semi-professional league, people will notice Lajoie’s talent. In 1895, the Philadelphia Phillies bought out his contract and Lajoie would never look back.
It was during this time in the City of Brotherly Love that he maintained a record batting average of .422.
Having become a star used to promote various products, Lajoie joined the Cleveland team in 1905. Its popularity is such that the team changes its name!
Advertisement using Napoléon Lajoie in 1906. Photo courtesy Baseball History Daily
Advertisement for Red Devil. Photo courtesy, Baseball History Daily
The one nicknamed the “Frenchman”, because of his origins, does not deny his first name “Napoleon”, but he always preferred that of “Larry” which we find on the autographs.
Map of Napoleon Lajoie in 1911. Photo courtesy New England Historical Society
Autograph of Lajoie, who preferred to sign “Larry Lajoie”. Photo courtesy, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Napoléon Lajoie injured after being cramped (1905). Photo courtesy, This day in baseball
An anthology duel against Ty Cobb
This Baseball Hall of Famer’s (1937) career was stellar, as evidenced by a career average of .339, 3,251 hits and defensive dominance for six consecutive years.
During 1910, an epic battle for the title of best hitter pitted him against the famous Ty Cobb. The ending was worthy of a Hollywood scenario.
Believing himself assured of the title with two games to go, Cobb will prefer not to play to protect his .385 average. Lajoie will play these two games, going for a performance of eight shots in eight appearances during a doubleheader.
Despite this spectacular performance, Ty Cobb enjoyed a lead of .0001! Alleging further that Lajoie had benefited from corruption (we hated Cobb) to turn an error into a hit, they lowered his average to .384, with Cobb seizing the title.
In 1978, journalists from Sporting News discovered an error in the compilation of statistics for the year 1910. Lajoie thus becomes the best hitter of this crazy season, but 58 years later!!!
The son of a French-Canadian farmer and speaking English while never losing his command of French, Lajoie is often considered the first star of modern baseball.
Napoléon Lajoie and Ty Cobb, in 1910. Photo courtesy, New England Historical Society
2024-04-13 04:00:42
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