Frank Selee

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Frank Gibson Selee (October 26, 1859 - July 5, 1909) was a successful Major League Baseball manager in the National League. Selee was born in Amherst, NH. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

The curious baseball story of Selee began when he left a Waltham, Mass., factory in 1884 to form a minor league team. He was reticent, publicity shy and melancholy in appearance because of dark eyes and a thick mustache that dominated his gaunt face. But he quickly showed an ability to assess talent and put yogether championship teams, which landed him the Boston job in 1890.

Selee managed the Boston Beaneaters (1890-1901) and the Chicago Cubs (1902-1905). His Beaneaters captured five NL pennants during his tenure (1891-93, 1897-98). His 1892 team, aided by the first 150-game schedule in history, became the first team to win 100 games in a season. With the Cubs, he created the famous Tinker to Evers to Chance infield combination, primarily by converting Chance from a catcher to a first baseman. Although he had to retire early due to illness, he had built the foundation of a baseball dynasty, and the Cubs won the pennant four times in the five seasons after he left.

When his carrer ended too soon, he won 1,284 games and had a winning percentage of .598.

Selee died of consumption at the age of 49 in Denver, CO.^[1] He was laid to rest at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose, MA.^[2]

[edit] Trivia

An animated representation of Selee appeared, as a speaking role, by name, in the 1991 episode "Batter Up" in Back to the Future: The Animated Series, which involved Marty and the Brown children traveling back to 1891 to help one of Marty's ancestors, a player for the Beaneaters, to improve his game.

[edit] References

1. ^ DeadBallEra.com - Selee's Obituary. Retrieved October 25, 2006.
2. ^ FindAGrave.com. Retrieved October 25, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Baseball Hall of Fame biography
• Baseball-Reference.com - managerial statistics and analysis
• BaseballLibrary.com

Preceded by Jim Hart	Boston Beaneaters Managers 1890-1901	Succeeded by Al Buckenberger
Preceded by Tom Loftus	Chicago Orphans/Cubs Manager 1902-1905	Succeeded by Frank Chance

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v • d • e Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1999 BBWAA Vote George Brett (98.19%) • Nolan Ryan (98.79%) • Robin Yount (77.46%) Veterans Committee Orlando Cepeda • Nestor Chylak • Frank Selee • Joe Williams J. G. Taylor Spink Award Bob Stevens Ford C. Frick Award Arch McDonald