| Mark Koenig | |
|---|---|
 Koenig, circa 1928 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born:(1904-07-19)July 19, 1904 San Francisco, California, U.S. | |
| Died: April 22, 1993(1993-04-22) (aged 88) Willows, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 8, 1925, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1936, for the New York Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .279 |
| Hits | 1,190 |
| Runs batted in | 446 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Mark Anthony Koenig (July 19, 1904 – April 22, 1993) was an Americanbaseballshortstop who played twelve seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played with theNew York Yankees,Detroit Tigers,Chicago Cubs,Cincinnati Reds andNew York Giants from 1925 to 1936. Aswitch hitter who threw right-handed, he was listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg). Although primarily playing as a shortstop, Koenig was utilized at bothsecond base andthird base as well.
Koenig playedminor league baseball with four different teams until May 1925, when he signed with the New York Yankees. After making his debut in September 1925 and spending five seasons with the Yankees, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers, where he spent the next two seasons. He subsequently joined the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds via trades in 1932 and 1934, respectively, and was finally traded to the New York Giants, with whom he played his last game on September 27, 1936. Koenig is most famous for being the last surviving member of theMurderers' Row.
Koenig was born on July 19, 1904, in San Francisco.[1] His father, Charles Koenig, and paternal grandfather William were bothbricklayers, with the latter havingimmigrated from Germany to the United States.[2][self-published source] His mother Stella[2] was ofSwiss descent.[3] Koenig had two brothers and a sister, and, during his childhood, he first met and played baseball with fellow San Franciscan and future teammateTony Lazzeri.[2] He attendedLowell High School in his hometown, butdropped out at the age of 16 in order to pursue a career in baseball. His high school eventually bestowed upon him his diploma in 1988. Koenig, who was 83 at the time, described the honor as a complete surprise.[4]
Koenig first started playing organized baseball on the Moose Jaw Millers team in theWestern Canada League.[5] It was here he was first spotted by Bob Connery, ascout who worked for theNew York Yankees organization. After the league collapsed in the middle of the season, he proceeded to play with theSt. Paul Saints, aminor league baseball team which competed in theAmerican Association. He spent nearly the next four seasons with the team; during this time, he had brief sojourns with theJamestown Jinkotans and theDes Moines Boosters in order to garner more playing experience.[2][5]
Koenig returned to St. Paul in1924 and though he spent the entire season with the team, he played just 68 games for them.[5] At the end of the season, the Saints advanced to theLittle World Series, where they faced theInternational League'sBaltimore Orioles. Having had limited playing time, it was in Game 5 where he finally had the opportunity to prove himself.[2] Danny Boone, St. Paul's startingshortstop, injured his ankle duringbatting practice.[3][6] Although the rules at the time stipulated the Saints could temporarily utilize a player from another American Association team to replace Boone, the Orioles objected[2] and the National Association president ruled Koenig constituted an ample substitute for Boone. He proved to be exactly that when he scored the Saints' only run via ahome run. He finished the Little World Series with a .429batting average and 2 home runs, including one hit offLefty Grove.[7][6] His stellar performance in the series resulted in at least seven MLB teams seeking to acquire him in the offseason.[3] However, he stayed with the Saints for the first part of the1925 season before he was traded on May 29 to theNew York Yankees in exchange forFred Hofmann,Oscar Roettger, $50,000 ($896,490 in current dollar terms) and aplayer to be named later (Ernie Johnson).[1][8]
Koenig made his major league debut for the Yankees on September 8, 1925, at the age of 21,[1] entering the game as adefensive substitute for shortstopPee-Wee Wanninger in a 5–4 win against theBoston Red Sox.[9] During his rookie season thefollowing year, he posted abatting average of .271 andstruck out just 37 times in 617at bats,[1] a statistic which his managerMiller Huggins looked highly upon.[2] Defensively, he committed the mosterrors among all fielders in theAmerican League and most errors by a shortstop with 52. Nonetheless, he had the AL's third highestrange factor at shortstop of 4.99 and made a league-leading 470putouts.[1] In thepostseason, the Yankees advanced to the1926 World Series, where they lost to theSt. Louis Cardinals in seven games.[10] In the crucial Game 7, Koenig made an error attempting to field adouble play opportunity in the fourth inning. This eventually led to the Cardinals scoring what turned out to be the winning run in a 3–2 victory. Koenig was subsequently criticized by fans for being responsible for Yankees losing the game and, ultimately, the series.[2]
Koenig was penciled into the two-hole spot in the Yankees'1927Opening Daylineup, withEarle Combs batting in front of him atleadoff andBabe Ruth,Lou Gehrig,Bob Meusel andTony Lazzeri batting behind him.[11] This lineup, which was utilized in that order throughout the majority ofthe season, was given the nickname "Murderers' Row". Many sports analysts, baseball writers and fans consider the 1927 team the greatest baseball team of all time.[12][13][14] Although he was dismissive of the role he played,[15] Koenig contributed to the team's success as he batted .285 and amassed 150hits, 11triples, 99runs scored and 62runs batted in. However, he once again led the league in errors with 47, but compensated for this by recording the highest range factor at shortstop (5.61) and third most assists at shortstop (423).[1] He was also part of history when, after hitting a triple, he was the only Yankees' player on base whenBabe Ruth set a new single-season record by hitting his milestone 60th home run.[15] The Yankees advanced to the World Seriesthat year, where they swept thePittsburgh Pirates. Koenig performed impressively throughout the series, leading the team with a .500 batting average while committing no errors in 24total chances.[16]
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On May 30, 1930, the Yankees traded Koenig andWaite Hoyt to theDetroit Tigers forOwnie Carroll,Harry Rice, andYats Wuestling.[17]
In 1162 games over 12 seasons, Koenig posted a .279batting average (1190-for-4271) with 572runs, 195doubles, 49triples, 28home runs, 446RBIs, 31stolen bases, 222bases on balls, .316on-base percentage and .367slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .933fielding percentage playing primarily at shortstop, third and second base. In 20 World Series games, he batted .237 (18-for-76) with 9 runs, 3 doubles, 1 triple and 5 RBI.[1]
In June 1928, Koenig became engaged to Katherine Tremaine, whom he married at the end ofthat year's baseball season.[18] Together, they had one daughter, Gail, who was born in 1930.[7] He later was remarried to Doris Bailey,[19] who died in 1979.[20] He appeared as himself inThe Pride of the Yankees, anAcademy Award-winning movie released in 1942 which paid tribute to his fellow Yankees teammateLou Gehrig.[21] After his baseball career ended, he settled back in his hometown and took up several jobs, namely owninggas stations and working as abrewer.[16]
Beginning in 1982, Koenig's health began to deteriorate. In addition to thelung cancer which had developed as a three-pack-a-day smoker,[7][20] he also suffered fromgout, poor eyesight andback pain necessitating the use of a cane. Because of these ailments, he moved toOrland, California, in 1986 in order to live with his daughter and her family.[22][23] He died of cancer[23] on April 22, 1993, inWillows, California, at the age of 88 and wascremated.[1] He had outlived his two wives[22] and was survived by his daughter, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving member of the1927 New York Yankees starting lineup, nicknamed "Murderers' Row".[23] He was also the last surviving member of the 1928 World Champion New York Yankees.
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