Baseball outfielder William Cree, New York, holding a baseball bat, standing in a batting stance prior to game against White Sox 1909 Photo SUMMARY Informal full-length portrait of baseball player Birdie Cree of the American League's New York Yankees baseball team, holding a baseball bat, standing in a batting stance in front of bleachers on the field at South Side Park, located at West 37th Street, South Princeton Avenue, West Pershing Road (formerly West 39th Street), and South Wentworth Avenue in the Armour Square community area of Chicago, Illinois. Two unidentified New York players are standing in the background. SDN-055104, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society. A fleet-footed outfielder, William Cree picked up his nicknamed because he stood 5 ft 6 inches and weighed 150 pounds. An all-around player during the dead ball era when the baseball was slightly larger in size and heavier in weight, Birdie Cree was a solid batsman and a highly rated fielder. He played his entire career with the New York Highlanders (later nicknamed the Yankees), 1908-1915. In 1911 Birdie Cree hit a career-high .348, fifth highest in the American League, and had 267 total bases, also fifth highest in the league. That season he stole 48 bases, scored 90 runs and had 88 RBIs. Birdie Cree posted a .292 career batting average, with 761 hits in 2,603 at bats. He was born and raised in Khedive PA. |