George LaChance
First base
1902 Boston AL
“The playing of LaChance at first was simply marvelous. He made four long range pick-ups, two of which seemed impossible.”
— Boston Globe, August 15, 1902
Nap Lajoie
Second base
1902 Cleveland AL
“Lajoie had a run in with Umpire Johnstone and was relegated to the bench. The Clevelands played poorly. Lajoie was missed. It was a pity that Lajoie and Johnstone could not agree.”
— Cleveland Leader, July 29, 1902
Lajoie was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937.
Billy Lauder
Third base
1903 New York NL
Bonner sent a “hot one to Lauder, who made a phenomenal stop and throw to first.”
— New York World, May 2, 1903
Tommy Leach
Third base
1903 Pittsburgh NL
“Leach accepted seven chances at third without a slip.”
— Pittsburgh Post, October 7, 1903
Wyatt Lee
Outfield and pitcher
1902 Washington AL
“Wyatt Lee brought the crowd to its feet when he pulled down Anderson’s line drive into left that looked good for a triple, and then backed into the fence a moment later and captured McCormick’s drive.”
— Washington Star, August 14, 1902
Phil Lewis
Shortstop
1905 Brooklyn NL
The game was saved by a great stop and “lightning throw of shortstop Phil Lewis. Shout after shout bellowed from the throats of the rooters for the new baseball hero. Hats flew in the air, while pandemonium reigned.”
— Brooklyn Standard Union, April 29, 1905
Glenn Liebhardt
Pitcher
1906 Cleveland AL
Liebhardt displayed “a dazzling assortment of curves and shoots. He also gave his famous spit ball a chance and it proved effective.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 3, 1906
Vive Lindaman
Pitcher
1906 Boston NL
“Lindaman worked harder in the intense heat than any farmhand ever worked. He outpitched Mathewson at all stages of the game.”
— Boston Globe, July 1, 1906
Paddy Livingston
Catcher
1906 Cincinnati NL
“Livingston caught his first game in big league company, and showed very well. He cut down such fast men as Slagle, Tinker and Chance in attempts to steal.”
— Cincinnati Enquirer, April 28, 1906
Hans Lobert
Shortstop
1907 Cincinnati NL
The work of shortstop Lobert was “particularly brilliant. He accepted nine chances, and his throwing was like rifle practice for speed and accuracy.”
— Cincinnati Enquirer, August 12, 1907
Tom Loftus
Manager
1902 Washington AL
“Manager Loftus has made good his promise to strengthen his team whenever the opportunity offered. His signing of Jack Doyle was a move in that direction.”
— Washington Post, July 7, 1902
Bris Lord
Outfield
1905 Philadelphia AL
“Lord made a peach drive for two bases over the left fielder’s head.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer, September 26, 1905
Harry Lord
Third base
1908 Boston AL
“Harry Lord smashed the ball over the center fielder’s head for a swell home run and Boston was three runs to the good.”
— Boston Globe, August 29, 1908
Bobby Lowe
Second base
1903 Chicago NL
“Lowe accepted eleven chances. The only thing that got away from him was a fast hit close to second base, which he partially blocked, but couldn’t pick up in time.”
— Chicago Tribune, June 10, 1903
Bill Ludwig
Catcher
1908 St. Louis NL
“Ludwig caught a splendid game, and four of the Boston runners died trying to steal.”
— St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 26, 1908
Harry Lumley
Right field
1904 Brooklyn NL
“The hit looked safe, but Lumley ran for all he was worth and just as he reached the ball, he shot out his bare hand and caught it. He had to doff his cap when he returned to the bench.”
— Brooklyn Times, August 12, 1904
Carl Lundgren
Pitcher
1903 Chicago NL
The Giants “laced Lundgren’s curves to the unprotected spots” of the field.
— Chicago Tribune, June 5, 1903
Billy Lush
Utility
1903 Detroit AL
In left field, Billy Lush “starred in a couple of pull downs, one a foul fly taken behind the left field bleachers.”
— Detroit Free Press, August 16, 1903
Johnny Lush
Pitcher and outfield
1906 Philadelphia NL
“In the sixth inning the Giants tallied seven runs on an avalanche of base hits. Why Manager Duffy kept Lush in the box so long remains one of those mysteries which never will be solved.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer, June 26, 1906