Victor Sylvester Saier (May 4, 1891 – May 14, 1967) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1919. He played for the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Saier stood at 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and weighed 185 lbs.[1]
Career
Vic Saier was born in Lansing, Michigan, and attended St. Mary's High School.[1] He started his professional baseball career in 1910. In his first season, with the Lansing Senators, he led the Southern Michigan League in hits, doubles, and total bases,[2] and he was purchased by the Chicago Cubs for $1,500.[1]
Saier joined the Cubs in 1911. During his rookie season, starting first baseman, manager, and future Hall of Famer Frank Chance got injured, and Saier replaced him.[3] He batted .259 in 86 games.[1] The next season, he raised his average to .288 in his first season as an MLB starter; in 1913, he hit his peak, setting career-highs in nearly every offensive category while leading the National League in triples, with 21.[1]
In July 1915, Saier was leading the league in runs batted in when he suffered a leg injury that kept him out of the lineup for three weeks.[3] He continued to put up decent numbers, but then he injured his leg again early in 1917 that sidelined him for almost the entire year.[4] Saier was then purchased by the Pirates before 1919. After batting just .223 in 58 games that season, he was released.[3]
In 865 games over eight seasons, Saier posted a .263 batting average (775-for-2948) with 455 runs, 143 doubles, 61 triples, 55 home runs, 396 RBIs, 121 stolen bases, 378 bases on balls, .351 on-base percentage and .409 slugging percentage. Defensively, he recorded a .986 fielding percentage playing every inning of his career at first base.[1]
Saier was married and had two daughters and a son. He died in East Lansing, Michigan, at the age of 76.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Vic Saier Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ "1910 Southern Michigan League Batting Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ a b c d Gordon, Peter. "Vic Saier". bioproj.sabr.org. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ "Vic Saier Chronology" Archived October 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. baseballlibrary.com. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)