# Harry Bemis
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{{short description|American baseball player (1874-1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Harry Bemis
|image=Harry Bemis.jpg
|width=175
|position=[Catcher](/source/Catcher)
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date|1874|2|1}}
|birth_place=[Farmington, New Hampshire](/source/Farmington%2C_New_Hampshire), U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1947|5|23|1874|2|1}}
|death_place=[Cleveland, Ohio](/source/Cleveland%2C_Ohio), U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 23
|debutyear=1902
|debutteam=Cleveland Naps
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=August 15
|finalyear=1910
|finalteam=Cleveland Naps
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
|stat1value=.255
|stat2label=[Home run](/source/Home_run)s
|stat2value=5
|stat3label=[Runs batted in](/source/Run_batted_in)
|stat3value=234
|teams=
*[Cleveland Naps](/source/Cleveland_Indians) ({{baseball year|1902}}–{{baseball year|1910}})
}}
'''Harry Parker Bemis''' (February 1, 1874 – May 23, 1947) was an American [catcher](/source/catcher) in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball). Nicknamed "Handsome Harry,"[[http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_B/Bemis.Harry.Obit.html "Harry Bemis' Obit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171023/http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_B/Bemis.Harry.Obit.html |date=March 3, 2016 }}. ''thedeadballera.com''. Retrieved 2010-10-29.] he played with the [Cleveland Naps](/source/Cleveland_Indians) from 1902 to 1910. He batted right and threw right. In his nine-year career, he [batted](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)) .255, with five [home run](/source/home_run)s, 569 [hits](/source/Hit_(baseball)), 234 [runs batted in](/source/Run_batted_in), 214 [runs scored](/source/Run_(baseball)), and 49 [stolen base](/source/stolen_base)s. He stood at 5'6" and weighed 155 pounds.
==Biography==
Born in [Farmington, New Hampshire](/source/Farmington%2C_New_Hampshire), Bemis started his professional baseball career in 1899 in the [Eastern League](/source/International_League). He played three years for the Toronto Royals. In 1901, he hit .307[[https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bemis-001har "Harry Bemis Minor League Statistics & History"]. ''baseball-reference.com''. Retrieved 2010-10-29.] and was acquired by the [American League](/source/American_League)'s Cleveland Naps. He made his major league debut in 1902. That season, he hit a career-high .312 and led all AL catchers in [assists](/source/Assist_(baseball)) and [caught stealing](/source/caught_stealing)s. Bemis was Cleveland's primary catcher for the rest of the decade. In 1903, he led the league's catchers in [fielding percentage](/source/fielding_percentage). His batting average went down to .226 in 1904, but he improved the next two seasons to .292 and .276 with [OPS+](/source/OPS%2B) totals of over 100.
In June 1907, Bemis was run over at home plate by [Ty Cobb](/source/Ty_Cobb). The Tigers' star was trying for an [inside-the-park home run](/source/inside-the-park_home_run) and knocked Bemis down, jarring the ball loose in the process. Bemis then picked the ball up and beat Cobb over the head with it before he was restrained by the umpire; Bemis was also ejected from the game. Cobb later claimed that Bemis was one of only two intentional spiking targets in his entire career.[[http://wso.williams.edu/~jkossuth/cobb/running.htm "Cobb's Baserunning Abilities"]. ''wso.williams.edu''. Retrieved 2010-10-29.][[https://books.google.com/books?id=d1QEAAAAMBAJ ''LIFE'', Mar 24, 1952, p. 73.]]
In 1908, Bemis hit just .224, and his playing time declined. He continued to hit poorly in the following seasons; in 1911, he went down to the minor leagues with the [American Association](/source/American_Association_(20th_century))'s [Columbus Senators](/source/Columbus_Red_Birds). He also played in the [International League](/source/International_League), [Southern Association](/source/Southern_Association), and [New York State League](/source/New_York_State_League_(1885%E2%80%931917)).