{{Short description|American baseball player (1888–1962)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Hugh High |image=HighHugh.jpg |position=Outfielder |bats=Left |throws=Left |birth_date={{Birth date|1888|10|24}} |birth_place=Pottstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |death_date={{death date and age|1962|11|16|1887|10|24}} |death_place=St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 11 |debutyear=1913 |debutteam=Detroit Tigers |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=May 22 |finalyear=1918 |finalteam=New York Yankees |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.250 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=3 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=123 |teams= *Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1913}}–{{mlby|1914}}) *New York Yankees ({{mlby|1915}}–{{mlby|1918}}) |highlights= }} '''Hugh Jenkin High''' (October 24, 1888 – November 16, 1962), nicknamed "'''Bunny''',"<ref name=BR>{{cite web| title = Hugh High | publisher=Sports Reference LLC | work = Baseball-Reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/highhu01.shtml | accessdate=April 4, 2016 }}</ref> was an American baseball player. He played professional baseball as an outfielder for 15 years from 1911 to 1925, including six years in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers in 1913 and 1914 and for the New York Yankees from 1915 through 1918. He compiled a career batting average of .250 and led the American League's outfielders with a .981 fielding percentage in 1915. He later played for the Vernon Tigers in the Pacific Coast League from 1919 to 1923.
==Early years== High was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in 1888.<ref name=BR/> He is the older brother of Andy High and Charlie High, both of whom also played in Major League Baseball<ref name=BR/>
==Professional baseball== High began playing professional baseball with the Hartford Senators in 1911 and 1912. He compiled a .327 batting average in 1912.<ref name=BR2>{{cite web| title = Hugh High Minor League Statistics | publisher=Sports Reference LLC | work = Baseball-Reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/highhu01.shtml | accessdate = April 4, 2016 }}</ref>
After the 1912 season, High signed with the Detroit Tigers as insurance in the event Ty Cobb held out due to a salary dispute.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hugh High May Get Tyrus Cobb's Mantle|newspaper=Arizona Republic|date=December 8, 1912|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4836478/hugh_high_may_get_tyrus_cobbs_mantle/|via=Newspapers.com}} </ref> Cobb did hold out during the early weeks of the 1913 season, and High stepped in as the Tigers' starting center fielder.<ref name=obit/> During the 1913 and 1914 seasons, High appeared in 171 games for the Tigers, principally as a backup for Ty Cobb in center field, and compiled a .248 batting average and .349 on-base percentage.<ref name=BR/>
On February 4, 1915, High was sold to the New York Yankees along with Wally Pipp.<ref>{{cite news|title=Buy High and Pipp|newspaper=The Scranton Truth|date=February 5, 1915|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4836644/buy_high_and_pipp/|via=Newspapers.com}} </ref> Between 1915 and 1918, High appeared in 345 games for the Yankees, served as the team's starting left fielder in 1916 and 1917, and compiled a .250 batting average and .343 on-base percentage. He also led all American League outfielders with a .981 fielding percentage in 1915.<ref name=BR/>
He appeared in his final major league game on May 22, 1918,<ref name=BR/> although continued to play in the minor leagues for several years thereafter. From 1919 to 1923, he played for the Vernon Tigers in the Pacific Coast League. His best season with Vernon was 1923 when he compiled a .340 batting average and .461 on-base percentage in 132 games.<ref name=BR2/> He concluded his playing career with the Columbus Senators in 1924 and Reading Keystones in 1925.<ref name=BR2/>
==Later years== thumb|right|200px|High's grave at Bellefontaine Cemetery
In November 1962, Hugh died at Park Lane Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, after a long illness.<ref name=obit>{{cite news|title=Hugh High Dies; Former Big Leaguer|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=November 18, 1962|page=36|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4836853/hugh_high_dies/|via=Newspapers.com}} </ref> He was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.<ref name=BR/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|br=h/highhu01}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:High, Hugh}} Category:1888 births Category:1962 deaths Category:Detroit Tigers players Category:New York Yankees players Category:Major League Baseball outfielders Category:Hartford Senators players Category:Vernon Tigers players Category:Columbus Senators players Category:Reading Keystones players Category:Baseball players from Pottstown, Pennsylvania Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Burials at Bellefontaine Cemetery