# Jake Early

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{{short description|American baseball player (1915-1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Jake Early
|image=Jake Early.jpg
|position=[Catcher](/source/Catcher)
|birth_date={{birth date|1915|5|19}}
|birth_place=[Kings Mountain, North Carolina](/source/Kings_Mountain%2C_North_Carolina), U.S.
|death_date={{Death date and age|1985|5|31|1915|5|19}}
|death_place=[Melbourne, Florida](/source/Melbourne%2C_Florida), U.S.
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=May 4
|debutyear=1939
|debutteam=Washington Senators
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 30
|finalyear=1949
|finalteam=Washington Senators
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
|stat1value=.241
|stat2label=[Home run](/source/Home_run)s
|stat2value=32
|stat3label=[Runs batted in](/source/Runs_batted_in)
|stat3value=264
|teams=
* [Washington Senators](/source/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%9360)) ({{mlby|1939}}–{{mlby|1943}}, {{mlby|1946}})
* [St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns) ({{mlby|1947}})
* [Washington Senators](/source/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%9360)) ({{mlby|1948}}–{{mlby|1949}})
|highlights=
* [All-Star](/source/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game) ([1943](/source/1943_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game))
}}
'''Jacob Willard Early''' (May 19, 1915 – May 31, 1985) was an American professional [baseball](/source/baseball) player.<ref name="Jake Early">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/earlyja01.shtml |title=Jake Early |work=Baseball Reference |access-date=26 June 2011 }}</ref> He played in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) as a [catcher](/source/catcher) for the [Washington Senators](/source/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%9360)) and the [St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns).<ref name="Jake Early"/> Early was a left-hand-hitting batter and was known for his skill at catching the [knuckleball](/source/knuckleball).<ref name="Early dies">{{cite news |title=Early dies |agency=Associated Press |work=The Times-News |page=15 |date=31 May 1985 |access-date=27 June 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x7sbAAAAIBAJ&pg=3461,5508828&dq=jake+early&hl=en}}</ref>

==Baseball career==
Born in [Kings Mountain, North Carolina](/source/Kings_Mountain%2C_North_Carolina), Early began his [professional baseball](/source/professional_baseball) career in {{Baseball year|1936}} at the age of 21 with the Jacksonville Tars of the [South Atlantic League](/source/South_Atlantic_League_(1904%E2%80%931963)).<ref name="Jake Early minor league statistics">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=early-001jac |title=Jake Early minor league statistics |work=Baseball Reference |access-date=26 June 2011 }}</ref> By {{Baseball year|1938}}, he had moved up to the [Charlotte Hornetts](/source/Charlotte_Hornets_(baseball)) of the [Piedmont League](/source/Piedmont_League) where he posted a .316 [batting average](/source/batting_average_(baseball)) in 97 games.<ref name="Jake Early minor league statistics"/> Early made his major league debut with the Washington Senators on May 4, [1939](/source/1939_Washington_Senators_season) at the age of 24.<ref name="Jake Early"/> He served as a reserve catcher, backing up future [Baseball Hall of Fame](/source/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame) member, [Rick Ferrell](/source/Rick_Ferrell). Former catcher and Senators coach [Benny Bengough](/source/Benny_Bengough) helped Early develop his catching skills.<ref name="Jake Early: He Was Known as The Chattering Catcher">{{cite magazine |author=Tingley |first=Ken |date=November 1985 |title=Jake Early: He Was Known as The Chattering Catcher |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_baseball-digest_1985-11_44_11 |url-access=limited |access-date=2025-03-11 |work=Baseball Digest |pages=86-89 |volume=44 |issue=11}}</ref>

The Senators traded Ferrell to the St. Louis Browns in May [1941](/source/1941_Washington_Senators_season), leaving Early to share catching duties with [Al Evans](/source/Al_Evans). Early out-hit Evans and ended the season having caught the majority of the team's games with a career-high batting average of .284 along with 54 [runs batted in](/source/runs_batted_in) and a team-high 10 [home run](/source/home_run)s.<ref name="Jake Early"/> His hitting performance earned him the starting catcher's job in [1942](/source/1942_Washington_Senators_season).<ref>{{cite news |title=Training Camp Briefs |work=Reading Eagle |page=10 |date=4 April 1942 |access-date=27 June 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YoNhAAAAIBAJ&pg=4905,2485437&dq=jake+early&hl=en}}</ref> Although his batting average dropped to .204, he led American League catchers in [assists](/source/Assist_(baseball)) and in baserunners [caught stealing](/source/caught_stealing), and finished second in [putout](/source/putout)s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1942-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1942 American League Fielding Leaders |work=Baseball Reference.com |access-date=27 June 2011 }}</ref> Early developed a reputation as a talkative player on the field, using several methods to distract the hitter.<ref name="Jake Early: He Was Known as The Chattering Catcher"/> These methods of distraction included his imitation of a radio announcer's play-by-play commentary, an auctioneer's sales pitch and even singing.<ref name="Jake Early: He Was Known as The Chattering Catcher"/>

By [1943](/source/1943_Washington_Senators_season), Early was being recognized as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jake Early, Washington Catcher, Blames Yanks For His Improvement |agency=Associated Press |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |page=8 |date=30 July 1943 |access-date=26 June 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TLJeAAAAIBAJ&pg=4135,1789594&dq=jake+early&hl=en}}</ref> He had the arduous task of catching for a Senators' starting pitching staff that included four knuckleball pitchers. [Dutch Leonard](/source/Dutch_Leonard_(right-handed_pitcher)), [Johnny Niggeling](/source/Johnny_Niggeling), [Roger Wolff](/source/Roger_Wolff) and [Mickey Haefner](/source/Mickey_Haefner) all threw the notoriously difficult to catch knuckleball.<ref>{{cite news |title=Griffith to Keep Knuckle Ballers |agency=Associated Press |work=The Calgary Herald |page=14 |date=31 December 1943 |access-date=26 June 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MidkAAAAIBAJ&pg=6120,2944683&dq=jake+early&hl=en}}</ref> Further recognition came when he was selected to be the starting catcher for the American League in the [1943 All-Star Game](/source/1943_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS194307130.shtml |title=1943 All-Star Game |work=Baseball Reference.com |access-date=25 June 2011 }}</ref> The difficulty in catching the knuckleball was evident as Early led the league in [passed ball](/source/passed_ball)s allowed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1943-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1943 American League Fielding Leaders |work=Baseball Reference.com |access-date=27 June 2011 }}</ref>

In December 1943, Early was called into military service and was inducted into the United States Army.<ref>{{cite news |title=Knucklers or Bullets in Prospect for Early |work=Toledo Blade |date=31 December 1943 |access-date=26 June 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XdxOAAAAIBAJ&pg=4847,4302770&dq=jake+early&hl=en}}</ref> He was assigned to an artillery unit attached to the [87th Infantry Division](/source/87th_Division_(United_States)) and fought in the [Battle of the Bulge](/source/Battle_of_the_Bulge).<ref>{{cite web |title=Jake Early |url=http://baseballinwartime.blogspot.com/2009/12/battlefield-heroes-jake-early.html |access-date=27 June 2011 |website=Baseball in Wartime |archive-date=March 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318040629/http://baseballinwartime.blogspot.com/2009/12/battlefield-heroes-jake-early.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He lost two years of his baseball career while he served in the Army.<ref name="Jake Early"/>

After being discharged from military service, Early returned to play for the Senators in [1946](/source/1946_Washington_Senators_season) but, his two years absence from the game showed as he only managed to post a .201 average while sharing catching duties with Evans.<ref name="Jake Early"/> In December, the Senators traded Early to the St. Louis Browns for [Frank Mancuso](/source/Frank_Mancuso).<ref>{{cite news |title=Brooklyn Sends Galan to Reds for Ed Heusser |work=The Milwaukee Journal |page=8 |date=4 December 1946 |access-date=27 June 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Mi0aAAAAIBAJ&pg=4537,2447557&dq=jake+early&hl=en }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In [1947](/source/1947_St._Louis_Browns_season), he [platooned](/source/Platoon_system) alongside catcher [Les Moss](/source/Les_Moss), hitting for a .224 average along with a career-high [on-base percentage](/source/on-base_percentage) of .381 in 87 games.<ref name="Jake Early"/> Early was traded back to the Senators in March [1948](/source/1948_Washington_Senators_season) where, he once again shared catching duties with Evans.<ref name="Jake Early"/> He led the league in baserunners caught stealing and in caught stealing percentage, throwing out an impressive 63.8% of baserunners who attempted to steal a base, the eighth highest single-season percentage in baseball history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1948-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1948 American League Fielding Leaders |work=Baseball Reference.com |access-date=27 June 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/caught_stealing_perc_season.shtml |title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Caught Stealing Percentage |work=Baseball Reference.com |access-date=27 June 2011 }}</ref> In [1949](/source/1949_Washington_Senators_season), he split his playing time between the minor league [Chattanooga Lookouts](/source/Chattanooga_Lookouts) and the Washington Senators.<ref name="Jake Early"/><ref name="Jake Early minor league statistics"/> After being released by the Senators in February {{Baseball year|1950}}, he played five more seasons in [minor league baseball](/source/minor_league_baseball), including four seasons with the [Minneapolis Millers](/source/Minneapolis_Millers) before retiring in {{Baseball year|1954}} at the age of 39.<ref name="Jake Early minor league statistics"/>

==Career statistics==
In a nine-year major league career, Early played in 747 [games](/source/Games_played), accumulating 532 [hits](/source/Hit_(baseball)) in 2,208 [at bats](/source/at_bats) for a .241 career batting average along with 32 home runs, 264 runs batted in and an [on-base percentage](/source/on-base_percentage) of .330.<ref name="Jake Early"/> He ended his career with a .976 [fielding percentage](/source/fielding_percentage).<ref name="Jake Early"/> Early led American League catchers twice in baserunners caught stealing, once in caught stealing percentage and once in assists.<ref name="Jake Early"/> His 48.79% career caught stealing percentage ranks 27th all-time among major league catchers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/caught_stealing_perc_career.shtml |title=Career Leaders & Records for Caught Stealing Percentage |work=Baseball Reference |access-date=23 September 2016 }}</ref>

==Later life==
Early went on to become a [player-manager](/source/player-manager) in the minor leagues, leading the Rock Hill Chiefs in {{Baseball year|1954}} and then managed the Statesville Owls in {{Baseball year|1960}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=early-001jac#standard_managing::none |title=Jake Early minor league managing record |work=Baseball Reference.com |access-date=27 June 2011 }}</ref> He retired from baseball in {{Baseball year|1963}} and returned to Kings Mountain where he worked as a police officer and recreation director.<ref name="Early dies"/> He retired to Florida in 1970 and died in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne%2C_Florida) on May 31, {{Baseball year|1985}}, at the age of 70.<ref name="Early dies"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats |br=e/earlyja01 |brm=early-001jac}}
* {{Find a Grave}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Early, Jake}}
Category:1915 births
Category:1985 deaths
Category:American League All-Stars
Category:Baseball players from North Carolina
Category:Charlotte Hornets (baseball) players
Category:Chattanooga Lookouts players
Category:Jacksonville Tars players
Category:Major League Baseball catchers
Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players
Category:Minor league baseball managers
Category:People from Kings Mountain, North Carolina
Category:Rock Hill Chiefs players
Category:St. Louis Browns players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) players

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jake Early](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Early) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Early?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.