{{Short description|American baseball player (1887–1954)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Josh Devore |position=[[Outfielder]] |image=Josh Devore.jpg |bats=Left |throws=Right |birth_date={{birth date|1887|11|13}} |birth_place=[[Murray City, Ohio]], U.S. |death_date={{death date and age|1954|10|6|1887|11|13}} |death_place=[[Chillicothe, Ohio]], U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=September 25 |debutyear=1908 |debutteam=New York Giants |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=October 6 |finalyear=1914 |finalteam=Boston Braves |statleague = MLB |stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]] |stat1value=.277 |stat2label=[[Home runs]] |stat2value=11 |stat3label=[[Runs batted in]] |stat3value=149 |stat4label=[[Stolen base]]s |stat4value=160 |teams= * [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] ({{baseball year|1908}}–{{baseball year|1913}}) * [[Cincinnati Reds]] ({{baseball year|1913}}) * [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{baseball year|1913}}–{{baseball year|1914}}) * [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] ({{baseball year|1914}}) |highlights= * [[World Series champion]] ([[1914 World Series|1914]]) }} '''Joshua M. Devore''' (November 13, 1887 – October 6, 1954) was an American professional [[baseball]] player who played [[outfielder]] in the major leagues from {{baseball year|1908}}–{{baseball year|1914}}. He would play for the [[Cincinnati Reds]], [[Philadelphia Phillies]], [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]], and [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]].
Devore resided in [[Seelyville]], a small community in [[Vigo County, Indiana]] during his early pro baseball career, getting his start in what was known as the Trolley League in [[Terre Haute, Indiana]]. Due to his quickness, Josh was known as "The Seelyville Speed Demon." In his prime, Devore was an expert [[Bunt (baseball)|bunter]] and [[Base running|baserunner]] who was adept at drawing walks, and he was an effective leadoff man for the Giants' pennant-winners of 1911 and 1912. In the off-season, he owned and operated a boxing gym in [[Fontanet, Indiana]]. Devore stood at just 5'6".
==Career== As a teenager, Devore played for the [[Meridian Ribboners]] of the [[Cotton States League]], hitting poorly the two years he was there. However, in 1908 he moved the [[Eastern League (baseball, 1884–1912)|Eastern League]] and hit .290 for the [[Newark Indians]]. He joined the [[New York Giants]] in September, just in time to watch them lose a playoff game to the [[Chicago Cubs]] and finish second in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]].
Devore's first year as a regular was 1910, which was also the only year he hit .300 in the majors. In 1911, he finished second in the league with 61 [[stolen base]]s. In the [[1911 World Series]], however, Devore went 0 for 3 in steal attempts and batted .167. In the following year's World Series, he improved to .250, but the Giants lost for the second straight time.
Devore was traded to the [[Cincinnati Reds]], then to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in [[1913 Philadelphia Phillies season|1913]]. In [[1914 Boston Braves season|1914]], he was traded once more, to the Boston Braves; he arrived in time for the "Miracle Braves" stretch run which saw them win the National League [[Pennant (sports)|pennant]] and [[1914 World Series|World Series]].<ref>[http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1914.html The 1914 Boston Braves at www.thisgreatgame.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717051106/http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1914.html |date=2011-07-17 }}</ref>
However, Devore batted .227 for Boston and was released the following January. He spent 1915 in the [[Ohio State League]] and played in various minor leagues until 1924. He was a player-manager for the [[Grand Rapids Joshers]] of the [[Central League (baseball)|Central League]] in 1920 and 1921, leading the team to the 1920 league championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=devore001jos|title = Josh Devore Minor & Cuban Leagues Statistics & History}}</ref>
In a 7 year, 601 game major league career, Devore compiled a .277 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (520-for-1874) with 331 [[run (baseball)|runs]], 11 [[home runs]], 149 [[Run batted in|RBI]] and 160 [[stolen bases]].
Devore died at the age of 66 and was buried at New [[Marshfield Cemetery]] in [[New Marshfield, Ohio]].
==See also== * [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Baseballstats|br=d/devorjo01|brm=devore001jos}} * {{findagrave}}
{{1914 Boston Braves}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devore, Josh}} [[Category:1887 births]] [[Category:1954 deaths]] [[Category:Baseball players from Ohio]] [[Category:Boston Braves players]] [[Category:Charleston Senators players]] [[Category:Cincinnati Reds players]] [[Category:Grand Rapids Billbobs players]] [[Category:Grand Rapids Homoners players]] [[Category:Grand Rapids Joshers players]] [[Category:Huntington Babes players]] [[Category:New York Giants (baseball) players]] [[Category:Philadelphia Phillies players]] [[Category:Major League Baseball outfielders]] [[Category:Maysville Angels players]] [[Category:Meridian Ribboners players]] [[Category:Minor league baseball managers]] [[Category:Newark Indians players]] [[Category:People from Hocking County, Ohio]] [[Category:Topeka Savages players]] [[Category:Chillicothe Babes players]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]