Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. is Born

Today in Masonic History Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. is born in 1887.

Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. was an American baseball player.

Collins was born on May 2nd, 1887 in Millerton, New York. Unlike other baseball players of the era, Collins was college educated, graduating from Columbia University. While he was at Columbia he began playing for the Philadelphia Athletics. To protect his student status, he played many of his early games under the name "Sullivan." Collins was known on and off the field for both his playing as well as his intelligence, earning him the nickname "Cocky."

Collins played for the Athletics from 1907 until 1914. He got off to a slow start, playing all but 14 games in the minor leagues. Over the next two seasons his number of games increased when in 1909 he played full seasons in the majors. In his first seasons with the Athletics, he returned later in his career, he was part of three World Series wining team.

In 1914, the new Federal League came into existence and tried to lure players away from the American League and National League. This caused contract issues within the leagues. Collins was offered an unheard of five year contract by the Athletics, which he refused. After the 1914 season, Collins was traded to the White Sox. There he was part of the 1917 World Series Championship for the White Sox.

Collins was also part of the notorious 1919 "Black Sox" team which threw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. Collins was not accused of any wrong doing in the scandal. In 1924 he was named a player-manager and continued to play for the White Sox until 1926.

In 1927, Collins returned to the Athletics to finish out his career as a player. Although he was on the team for both the 1929 and 1930 World Series Championships, he did not make a single appearance in any of the games. At the time of his retirement he ranked second in major league history in career games (2,826), walks (1,499) and stolen bases (744), third in runs scored (1,821), fourth in hits (3,315) and at bats (9,949), sixth in on-base percentage (.424), and eighth in total bases (4,268); he was also fourth in AL history in triples (187). He still holds the league record for sacrifice bunts at 512. He was also the first major league player to have more than 80 stolen bases in a single season.

After his retirement Collins was made full-time coach of the Athletics until his friend, Tom Yawkey, purchased the Boston Red Sox on Collins recommendation. Collins became the General Manager of the Red Sox and held the position for 15 years.

Collins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Collins passed away on March 25th, 1951.

Collins was a member of Solomons Lodge No. 466 in Tarrytown, New York.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.