1908 New York Highlanders season


The 1908 New York Highlanders season finished with the team in eighth place in the American League with a record of 51–103. Their home games were played at Hilltop Park.
The Highlanders finished in last place, 17 games out of seventh. It was the second-worst season in club history. Starting first baseman Hal Chase left the team in September under allegations that he was throwing games. After Clark Griffith's departure, the Highlanders lost 70 of their last 98 games under new manager Kid Elberfeld.

Regular season

On June 30, Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox threw a no-hitter against the Highlanders. In the game, Young had 3 hits and 4 RBI's. By now the alternate and equally unofficial nickname "Yankees" was being used frequently to refer to the Highlanders. The New York Times article about Young's no-hitter at "the American League Park", referred to the club exclusively as "Yankees" throughout the article. Other newspapers continued to use the two nicknames interchangeably.
On September 4, 5 and 7, 1908, Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators shut out the Highlanders in three consecutive games.

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
CRed Kleinow9627947.168113
1B106405104.257136
2BHarry Niles9536190.249424
SSNeal Ball132446110.247038
3BWid Conroy141531126.237139
OFWillie Keeler9132385.263114
OFJake Stahl7527470.255242
OFCharlie Hemphill142505150.297044

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
George Moriarty10134882.236027
Walter Blair7621140.190113
Irish McIlveen4416936.21308
Frank LaPorte3914538.262115
Frank Delahanty3712532.256010
Jimmy O'Rourke3410825.23103
Ed Sweeney328212.14602
Birdie Cree217821.26904
Earle Gardner207516.21304
195611.19605
Mike Donovan5195.26302

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
45288.214202.93124
Joe Lake38269.19223.17118
Rube Manning41245.013162.94113
Bill Hogg24152.14163.0172
Al Orth21139.12133.4222
Pete Wilson639.0333.4628
Jack Warhop536.1124.4611
Fred Glade532.0044.2211
Andy O'Connor18.00110.135

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Doc Newton2388.1452.9549
Slow Joe Doyle1248.0112.6320

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
60002.6570
Hippo Vaughn20003.862
Hal Chase10000.000