Delos Drake

Delos Daniel Drake (December 3, 1886 – October 3, 1965) was an American professional baseball player from 1906 to 1916. He played three seasons of Major League Baseball as an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers in 1911 and for the St. Louis Terriers in 1914 and 1915. He appeared in 335 major league games, compiling a .263 batting average with 50 doubles, 21 triples, five home runs, 119 RBIs and 43 stolen bases.

Detroit Tigers After his strong showing in Wilkes-Barre, Drake signed to play for the Detroit Tigers during the 1911 season. He appeared in 95 games for the Tigers in 1911, principally in left field in a Detroit outfield that also featured future Baseball Hall of Famers Ty Cobb in center field and Sam Crawford in right field. During the 1911 season, Drake compiled a .279 batting average with nine triples, 20 stolen bases and 36 RBIs.

Return to the minors Despite a strong showing in his rookie season, Drake did not make the Tigers' lineup in 1912—a lineup that was loaded with outfielders, including Cobb, Crawford, the popular veteran left fielder Davy Jones and a new rookie left fielder Bobby Veach. Accordingly, Drake spent the 1913 and 1914 seasons in the minor leagues playing for the Providence Grays and Kansas City Blues. He compiled a career high .343 batting average in 1912 for Kansas City. Drake died in 1965 at age 78, shortly after the death of his wife Catherine. Both died at Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay, Ohio.