Lefty Houtz

Fred Fritz "Lefty" Houtz (September 4, 1875 – February 15, 1959) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1899 and also had a 12-year minor league career. Houtz stood at 5' 10" and weighed 170 lbs.

Career Lefty Houtz was born in Connersville, Indiana. and made an immediate impact. In 78 games that year, he batted .395 and slugged .673 with 17 home runs.

Houtz was then acquired by the Cincinnati Reds, and he made his major league debut on July 23.

Houtz played five games for the Reds from July 23 to July 26. He went 4 for 17 at the plate with 4 walks, for a .381 on-base percentage. He then played for two teams in 1900 and batted just .220. The following season, he moved to the Pacific National League's San Francisco Pirates and batted .286.

In 1905, Houtz played in the Pacific Coast League, and his batting average fell to .243. but did not play for the Cardinals in a regular season game. His five games in 1899 would remain the only major league experience of his career. but his batting average that year was just .244. He then hit .258 in 1907. It was the third time in his career that he led a league in triples. He retired from professional baseball after that season.

Houtz died in 1959 in St. Marys, Ohio. He was buried in New St. Joseph Cemetery.