JOE TINKER
1890-1948
Inducted – 2004
A member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Joseph B. Tinker of Muscotah was a scrappy and fearless competitor who is best known as the player who started baseball’s most famous double-play combination – “Tinker to Evans to Chance” – for the Chicago Cubs. Tinker was the star of the 1908 World Series, leading the Cubs in nine offensive categories. He spent 13 seasons in the major leagues (1902-13, 16) and his 5,083 assists and 3,248 putouts are still Cubs’ records. Tinker led National League shortstops in fielding five times and helped the Cubs to four World Series appearances. Tinker became one of the first major league players to jump to the Federal League where he played two seasons, before returning to the Cubs as a player-manager in 1916. He remained in baseball for another decade, serving as a manager, coach and part-owner for a number of minor league teams. Tinker started his career as a teenage pitcher for summer teams in Parsons and Coffeyville and played in the Western, Montana and Pacific Northwest leagues before signing with the Cubs in 1902 at the age of 21. Tinker was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1946 alongside his double-play teammates – second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance. Born July 27, 1890 – Muscotah, Kansas. Died July 27, 1948 – Orlando, Florida.