Born in
Delevan, New York, Isbell was
nicknamed
Bald Eagle due to his receding hairline, something he was quite sensitive about. Isbell was a good enough hitter to earn a starting spot on some very good White Sox teams, including the pennant-winning 1901 team,
managed by
Clark Griffith, the second-place 1905 team led by
Fielder Jones, and finally the
1906 World Series champion White Sox team that included
shortstop George Davis and pitchers
Doc White and
Ed Walsh. It was known as one of the worst-hitting teams to ever win the World Series, with only Davis and Isbell hitting above .260 (Davis hit .277, Isbell .279). He played for the
Chicago Cubs in 1898, briefly, with 37
hits in 159
at bats (.233
batting average), and pitched as well as playing the outfield. Thirteen of his seventeen games pitched came with the Cubs. After not being seen in baseball for the next year, Isbell showed up again in 1900 playing for the
Chicago White Sox as a full-time first baseman. The
American League was not recognized in the Majors until 1901. Isbell played with the Sox until 1909. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Isbell set many offensive World Series records that year, including
doubles and
extra base hits in a game. Until , Isbell was the only player to get four extra-base hits in a single postseason game. However, he was better known for his outstanding speed, including his 1901 season when he had 52
stolen bases and led the Majors. He averaged 37 steals a year and ended with 253 for his career. In 1,119 games, Isbell finished with a .250 batting average with 13
home runs and 455
RBIs. He had 1,056 career hits in 4,219
at bats. As a pitcher, he went 4–7 with a 3.59
ERA. Isbell also became notable for being manager and owner of many teams in the
Western League. He died in
Wichita, Kansas. ==See also==