Ezra Midkiff

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Ezra Midkiff

|image=Midkiff 1913 Yankees.jpg

|position=Third Baseman

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1882|11|13|mf=y}}

|birth_place=Salt Rock, West Virginia, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1957|3|20|1882|11|13}}

|death_place=Huntington, West Virginia, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=October 5

|debutyear=1909

|debutteam=Cincinnati Reds

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=August 6

|finalyear=1913

|finalteam=New York Yankees

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.207

|stat2label=Hits

|stat2value=77

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=23

|teams=

Cincinnati Reds (1909)
New York Highlanders/Yankees (1912–13)

}}

Ezra Millington "Salt Rock" Midkiff (November 13, 1882 – March 20, 1957) was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played in {{by|1909}} with the Cincinnati Reds and in {{by|1912}} and {{by|1913}} with the New York Highlanders (renamed the New York Yankees for the 1913 season). Midkiff was nicknamed "Salt Rock" due to his birthplace of Salt Rock, West Virginia.

Major League career

Image:1913yankees.jpg in 1913.]]

Midkiff was 26 years old when he made his Major League debut on October 5, 1909, with the Cincinnati Reds.{{cite news

|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=midkiez01

|publisher=Baseball Almanac

|title=Ezra Midkiff Baseball Almanac

}} After spending time in the minor leagues, Midkiff was acquired by the Highlanders from the San Antonio Bronchos of the Texas League in 1912. Midkiff spent 1913 as the starting third baseman for the Yankees, but Fritz Maisel took the job midway through the season, and Midkiff was sold to the minor league Baltimore Orioles in August.

Minor league career

In 1914, Midkiff was a teammate of Babe Ruth before Ruth came to the majors. After parts of two seasons in Baltimore, Midkiff ended the 1914 season with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association.

In May 1915, Midkiff was named the Colonels' manager. Midkiff, who was at the time suffering from a broken ankle, was named Manager of the club in place of John F. Hayden.{{cite news

|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1915/05/25/100154551.pdf

|publisher=New York Times, May 25, 1915.

|title=Midkiff Named Louisville Manager

| date=May 25, 1915

}} At the end of the season, Midkiff was let go, and signed with the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association. He continued to play in the minor leagues until 1921, and as late as 1940 managed the Huntington Aces of the class-D Mountain State League.