Moose Clabaugh

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Moose Clabaugh

|position=Outfielder

|image=

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1901|11|13}}

|birth_place=Albany, Missouri, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1984|7|11|1901|11|13}}

|death_place=Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate= August 30

|debutyear= 1926

|debutteam= Brooklyn Robins

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 25

|finalyear=1926

|finalteam=Brooklyn Robins

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.071

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=1

|teams=

Brooklyn Robins (1926)

}}

John William "Moose" Clabaugh (November 13, 1901 – July 11, 1984) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He was batting star in minor league baseball who in 1926 blasted 62 home runs in a low-level circuit, and received an abbreviated trial with the Brooklyn Robins of the National League in the closing weeks of that season. But, hampered by defensive deficiencies as an outfielder,{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/moose-clabaugh/ |title=Moose Clabaugh |last=Rice |first=Stephen V. |date= |website=SABR Baseball Biography Project |publisher=Society for American Baseball Research |access-date=21 September 2021 |quote=}} he appeared in only 11 Major League games, made one hit in 14 at bats, and returned to the minors for the remainder of his 16-season career.

Clabaugh was born in Albany, Missouri, batted left-handed, and threw right-handed. Contrary to his nickname, he stood {{convert|6|ft}} tall and weighed {{convert|185|lb}}. In 1924, his second pro season, he batted over .300 for the first time, and would go on to win five batting titles. But his 1926 season, as a member of the Tyler Trojans of the Class D East Texas League, would earn his MLB audition and cement his reputation as a minor-league batsman. In 121 games played, he hit 62 homers, scored 106 runs, drove in 164 RBI, and batted .376, leading his league in those categories.{{Cite book| editor1-last=Johnson| editor1-first=Lloyd| editor2-last=Wolff| editor2-first=Miles| title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball| edition=2nd| location=Durham, North Carolina| publisher=Baseball America| year=1997| isbn=978-0-9637189-8-3}}

His exploits caused the Brooklyn Robins to acquire his contract and bring him to the majors in late August. But because of his poor defense, he was used largely as a pinch hitter, getting into only two games (and one start) as a left fielder; in 11 defensive innings, he made three putouts and two errors in five total chances, for a horrendous fielding percentage of .600.Retrosheet [https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/C/Pclabm101.htm player page] At the plate, he collected one hit, a pinch-hit double off Hal Carlson of the Philadelphia Phillies at Baker Bowl on September 9; it was a key blow in a nine-run, ninth-inning rally that gave Brooklyn a 12–6 victory.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1926/B09090PHI1926.htm |title=Brooklyn Robins 12, Philadelphia Phillies 6 |author= |date=9 September 1926 |website=Retrosheet |publisher= |access-date=21 September 2021 |quote=}}

Clabaugh's minor-league career resumed in 1927 and he resumed his heavy hitting in higher classifications, including four years in the top-level Pacific Coast League, before his retirement from baseball after the 1940 season with 346 home runs in 2,098 career games.{{Cite book| editor1-last=Johnson| editor1-first=Lloyd| editor2-last=Hoie| editor2-first=Bob| title=The Minor League Register| edition=| location=Durham, North Carolina| publisher=Baseball America| year=1994| isbn=0-9637189-3-2}} He died in Tucson, Arizona, at 82 on July 11, 1984.