Sam Dodge

{{Short description|American baseball player (1899–1966)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Sam Dodge

|image=Sam Dodge.png

|caption=Dodge {{circa}} 1920

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1899|12|19}}

|birth_place=Neath, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1966|4|5|1899|12|19}}

|death_place=Utica, New York, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 24

|debutyear=1921

|debutteam=Boston Red Sox

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=April 28

|finalyear=1922

|finalteam=Boston Red Sox

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Innings pitched

|stat1value=7

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=5.14

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=3

|teams=

• Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1921}}–{{mlby|1922}})

}}

Samuel Edward Dodge (December 19, 1899 – April 5, 1966) was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between 1921 and 1922 for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at {{height|ft=6|in=1}}, 170 lb, Dodge batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Neath, Pennsylvania, United States.

Dodge was raised and attended school in Johnson City, New York. He got his start pitching for an independent club in Johnson City where he was noticed by Mike Konnick{{cite news |title=Mike Konnick's Find Bought By Boston For Record Price |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/elmira-star-gazette-mike-konnicks-find/162624972/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=Elmira Star-Gazette |date=2 September 1921 |pages=9}} who was then catching for a team in Reading, Pennsylvania. Konnick recommended him to Red McKee, then managing the Saginaw, Michigan club of the Michigan–Ontario League. Dodge joined the club in April 1920.{{cite news |title=Sam Dodge Will Leave Saturday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-and-sun-bulletin-sam-dodge-will-le/162623759/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=Press and Sun-Bulletin |date=16 April 1920 |pages=24}} After struggling to start the 1921 season, he was released to the Flint, Michigan club in July,{{cite news |title=M'Kee Releases Four Ace Players |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-mkee-releases-four-ace/162626388/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Saginaw News |date=3 June 1921 |pages=24}} reportedly because he refused to continue pitching for Flint.{{cite news |title=Mint League Sold Over 20 Players |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-mint-league-sold-over-2/162630778/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Saginaw News |date=29 September 1921 |pages=16}} The Red Sox purchased his contract in September 1921 for what was reported to be a record price for the league.

Dodge made his Major League debut on September 24, 1921. In one inning of work, he allowed a hit, base on balls and earned run to the St. Louis Browns. It would be his only appearance of the season.{{cite web |title=Sam Dodge Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dodgesa01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=9 January 2025 |language=en}} He made the Red Sox roster to start the 1922 season.{{cite news |last1=J. D. C. |title=Shufflin' Along in Sportville |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-and-sun-bulletin-shufflin-along-i/162636878/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=Press and Sun-Bulletin |date=12 April 1922 |pages=22}} After he accumulated a 4.50 earned run average (ERA) over three appearances in April, his contract was sold to the minor league Springfield Ponies. Manager Hugh Duffy reportedly thought highly of him but felt Dodge, then just 22 years old, would benefit more from getting regular work in the minors than from sitting on Boston's bench.{{cite news |title=Ponies Purchase Sam Dodge from Boston Red Sox |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-union-ponies-purchase-sam-do/162637053/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Morning Union |date=14 May 1922 |pages=14}} It was reported in The Flint Journal that Duffy had tried to convert Dodge into a knuckleballer during that spring which caused an injury to Dodge's pitching arm.{{cite news |title=Flint Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator-flint-journal/162638333/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Hamilton Spectator |date=8 June 1923 |pages=30}} He would not return to the majors. Over seven innings pitched in four career games, he posted a 5.14 ERA with three strikeouts and no decisions.

Dodge finished out the season in Springfield. He was suspended for a time due to poor conditioning and his performance declined.{{cite news |title=Sam Dodge Is Purchased By Grand Rapids |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-union-sam-dodge-is-purchased/162638516/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Morning Union |date=13 May 1923 |pages=13}} He re-signed in Springfield to start the 1923 season but reported to the team late and in poor condition.{{cite news |title=Hampdens Will Meet Brooklyn Giants Friday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-daily-republican-hampden/162638931/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Springfield Daily Republican |date=18 April 1923 |pages=14}} In May 1923, before he appeared in a game for Springfield, his contract was sold to the Grand Rapids team of the Michigan–Ontario League. He pitched briefly for Grand Rapids{{cite news |title=Dodge and Grimm Prove Easy Meat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-dodge-and-grimm-prove-e/162639979/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Saginaw News |date=20 May 1923 |pages=26}} but, on June 2, 1923, he debuted with the Hamilton, Ontario club in the same league.{{cite news |title=Saturday Game Won By Hams–London Erred |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator-saturday-game-won/162641357/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Hamilton Spectator |date=4 June 1923 |pages=16}}

By 1926, he was reportedly player-manager of a semi-professional team in Flint called the Lincoln Oils which made headlines for traveling to games by airplane.{{cite news |title=Lincoln Oils Use Planes in Making Trips |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/traverse-city-record-eagle-lincoln-oils/162643233/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=Traverse City Record-Eagle |date=7 July 1926 |pages=6}}{{cite news |title=Alma Independents Meet Lincoln Oils |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-alma-independents-meet/162643150/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Saginaw News |date=25 June 1926 |pages=27}} In 1930 and 1931, he managed the semi-pro Owosso Chieftains.{{cite news |title=Plan Central Michigan Semi-Pro Ball League |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-plan-central-michi/162643945/ |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=Lansing State Journal |date=17 December 1930 |pages=19}}{{cite news |title=Indiantown Plays Owosso Chieftains |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-indiantown-plays-owosso/162677449/ |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=The Saginaw News |date=26 April 1931 |pages=25}}

By 1932, he had left Michigan to return to the Southern Tier where he attempted to establish a semi-professional league.{{cite news |title=Baseball Loop for Section Proposed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-times-baseball-loop-for-sect/162677723/ |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=The Evening Times |date=9 February 1932 |pages=7}} In 1933, he coached a team in Kirkwood, New York.{{cite news |title=Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Coaches Kirkwood Nine |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-and-sun-bulletin-ex-red-sox-pitche/162678090/ |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=Press and Sun-Bulletin |date=9 May 1933 |pages=13}}