Amos Strunk
A speedy and dependable outfielder for Connie Mack's Athletics, collecting four World Series rings as a crucial role player.
1889–1979 (age 90)·American baseball player·Birthday: January 22·The Lost Generation
Biography
Amos Strunk was the kind of player every championship team needs: consistent, versatile, and reliably excellent. Breaking into the majors with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908, his left-handed swing and exceptional speed made him a fixture in center field for manager Connie Mack. Strunk was a key component of the Athletics' dynasty that won three World Series titles between 1910 and 1913, known for his sharp defense and timely hitting. After a stint with the Boston Red Sox where he won another championship in 1918, he returned to Philadelphia to finish his career. While never a headline-grabbing superstar, his steady production over 17 seasons made him a manager's dream and a winner's credential.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Amos was born in 1889, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Amos Was Born
The biggest hits of 1889
Amos's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1889Born
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1894Started school
President: Grover Cleveland
1902Became a teenager
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1905Could drive
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Could vote
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Turned 21
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 30
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 40
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 50
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 60
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 70
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 80
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Died at 90
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
Key Achievements
- Won four World Series championships (1910, 1911, 1913 with Philadelphia Athletics, 1918 with Boston Red Sox).
- Played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily as a starting center fielder.
- Led the American League in triples in 1915 with 13 while playing for the Chicago White Sox.
Did You Know?
He was nicknamed 'The Flying Foot' for his remarkable baserunning speed.
Strunk was one of the players sold by Connie Mack to the Boston Red Sox in 1918 to finance his rebuilding of the Athletics.
He served in the United States Navy during World War I.
His .983 career fielding percentage in the outfield was considered excellent for his era.
“A single is as good as a triple if it moves the runner.”
