When did the phrase "Triple Crown" originate in baseball?

[Wolverine]

I was looking at the history of Triple Crown winners and noticed a couple players that accomplished this feat as early as the 19th century, as well as Nap Lajoie in 1901 and Ty Cobb in 1909.

Does anyone know when the term "Triple Crown" was first applied to baseball? I've heard from a few people that the term originated in horse racing and was later used in baseball, but I've been trying to figure out exactly when.

I found one article stating that the term originated in baseball when Joe Medwick won the crown in 1937 for the Cardinals. However, they only mention that this was the first time the New York Times used the phrase to describe the baseball accomplishment. They don't mention anything about the possibility of other publications using the term earlier than that.

One of my fellow collecting buddies claims that Ty Cobb was the first player to be called a "Triple Crown winner" by the Detroit Free Press back in 1909, but when I searched the Detroit Free Press online archives I was unable to find any evidence that the term was used to describe Cobb's accomplishment around that time.

If anyone has any info they could share I would be interested in hearing it.

[Wolverine]

Is everyone stumped on this one?

[z28jd]

RBI's weren't officially kept until 1920, so while I don't know the answer to your question, I can't imagine anyone thought Ty Cobb won the Triple Crown in 1909 by leading in an unofficial stat. If the term was used for Cobb, or anyone before 1920, it wasn't anything MLB recognized.

When Paul Hines "won" the first Triple Crown in 1878, there was no RBI stat and for many years, Abner Dalrymple was credited with the batting crown that season, so Hines definitely didn't know he won the Triple Crown. He was credited with it after he passed away.

The next three winners,Tip O'Neill, Hugh Duffy and Nap Lajoie wouldn't have known either because RBI's weren't even tabulated (something that was done from 1907-19, but not an official stat).

It's possible Medwick was the first, and it also could have been something that someone came up with for future reference and he just happened to be the first who led in all three.

[Wolverine]

RBI's weren't officially kept until 1920, so while I don't know the answer to your question, I can't imagine anyone thought Ty Cobb won the Triple Crown in 1909 by leading in an unofficial stat. If the term was used for Cobb, or anyone before 1920, it wasn't anything MLB recognized.

When Paul Hines "won" the first Triple Crown in 1878, there was no RBI stat and for many years, Abner Dalrymple was credited with the batting crown that season, so Hines definitely didn't know he won the Triple Crown. He was credited with it after he passed away.

The next three winners,Tip O'Neill, Hugh Duffy and Nap Lajoie wouldn't have known either because RBI's weren't even tabulated (something that was done from 1907-19, but not an official stat).

It's possible Medwick was the first, and it also could have been something that someone came up with for future reference and he just happened to be the first who led in all three.

Very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

The friend I have who claimed Cobb was the first to be recognized as a "Triple Crown winner" actually has a photo of Cobb pictured during the 1909 season from the Detroit Free Press that is captioned "Ty Cobb - 1909 Triple Crown - 1909 AL Champions".

He has no idea what year the photo is actually from though. It could have been issued in 1909 or at a later date in commemoration of Cobb's 1909 season. But now that you've informed me that RBI's weren't an official stat until 1920 (something I didn't know), it makes me lean more towards the photo being issued post-1920.

[Jobu]

The earliest reference discussed in this thread is the 1930s unless you go with a Cobb quote (although he apparently did not confirm that players actually used the term triple crown back in the early 1900s):

http://www.baseball-fever.com/archive/index.php/t-29308.html

The relevant posts:

ONE

"One of the earliest references I found in regards to the triple crown centers on the 1906 World Series. A Washington Post writer surmised that the White Sox had won the triple crown - that is - champions of Chicago, the American League and the World Series.

The term "Triple Crown" doesn't seem to have gained use by sportswriters in relation to baseball until 1941. In a Christian Science Monitor article on 7/3/1941 there is a discussion about "DiMaggio shooting at Triple Batting Crown(BA,HR,RBI)."

And then articles noting Williams' accomplishment in 1942."


TWO

"I tried a search on Sporting News. It's first reference to a triple crown was July 9, 1936, pp. 5. Was saying that Lou Gehrig was insisting he would win the 'triple crown again', as in 1934.

I tried the New York Times, and it talks about triple crowns in horse racing as early as 1923. But no baseball references until the 1940's. "


THREE

ty cobb mentions in his autobiography (the one with Stump) that back in the early 1900s (before the HR was revolutionized), the triple crown was recognized as having the highest BA, most RBIs and most hits

[Wolverine]

The earliest reference discussed in this thread is the 1930s unless you go with a Cobb quote (although he apparently did not confirm that players actually used the term triple crown back in the early 1900s):

http://www.baseball-fever.com/archive/index.php/t-29308.html

The relevant posts:

ONE

"One of the earliest references I found in regards to the triple crown centers on the 1906 World Series. A Washington Post writer surmised that the White Sox had won the triple crown - that is - champions of Chicago, the American League and the World Series.

The term "Triple Crown" doesn't seem to have gained use by sportswriters in relation to baseball until 1941. In a Christian Science Monitor article on 7/3/1941 there is a discussion about "DiMaggio shooting at Triple Batting Crown(BA,HR,RBI)."

And then articles noting Williams' accomplishment in 1942."


TWO

"I tried a search on Sporting News. It's first reference to a triple crown was July 9, 1936, pp. 5. Was saying that Lou Gehrig was insisting he would win the 'triple crown again', as in 1934.

I tried the New York Times, and it talks about triple crowns in horse racing as early as 1923. But no baseball references until the 1940's. "


THREE

ty cobb mentions in his autobiography (the one with Stump) that back in the early 1900s (before the HR was revolutionized), the triple crown was recognized as having the highest BA, most RBIs and most hits

Great info; thank you. Must have skipped over that one in my searches. There does not seem to be a conclusive date after all.