Player #77B: Edward C. "Eddie" Foster. Third baseman with the Washington Senators in 1912-1919. 1,490 hits and 195 stolen bases in 13 MLB seasons. His career OBP was .329. He debuted with the New York Highlanders in 1910. His first season in Washington was one of his best as he posted a .345 OBP with 98 runs scored and 27 stolen bases in 682 plate appearances. His final season was with the St. Louis Browns in 1922-1923.
Deveaux takes up Foster's greatest ability: It was during this period (beginning in 1912) that Griffith developed the famous "run-and-hit" play, which mainly featured the 5'6 1/2" Eddie "Kid" Foster, who was very adept at placing his hits. Griffith insisted Foster was even better than the former crony he had just let go, Willie Keeler. Instead of employing the hit-and-run, then already in vogue, it was assumed that with Kid Foster at the plate, any Senator baserunner would be going, so skilled was Foster at placing the ball where he wanted.
Foster hit .285 in his rookie year and led the league in at-bats, an accomplishment he would replicate three more times. Not only was he a complete player, but he had great endurance as well, missing no games in four of his first five seasons in Washington. (The Washington Senators by Tom Deveaux.)
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