Les Mann was not an everyday player and was part of manager George Stallings’ platoon of outfielders. He had been a perennial letterman in high school and was All-State in football, basketball, and baseball in his senior year.

As a 16-year-old he played for the Nebraska City Foresters in the six-team, Class D Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas league in 1910 (as a third baseman) and 1911 (as an outfielder), hitting .327 in the second year.

After high school, Mann went to the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Mass. It is unclear, though, how he maintained his college eligibility after having played professional baseball for two summers.

Les made the varsity football team as a freshman, the first to do so, and was also nominated for All-American honors. He excelled in basketball and baseball and was voted captain of the Springfield football team at the end of the 1912 season, even though his teammates knew it was unlikely he would return to play the following season.

The Boston Braves could not help but notice the athletic talent in their virtual backyard and signed him early in 1912. He was sent to Seattle in the Class B Northwestern League and was drafted by the International League’s Buffalo Bisons for the 1913 season.

Again leaving school early, Les reported to Buffalo as expected but played in only nine games for them in April 1913. Former Seattle teammates Bill James and Bert Whaling, each now with the Braves, recommended Les to their manager, George Stallings. Bill McKechnie, the Braves’ incumbent in center field, was waived to the Yankees and Mann was called up to Boston.

Mann made his major-league debut on April 30th at the South End Grounds in Boston against the Philadelphia Phillies. His first major-league hit came two days later, in the ninth game playing at brand-new Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. With the score tied 1-1, Les hit an inside-the-park, three-run home run to lead the Braves to the 4-1 victory.

He played in 120 games, 103 of them in center field, hitting .253 with 24 doubles, seven triples, three homers, and 51 RBIs. His 24 doubles led the team and he was among the team leaders in a few other categories, and he stole seven bases but was caught 16 times.

Mann went back to Springfield in the fall and although he was precluded from playing football, he helped coach the quarterbacks and the punters.

He reported to spring training in 1914, but Stallings wouldn't commit to him. While his team was putting together an amazing season, Mann was not equaling his rookie campaign. The Braves likely would have expected their young center fielder to blossom in his sophomore season. But his batting average dipped and he was driving in fewer runs. Right-handed pitchers were especially troublesome and eventually, he was alternating with Possum Whitted and was out of the lineup against right-handed pitching.

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Les Mann (pic)

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