Lucasville Valley Baseball And the "Crabtree Connection" -- Estel Crabtree

Estel Crabtree

Baseball is a big part of the heart and character of Lucasville, Ohio. Since the days of Branch Rickey through Gene Tenace and beyond, Valley and Lucasville baseball has captured the soul of this small town.

Valley’s regional title win in 1977 was the program’s 4th in a span of 12 years (‘65, ‘66, ‘75, ‘77). It came shortly after the Indians put together a streak of 50-straight wins from the beginning of the 1975 season that featured their Class A state championship team until the end of the ‘76 season in the district stage to Chillicothe Bishop Flaget.

Nolan Crabtree, the present-day coach of the Valley High Indians, last year's regional champion, says …

“Baseball is something that people hang onto in Lucasville. That 1975 team that won state is still talked about, along with the 77′ team that made it to state. It’s always been a big part of the community and some great players like 1972 World Series MVP Gene Tenace and Branch Rickey played at Valley. Our community support has been unreal and just to see us finally get over the hump after all of this time is such an amazing feeling.”

Coach Crabtree gets his love of baseball honestly. One of his close relatives was an accomplished Major Leaguer for the Reds and the Cardinals. Estel “Crabby” Crabtree was primarily an outfielder who also played many other positions. Today, I'll share some information about Crabby in hopes that it inspires area youth to continue the great tradition of Lucasville baseball and reach for the stars. 

 

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Estel Crabtree

Estel Crayton Crabtree

Born: August 19, 1903
Crabtree, OH USA
Deceased: 1967
Logan, OH USA
Primary Position: OF
All Position(s) Played: 1B, 3B, RF, CF, LF, OF, PH, PR
Bats: L
Throws: R
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 168
Career: 1929-1944

(Dale Taylor. Simpler Times: Baseball Stories From a Small Town. (Dedicated To Elmer Gregory 1948-1997) January 01, 1997.)

Estel Crayton Crabtree (August 19, 1903 – January 4, 1967) was a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds (1929; 1931–1932; 1943–1944) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1933; 1941–1942). His playing career was unusual in that he went eight years between major league appearances. He was a native of Crabtree, Ohio, (near Lucasville) within Scioto County.

Crabtree made his major league debut on April 18, 1929, as a pinch-hitter in a 3–1 loss to the Cardinals at Crosley Field. Though his most regular playing time came in 1931 and 1932, his best season was 1941, when he returned to the big leagues at age 37. He finished 32nd in voting for National League MVP for playing in 77 games and having 167 at bats, 27 runs, 57 hits, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs, 28 RBI, 1 stolen base, 26 walks, .341 batting average, .439 on-base percentage, .503 slugging percentage, 84 total bases and 2 sacrifice hits. 

In 1931, he finished seventh in the league with 12 triples, and from 1941 to 1944 finished in the league's top ten in the oldest-player category.

In eight seasons, he played in 489 games, had 1,408 at bats, 174 runs, 396 hits, 53 doubles, 25 triples, 13 home runs, 142 RBI, 8 stolen bases, 113 walks, .281 batting average, .339 on-base percentage, .382 slugging percentage, 538 total bases and 23 sacrifice hits. Often used as a pinch-hitter during his career, he was an average defensive outfielder for his era, handling 813 out of 833 total chances for a .976 fielding percentage.

Crabtree lived in Nelsonville, Ohio, for many years. Crabtree, better known as "Crabby", was one of the most highly regarded sports personalities ever to have lived in Nelsonville. In addition to being a former major leaguer who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, he was a player-coach for Rochester Red Wings, and was posthumously inducted into the Red Wings Hall of Fame in 1989.

In an eight-year career, Crabtree emerged as the all-time Red Wings leader in hits (1,041), RBI (542) and games played (934). Between 1933 and 1940, he topped the .300 mark five times on his way to a .308 lifetime average. He clubbed 91 career home runs, none more famous than a ninth-inning three-run shot to propel the Wings past Newark in the 1939 Governors' Cup Finals. Crabtree was also widely acknowledged for his defensive work in the outfield.

(“Class of 1989: Estel Crabtree.” Red Wings Hall of Fame. https://www.milb.com/rochester/team/rochester-red-wings-hall-of-fame.)

      Crabtree Baseball Field, named for local hero Estel Crabtree, a former Cincinnati Reds            outfielder. Seats for the stadium are made of stone from the old Hocking Canal.

He retired in 1944 and returned to Nelsonville. "Crabby" helped organize Little League baseball for youngsters in the Nelsonville area. He was also active in the Nelsonville Band Boosters and served as their president, and was the founder of the annual "Old-Timers Baseball Day" held each year during the Parade of the Hills, an annual festival held each year in Nelsonville. Crabtree Field, a baseball field in Nelsonville, is dedicated to him.

("'Greyhound Finale' Is Last All-Sports Banquet for NHS.” Logan Daily News. May 5, 1967, page 6.)

Crabtree died in nearby Logan, Ohio at Hocking Valley Hospital at the age of 63 after a brief illness and is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Nelsonville.

("Estel Crayton 'Crabby' Crabtree.” https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52859825/estel-crayton-crabtree.)




 



In 1989, Estel Crabtree was inducted into the Rochester Red Wings (AAA) Hall of Fame. In an eight-year career, Crabtree emerged as the all-time Red Wings leader in hits (1,041), RBI (542) and games played (934). Between 1933 and 1940, he topped the .300 mark five times on his way to a .308 lifetime average. He clubbed 91 career home runs, none more famous than a ninth-inning three-run shot to propel the Wings past Newark in the 1939 Governors' Cup Finals. Crabtree was also widely acknowledged for his defensive work in the outfield.

Estel Crabtree's Statistics -- Major Leagues

 (l to r:) St. Louis Cardinal Estel Crabtree and Boston Brave Johnny Cooney at Braves Field.

Appearances on Leaderboards, Awards, and Honors

MVP (rank, share)

1941 NL (32, 1%)

0.01 Career Shares (1636th)

Triples

1931 NL 12 (7th)

Championship WPA (cWPA)

1941 NL 12.6 (4th)

Assists as LF (s.1901)

1931 NL 6 (3rd)

Double Plays Turned as LF (s.1901)

1931 NL 1 (3rd)

Assists as CF (s.1901)

1932 NL 9 (5th)

Errors Committed as CF (s.1901)

1943 NL 7 (3rd)

Double Plays Turned as CF (s.1901)

1932 NL 2 (4th)

Double Plays Turned as RF (s.1901)

1931 NL 5 (3rd)

Assists as OF

1931 NL 19 (5th)

Errors Committed as OF

1943 NL 9 (3rd)

Double Plays Turned as OF

1931 NL 6 (3rd)

Range Factor/9Inn as OF

1932 NL 3.20 (3rd)

Range Factor/Game as OF

1932 NL 3.13 (3rd)

Oldest

1941 NL born 1903-08-19 (10th)

1942 NL born 1903-08-19 (6th)

1943 NL born 1903-08-19 (6th)

1944 NL born 1903-08-19 (5th)

League Rankings

Runs

Year	R	Rank
1931	70	25th in NL

 Triples

1932	9	11th in NL
1931	12	7th in NL

Hall of Fame Statistics

Gray Ink
Batting - 1 (3093), Average HOFer ≈ 144
Hall of Fame Standards
Batting - 7 (2224), Average HOFer ≈ 50
JAWS
Center Field (396th):  3.6 career WAR | 3.6 7yr-peak WAR | 3.6 JAWS | 1.2 WAR/162 Average HOF CF (out of 19): 71.6 career WAR | 44.7 7yr-peak WAR | 58.1 JAWS | 5.4 WAR/162

The team and coach stand in front of the new signs placed at Crabtree Field honoring their state championship, the Old Timers Baseball Association, and Nelsonville native Estel Crabtree.