Speaker was born on April 4, 1888, in Hubbard, Texas, to Archie and Nancy Poer Speaker. As a youth, Speaker broke his arm after he fell from a horse; the injury forced him to become left-handed. In 1905, Speaker played a year of college baseball for Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute. Newspaper reports have held that Speaker suffered a football injury and nearly had his arm amputated around this time; biographer Timothy Gay characterizes this as "a story that the macho Speaker never disspelled [sic]."
Traded to the Indians
After 1915, Red Sox president Joseph Lannin wanted Speaker to take a pay cut from about $15,000 (equal to $362,862 today) to about $9,000 (equal to $217,717 today) because of the drop in his batting average; Speaker refused and offered $12,000 ($290,289 today). On April 8, 1916, Lannin traded Speaker to the Cleveland Indians. In exchange, Boston received Sad Sam Jones, Fred Thomas and $50,000 ($1,124,465 today). The angry Speaker held out until he received $10,000 (equal to $224,893 today) of the cash that Boston collected. With an annual salary of $40,000 (equal to $899,572 today), Speaker was the highest paid player in baseball. Speaker hit over .350 in nine of his eleven years with Cleveland. In 1916, he led the league in hits, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Cobb had won the previous nine consecutive AL batting titles; Speaker outhit him with a .386 batting average compared to Cobb's .371.  The center field fence at Cleveland's Dunn Field was 460 feet from home plate until it was shortened to 420 feet in 1920. Even so, Speaker played so shallow in the outfield that he was able to execute six career unassisted double plays at second base, catching low line drives on the run and then beating baserunners to the bag. At least once he was credited as the pivot man in a routine double play. He was often shallow enough to catch pickoff throws at second base. At one point, Speaker's signature move was to come in behind second base on a bunt and make a tag play on a baserunner who had passed the bag.  While in Cleveland, Speaker participated in diverse activities off the baseball field. Speaker enrolled in an aviator training program in 1918. Though World War I ended less than two months after he enrolled, Speaker completed his training and served in the naval reserves for several years. He also owned a ranch in Texas and competed in roping events during the baseball offseason.

Q: What was Tris speaker traded for?
A: After 1915, Red Sox president Joseph Lannin wanted Speaker to take a pay cut from about $15,000 (equal to $362,862 today) to about $9,000 (

Q: Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
A: Speaker refused and offered $12,000 ($290,289 today). On April 8, 1916, Lannin traded Speaker to the Cleveland Indians. In

Q: Was Speaker happy with this?
A: The angry Speaker held out until he received $10,000 (equal to $224,893 today) of the cash that Boston collected. With an annual salary of $40,000

Q: what did he do after the trade?
A: Speaker hit over .350 in nine of his eleven years with Cleveland. In 1916, he led the league in
Any notable wins?
In 1916, he led the league in hits, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Cobb had won the previous nine consecutive AL batting titles;
In 1916, he led the league in hits, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Cobb had won the previous nine consecutive AL batting titles;