Rip Collins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the catcher, see: Rip Collins.
Harry Warren (Rip) Collins (February 26, 1896 - May 27, 1968) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1920-21), Boston Red Sox (1922), Detroit Tigers (1923-27) and St. Louis Browns (1929-31). Collins batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Weatherford, Texas.
A four-sport star at Texas A&M University, Collins was chiefly known for his ability as a football punter. He was on the team when the heavily favored Longhorns took the field against the Aggies in 1915. Collins punted the ball twenty-three times that afternoon for an average of fifty-five yards per kick, that resulted in thirteen fumbles by Longhorns’ return men. One fumble set up the only touchdown scored that day, a run by Collins. The final score was 13–0.
In 1919, Collins became a starting pitcher for Double-A Dallas Rangers. A year later, he joined the New York Yankees.
Collins was a 14-game winner three times during his majors career, in his 1920 rookie season with the Yankees, for the Boston Red Sox in 1922, and with the Detroit Tigers in 1924. A member of the 1921 American League champion Yankees team, he relieved in Game Three of the World Series won by the New York Giants in seven games. He finished his major league career with the St. Louis Browns in 1931.
Rip and his former Texas A&M Aggie teammate Topper Rigney both played together for the Detroit Tigers from 1923-1925.
In an 11-season career, Collins posted a 108-82 record with 569 strikeouts and a 3.99 ERA in 1712-1/3 innings pitched.
Collins returned to the Texas League in 1933 to play one season with Fort Worth before retiring from baseball.
Following his playing career Collins joined the Texas Ranger Division. He was elected Travis County sheriff in 1940 and served for eight years. Then became police chief of Bryan, Texas, in 1950 and retired from law enforcement work in 1959.
Collins died in Bryan, Texas, at the age of 72.
