Lew Fonseca
| Birthdate | 1/21/1899 |
| Death Date | 11/26/1989 |
| Debut Year | 1921 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Cubs, Indians, Phillies, Reds, White Sox |
| Positions | First Base, Manager, Second Base |
Career .316 hitter and 1929 batting champ Lew Fonseca retired from the playing field then spent decades as the first AL Director of Promotions.
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Fonseca spent a lifetime in baseball - more than a half century
Fonseca spent a lifetime in baseball - more than a half century
In this letter dated June 14, 1976, Fonseca reminisces about his life in baseball.
“My career has been a full one now in my 56th yr. in Major League Baseball,” he writes. “Having played against Ty Cobb – “Babe” Ruth – Rogers Hornsby – Tris Speaker and countless other great players of the past and working with the fine players of the present era for more than forty years has been a great satisfaction.”
Fonseca spent decades as the American League’s Director of Promotions. More on that part of his illustrious career is described under the next image.
Lew Fonseca was a pioneer who mixed baseball with the emerging technology of film
Lew Fonseca was a pioneer who mixed baseball with the emerging technology of film
Lew Fonseca had solid big league playing career. His finest season came in 1929. As the American League’s batting champ, he hit .369 tallying 209 hits, 301 total bases, & 103 RBI with just 23 strikeouts.
However, Fonseca’s greatest contribution to the game came after he left the playing field. As manager of the White Sox in 1933, Fonseca was the first to use film for game analyzation and skill development.
After he was let go as the Chicago skipper early in 1934, Fonseca devoted much of his time and energy to integrating film into baseball.
Soon he contacted team owners, pitching his ideas of using film for both instruction and promotion. With no takers, Fonseca went to American League President William Harridge. The AL chief hired Fonseca for a 90-day trial. That’s all the former batting champion needed.
By the end of the year more than 40,000 people saw Fonseca’s promotional films. He also shot footage of the World Series for the following year’s film.
Harridge appreciated Fonseca’s work enough to give him a full year contract for 1935. At the end of that year Harridge created a new position for Fonseca, appointing him as American League Director of Promotions.
In 1941 Fonseca created a World Series film that was distributed to America’s troops in World War II. From there he produced films about the Fall Classic each year.
When Fonseca’s role as Director of Promotions ended in 1969, the Cubs snapped him up as a batting instructor. He remained with them throughout the next decade.
Shown here is the second page of Fonseca’s handwritten letter on Cubs letterhead. The American League’s first Director of Promotions has neatly signed his name at the bottom.
Carl Erskine thanks then-MLB Director of Promotions Fonseca for a film on the '53 World Series.
Carl Erskine thanks then-MLB Director of Promotions Fonseca for a film on the '53 World Series.
Lew Fonseca had a solid Major League playing career. The 1929 batting champion spent a lifetime in baseball. After a dozen big league seasons and more than 1,000 hits, he remained in the game into he’s 80s.
The role he held the longest was MLB’s Director of Promotions. It was in this capacity that Fonseca received this letter from Dodger great Carl Erskine.
In 1953 the Brooklyn pitcher established a new World Series record by striking out 14 Yankees in Game 3 of the Fall Classic. It was a career year for Oisk as he set career highs in wins, strikeouts, and WAR.
Erskine writes in part, “I received the 1953 World Series film and have all ready (sic) enjoyed seeing it several times. I always get he feeling early in the film that this is the year were (sic) going to do it but it always comes out the same.
“Because of its contents, I treasure this as the top memento of my professional baseball career…”
The Dodger pitcher has signed his name at the bottom of the letter.
Lew Fonseca played with and against some of the greatest players ever
Lew Fonseca played with and against some of the greatest players ever
Lew Fonseca was a man of many talents. In addition to his athletic career, he was also a professional singer. In baseball he was a coach, manager, hitting coach, and early pioneer of integrating video into the game.
When he broke into the big leagues with the Reds in 1921 Fonseca had parallel professions, playing ball and singing. He billed himself as, “A Better Ballplayer than any Singer — A Better Singer than any Ballplayer.”
The baritone baseball player also developed an interest in the movies. In 1927 he bought a 16-millimeter movie camera. Soon he developed quite a liking and talent with the camera.
Fonseca’s career year as a player came in 1929 with the Cleveland Indians. The first baseman established career highs in walks, runs, stolen bases, hits, doubles, triples, RBI.
He ended the year with a .369 average, tops in the American League. All four men who finished directly behind the batting champ are in Cooperstown – Al Simmons (.365), Heinie Manush (.355), Tony Lazzeri (.354), and Jimmie Foxx (.354).
Fonseca retired after a dozen big league seasons, ending his career with over 1,000 hits and a .316 lifetime average.
In the collection is this letter written and signed by Lew Fonseca. On Cubs letterhead, it is dated December 2, 1980.
Fonseca writes, “The best baseball player I ever saw was Ty Cobb, however, “Babe” Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams and a number of others were great ones during my active playing years.”
Fonseca then signed his name boldly at the bottom.
