page_title: Frank Crossin
section_title: Early career, and St. Louis Browns (1912–14)
hierarchical_section_title: Frank Crossin / Professional career / Early career, and St. Louis Browns (1912–14)
caption_attribution_description: The 1914 St. Louis Browns. Gus Williams is labeled as "21".
context_page_description: Francis Patrick "Frank" Crossin, Sr. was a professional baseball player whose career spanned seven seasons, three of which were spent in Major League Baseball St. Louis Browns. Over his Major League career, Crossin, a catcher, compiled a .147 batting average with eight runs scored, 17 hits, one double, one triple, and seven runs batted in in 55 games played. He made his professional debut with the minor league Binghamton Bingoes in 1912. His MLB debut came on September 24, 1912. Crossin played parts of the next two seasons in the majors. In 1915, a year after his MLB career ended, he returned to the minors. Over his career in the minors, Crossin compiled a .261 batting average with 303 hits in 381 games played. He batted, and threw right-handed. During his career, he stood at 5 feet 10 inches, and weighed 160 pounds.
context_section_description: In 1912, Crossin signed his first professional baseball contract with the Binghamton Bingoes of the Class-B New York State League. It was reported that the Wilkes-Barre Barons were interested in Crossin, but signed with Binghamton instead. Crossin played with future, and former Major League Baseball (MLB) players Jack Barnett, Cad Coles, Rankin Johnson, Jim Jones, Harry Lumley, John McCloskey, Chick Robitaille, and Allan Sothoron. Early in the season, Crossin replaced Binghamton's regular catcher George Vandegrift at that position. Scouts from several MLB team were reportedly interested in Crossin. Times Leader described Crossin as "one of the sensations of the league", and wrote that he had a "remarkable throwing and hitting" ability. On July 11, Crossin was sold to the MLB St. Louis Browns, but was allowed to finish the season with Binghamton. With the Bingoes, he batted .235 with 63 hits in 89 games played.
   
  Crossin was issued to report to the St. Louis Browns in September 1912. Before reporting, he returned to his home in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, where the manager, and players from his former amateur team the Luzerne Reds held a banquet in honor of Crossin. The Browns paid the Binghamton Bingoes, the team in which they purchased him from, US$1,000 for Crossin. He made his MLB debut on September 24. With the Browns that year, he played in eight games. In those games, he batted .227 with two runs scored, five hits, two runs batted in (RBIs), and one stolen base. Defensively, he played all of his games at the catcher position.
  In February 1913, Crossin was issued to report to spring training for the St. Louis Browns. Crossin's friends accompanied him to the Lehigh Valley Railroad Station before he left for spring training. Crossin made the Browns roster at the start of the regular season in 1913. As a part of their earlier deal, the St. Louis club had to pay the Binghamton Bingoes US$1,500 to use Crossin's services during the 1913 season. Early in the season, he was sent down to the minor leagues. He played with his former team, the Binghamton Bingoes. In the minors that season, he batted .269 with 47 hits in 62 games played. On August 1, Crossin was recalled to the Major Leagues. He played four games with the Browns that season. In those games, he had one hit in four at-bats.
  On January 20, 1914, Crossin was traded by the Binghamton Bingoes to the Nashville Vols of the Class-A Southern Association. However, he spent the entire season with the St. Louis Browns. On April 19, Crossin hit a bases loaded triple, which helped the Browns beat the Chicago White Sox. His last MLB appearance came on August 8, 1914. With the Browns that year, he batted .122 with five runs scored, 11 hits, one double, one triple, five RBIs, and three stolen bases in 43 games played.
caption: Crossin (labeled 9) spent three seasons in the Major Leagues, all with the St. Louis Browns.
exif: {}