Nap Lajoie - Early Life

Early Life

Lajoie was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island to Jean Baptiste and Celina Guertin Lajoie. The elder Lajoie was French Canadian and had emigrated to the United States. Upon arrival to the U.S. he first settled in Rutland, Vermont but then moved to Woonsocket, where Lajoie, the yougest of eight surviving children, was born. Throughout his childhood Lajoie received little formal education.

The elder Lajoie, who worked as a teamster and laborer, died not long into the younger Lajoie's childhood, which forced him and his siblings to work to support the family. Lajoie dropped out of school to work in a textile mill. He also began playing semi-professional baseball for the local Woonsocket team under the alias "Sandy", because his parents did not approve of their son playing baseball. He earned money as a taxi driver with a horse and buggy and locally was called "Slugging Cabby." "When I told my father I had decided to take the job he was very angry. He shouted that ball players were bums and that nobody respected them, but I was determined to give it a try at least one season," Lajoie later said. He also received the nickname "Larry" from a teammate who had trouble pronouncing Lajoie. Lajoie admired baseball players such as King Kelly and Charles Radbourn.

When word of Lajoie's baseball ability spread, he began to play for other semi-professional teams at $2 to $5 per game ($56 to $140 in current dollar terms). Meanwhile, Lajoie worked as a teamster. He left Woonsocket and his $7.50 ($210 in current dollar terms) working as a taxi driver and joined the Class B New England League's Fall River Indians in 1896 played as a center fielder, first baseman and catcher where he earned $25 weekly ($698 in current dollar terms). He recorded 163 hits in 80 games, and led the team in batting average, doubles, triples, home runs and hits. Lajoie was "widely regarded as an outstanding prospect" and Indians owner Charlie Marston rejected an offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Lajoie in exchange for $500 ($13,968 in current dollar terms). He was also scouted by the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Beaneaters.