▁the ▁premier ▁sign ▁ste al ers ▁of ▁his ▁era . ▁ ▁Player ▁and ▁minor ▁league ▁manager ▁Baker ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Sher wood , ▁Oregon , ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁neighbor ing ▁Wilson ville . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁a ▁Port land ▁business ▁college , ▁he ▁took ▁a ▁job ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁as ▁a ▁book keeper ▁in ▁Was co , ▁Oregon , ▁where ▁he ▁caught ▁for ▁the ▁town ▁team . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁a ▁sc out ▁signed ▁him ▁to ▁a ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Indians ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁A ▁( equ ivalent ▁to ▁today ' s ▁Tri ple ▁A ) ▁Pacific ▁National ▁League , ▁prede cess or ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁League ▁( P CL ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Detroit ▁Tig ers , ▁and ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 7 2 ▁games ▁over ▁three ▁seasons ▁as ▁a ▁back - up ▁for ▁Oscar ▁Stan age , ▁batt ing ▁. 2 0 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁far med ▁him ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁P CL ' s ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Se als . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁war ▁effort , ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁Navy , ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁P CL ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁this ▁time ▁with ▁the ▁Port land ▁Be a vers . ▁After ▁three ▁seasons ▁there , ▁Baker ▁spent ▁a ▁season ▁with ▁the ▁Mobile ▁B ears ▁of ▁the ▁Class