He was not a powerful batter, but was adept at getting on base and was fleet of foot, receiving the nickname "Deerfoot" for his speed.

He set a modern-rules record for stolen bases in a season with 88 in 1912, a mark surpassed three years later by Ty Cobb.

He was born in Linden, Tennessee and was listed as 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and 168 pounds (76 kg).

He accumulated 495 stolen bases (tied for 37th all-time with Willie Keeler) and 1004 runs scored.

As a player-manager (1922 only), with the Senators, he was 69–85, a .448 lifetime winning percentage, after which he managed minor league teams and spent 17 seasons (1928–29 and 1938 until his death) as a coach with Washington.