Bill Craver
Encyclopedia
William H. Craver was an American
Major League Baseball
player from Troy, New York
who played mainly as an infielder
, but did play many games at catcher
as well during his seven year career. He played for seven different teams, in two leagues. He was later expelled from the major leagues in the infamous Lousville gambling scandal in .
during the Civil War
with the 13th Heavy Artillery Regiment out of New York
. He enlisted on January 21, 1864, at age of 18, as a Private
in Company K, and mustered out on June 28 in Norfolk, Virginia
.
When the war, and his military career was over, he began his organized baseball career as a catcher
in 1866 with the Union Baseball Club of Rensselaer County, which became the Unions of Lansingburgh. The Unions gained the nickname of Haymakers in August of that year after a visit to the Capitoline Grounds
and the Elysian Fields
. Later, in 1870, while playing for a Chicago team, he is accused of breaking his contract with the team.
, who entered the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
in the league's first season. He played second base, and after just four games, he replaced Lip Pike
as manager
. He played well, batting
.322, but the team finished in seventh place. For the next two seasons, he joined the Baltimore Canaries
, the first of which he was player-manager. He was replaced at manager later in the year by Everett Mills
, but stayed with the team through the season. Playing for the Philadelphia White Stockings
in , he led the league in games played
, and as a second baseman, he led the league in putout
s and errors
. Craver had his best offensive season that year, batting .343, and leading the league in stolen base
s. In , he moved over the Philadelphia Centennials
. He played in just 13 games for them when, together with George Bechtel
, he was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics to replace injured players Dave Eggler
and Wes Fisler
in exchange for $1,500. He led the NA in triples in 1875 with 13.
The National Association folded following the season, and Bill joined the New York Mutuals
, a team that he also managed. It was his only season in New York, as the Mutuals were expelled from the league for not making the required western trip. It was during this season that Bill was reputedly savagely beaten by a gambler for doublecrossing him on a fix. He gained infamy the following season, his final season, when playing for the Louisville Grays
.
Bill Hague
was injured and needed to be replaced. George Hall suggested that team pick up his former Mutuals teammate Al Nichols
. The errors by Nichols, Hall, and Craver began to accumulate, and owner Charles Chase became suspicious when he noticed that Nichols was still in the line-up, even though Hague was fully healthy. The players were soon seen around town with new clothes and jewelry. Chase confronted pitcher Jim Devlin
and didn't receive a confession, but Hall thought Devlin did confess and he made a full confession. Hall claimed that Nichols was the person in contact with the gamblers and all three had thrown games. Chase requested from each member of the team permission to see all the Western Union
telegrams sent and received. Craver is the only man on the team to refuse, which caused him to be suspended. The telegrams proved the three were in open communication with the gamblers. The National League
subsequently expelled all four players “for conduct in contravention of the objects of this League.” Craver was banned even though it was not actually proven that he participated in throwing any games, but there were reports of his gambling and insubordination in his past, along with his refusal to cooperate with this investigation.
, along with fellow "criminal" Devlin. He began to receive military disability
on July 1, 1892, as a result of time as a soldier
, which would continue on to his widow
, Catherine C. Craver. Craver died at the age of 57 of heart disease
in his hometown of Troy, and is interred at Oakwood Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player from Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
who played mainly as an infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, but did play many games at catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
as well during his seven year career. He played for seven different teams, in two leagues. He was later expelled from the major leagues in the infamous Lousville gambling scandal in .
Early life
Before his baseball career, he had served in the militaryMilitary
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
with the 13th Heavy Artillery Regiment out of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He enlisted on January 21, 1864, at age of 18, as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in Company K, and mustered out on June 28 in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
.
When the war, and his military career was over, he began his organized baseball career as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in 1866 with the Union Baseball Club of Rensselaer County, which became the Unions of Lansingburgh. The Unions gained the nickname of Haymakers in August of that year after a visit to the Capitoline Grounds
Capitoline Grounds
The Capitoline Grounds, also known as Capitoline Skating Lake and Base Ball Ground, was a baseball park in Brooklyn, New York from 1864 to 1880. It was built to rival nearby Union Grounds, also in Brooklyn...
and the Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields, Hoboken, New Jersey
Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey is believed to be the site of the first organized baseball game, giving Hoboken a strong claim to be the birthplace of baseball....
. Later, in 1870, while playing for a Chicago team, he is accused of breaking his contract with the team.
Career
In , he joined the Troy HaymakersTroy Haymakers
The Troy Haymakers were an American professional baseball team.-History:Established in 1860 as the Union base ball club of neighboring Lansingburgh, New York, the Haymakers participated in the first professional pennant race of 1869 and joined the first professional league, the 1871 National...
, who entered the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
in the league's first season. He played second base, and after just four games, he replaced Lip Pike
Lip Pike
Lipman Emanuel "Lip" Pike the "Iron Batter", was one of the stars of 19th century baseball in the United States. He was the first player to be revealed as a professional , as well as the first Jewish player...
as manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. He played well, batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.322, but the team finished in seventh place. For the next two seasons, he joined the Baltimore Canaries
Baltimore Canaries
The Baltimore Canaries were a professional baseball club in the National Association from 1872 to 1874.-History:The team was usually listed as Lord Baltimore in the box scores of the day, and were also referred to as the Yellow Stockings...
, the first of which he was player-manager. He was replaced at manager later in the year by Everett Mills
Everett Mills
Everett Mills was an American Major League Baseball player from Newark, New Jersey. He played in all five seasons of the National Association , and one season in the National League . He played all of games in at first base save for one game in the center field...
, but stayed with the team through the season. Playing for the Philadelphia White Stockings
Philadelphia White Stockings
The Philadelphia White Stockings were an early professional baseball team. They were a member of the National Association from 1873 to 1875. Their home games were played at the Jefferson Street Grounds...
in , he led the league in games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, and as a second baseman, he led the league in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s and errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. Craver had his best offensive season that year, batting .343, and leading the league in stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. In , he moved over the Philadelphia Centennials
Philadelphia Centennials
The Philadelphia Centennials of 1875 were a short-lived baseball team in the National Association. They won 2 games, lost 12, and did not finish out the season. Their home games were played at Centennial Grounds....
. He played in just 13 games for them when, together with George Bechtel
George Bechtel
George A. Bechtel was an American right fielder and pitcher in professional baseball's early history who became one of the leading players of his era...
, he was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics to replace injured players Dave Eggler
Dave Eggler
David Daniel Eggler was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He was born in Brooklyn, New York.Eggler's career began in the National Association of Base Ball Players with the New York Mutuals in , and was a member of the Mutuals when they joined the professional National Association in...
and Wes Fisler
Wes Fisler
Weston Dickson Fisler was a professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics from 1871 to 1876. He was an infielder/outfielder who threw right-handed....
in exchange for $1,500. He led the NA in triples in 1875 with 13.
The National Association folded following the season, and Bill joined the New York Mutuals
New York Mutuals
The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter...
, a team that he also managed. It was his only season in New York, as the Mutuals were expelled from the league for not making the required western trip. It was during this season that Bill was reputedly savagely beaten by a gambler for doublecrossing him on a fix. He gained infamy the following season, his final season, when playing for the Louisville Grays
Louisville Grays
The Louisville Grays were a 19th century U.S. baseball team and charter member of the National League, based in Louisville, Kentucky. They played two seasons, 1876 and 1877, and compiled a record of 65–61. Their home games were at the Louisville Baseball Park. The Grays were owned by...
.
Expulsion
In , The Grays were ahead in the league standings, with a 27-13 record with only 15 games left to play, but instead they lost their lead through horrible play, losing eight straight games at one point. The trouble reportedly began when third basemanThird baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Bill Hague
Bill Hague
William L. Hague , born as William L. Haug, was an American Major League Baseball player who played as a third baseman from 1875 to 1879, for three teams: the St. Louis Brown Stockings of the National Association, the Louisville Grays and the Providence Grays, both of the National League.-External...
was injured and needed to be replaced. George Hall suggested that team pick up his former Mutuals teammate Al Nichols
Al Nichols
Alfred Henry Nichols was an English Major League Baseball player for three seasons. Born in Worcester, England, he played for three different teams, and mainly played as a third baseman...
. The errors by Nichols, Hall, and Craver began to accumulate, and owner Charles Chase became suspicious when he noticed that Nichols was still in the line-up, even though Hague was fully healthy. The players were soon seen around town with new clothes and jewelry. Chase confronted pitcher Jim Devlin
Jim Devlin
James Alexander Devlin was an American Major League Baseball player who played mainly as a first baseman early in his career, then as a pitcher in the latter part...
and didn't receive a confession, but Hall thought Devlin did confess and he made a full confession. Hall claimed that Nichols was the person in contact with the gamblers and all three had thrown games. Chase requested from each member of the team permission to see all the Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
telegrams sent and received. Craver is the only man on the team to refuse, which caused him to be suspended. The telegrams proved the three were in open communication with the gamblers. The National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
subsequently expelled all four players “for conduct in contravention of the objects of this League.” Craver was banned even though it was not actually proven that he participated in throwing any games, but there were reports of his gambling and insubordination in his past, along with his refusal to cooperate with this investigation.
Post-career
After his forced retirement, Craver became a police officerPolice officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, along with fellow "criminal" Devlin. He began to receive military disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
on July 1, 1892, as a result of time as a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, which would continue on to his widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
, Catherine C. Craver. Craver died at the age of 57 of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in his hometown of Troy, and is interred at Oakwood Cemetery.
External links
- New York State Military Museum - 13th Heavy Artillery Regiment