Bill Regan
Encyclopedia
William Wright Regan was a second baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played from through for the Boston Red Sox
(1926–1930) and Pittsburgh Pirates
(1931). Listed at 5' 10", 155 lb., Regan batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, Regan was a World War I
veteran who played semi-pro baseball before starting his professional career in 1922. He played for the Kitchener
and Flint
teams of the Michigan-Ontario League
, and later moved on to the Columbus Senators
of the American Association
. In 1925 hit a .298 batting average
for Columbus, and .317 in 38 games in 1926, before joining the Boston Red Sox during the midseason to become the team's regular second baseman for the next five years.
Basically a line drive
hitter and smart baserunner, Regan had good contact and was able to convert his gap line drives into extra bases. In 1927 recorded career-numbers with 37 doubles
and 10 triples
, while hitting .274 in 129 games. His most productive season came in 1928, when he posted career-highs with seven home run
s and 75 RBI
, while collecting 30 doubles and six triples. On June 16 of that year, he came to bat twice in an inning and homered both times. His second was an inside-the-park homer
, as he equaled his HR output of the previous season. Besides this, he was considered in the American League MVP
vote in both years.
In 1929 Regan hit a career-high .288, while collecting with 54 RBI
. A year later he was still productive hitting 35 doubles, and 10 triples. He also played with the Pirates in 1931, his last major league season.
In a six-year career, Regan was a .267 hitter (632-for-2364) with 18 home runs and 292 RBI in 641 games, including 236 runs, 158 doubles, 36 triples, 38 stolen bases, and a .306 on-base percentage. He made 610 appearances at second base, and committed 138 errors
in 3610 chances for a .965 fielding percentage
. Eventually, he appeared in 14 games at third base
(12), first (1), and right field (1).
Regan later played in the International League
for the Baltimore Orioles, Buffalo Bisons
, Montreal Royals
and Toronto Maple Leafs, before ending his career in 1935 with the Birmingham Barons
of the Southern League
. While in Baltimore, he hit a career-high .321.
Following his retirement, Regan worked in the Allegheny County (PA) police department for 20 years and also joined the armed forces during World War II
.
Regan died in his homeland of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 69.
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in 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...
who played from through for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1926–1930) and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1931). Listed at 5' 10", 155 lb., Regan batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Regan was a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
veteran who played semi-pro baseball before starting his professional career in 1922. He played for the Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
and Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
teams of the Michigan-Ontario League
Michigan State League
Michigan State League was the name of six American professional baseball leagues. Five of them operated only one or two baseball seasons and the other four seasons...
, and later moved on to the Columbus Senators
Columbus Red Birds
The Columbus Red Birds was the name of a top-level minor league baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio, in the American Association from 1931 through 1954. The Columbus club, a member of the Association continuously since 1902, was previously known as the Columbus Senators — a typical...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. In 1925 hit a .298 batting average
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 :...
for Columbus, and .317 in 38 games in 1926, before joining the Boston Red Sox during the midseason to become the team's regular second baseman for the next five years.
Basically a line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
hitter and smart baserunner, Regan had good contact and was able to convert his gap line drives into extra bases. In 1927 recorded career-numbers with 37 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 10 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, while hitting .274 in 129 games. His most productive season came in 1928, when he posted career-highs with seven home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 75 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, while collecting 30 doubles and six triples. On June 16 of that year, he came to bat twice in an inning and homered both times. His second was an inside-the-park homer
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
, as he equaled his HR output of the previous season. Besides this, he was considered in the American League MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
vote in both years.
In 1929 Regan hit a career-high .288, while collecting with 54 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. A year later he was still productive hitting 35 doubles, and 10 triples. He also played with the Pirates in 1931, his last major league season.
In a six-year career, Regan was a .267 hitter (632-for-2364) with 18 home runs and 292 RBI in 641 games, including 236 runs, 158 doubles, 36 triples, 38 stolen bases, and a .306 on-base percentage. He made 610 appearances at second base, and committed 138 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 ...
in 3610 chances for a .965 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. Eventually, he appeared in 14 games at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
(12), first (1), and right field (1).
Regan later played in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
for the Baltimore Orioles, Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons (disambiguation)
The following sports teams from Buffalo, New York went by the name Bisons:Baseball* Buffalo Bisons, current baseball team in the International League* Buffalo Bisons , former baseball team in the National League from 1879-85....
, Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
and Toronto Maple Leafs, before ending his career in 1935 with the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. While in Baltimore, he hit a career-high .321.
Following his retirement, Regan worked in the Allegheny County (PA) police department for 20 years and also joined the armed forces during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Regan died in his homeland of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 69.
Fact
- 62 years later, Ellis BurksEllis BurksEllis Rena Burks is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons...
became the second player in Red Sox history to hit two home runs in the same inning (August 27, ).