Bob Addy
Encyclopedia
Robert Edward "Bob" Addy (February 1845 – April 9, 1910), nicknamed "The Magnet", was an American
right fielder
and second baseman
in Major League Baseball
, whose professional career spanned from in the National Association
to in the National League
. He is credited as the first player to introduce the slide
in an organized game, and later attempted to create a game of baseball that would have been played on ice.
, he is credited with employing the first slide in an organized baseball game, while playing for the 1866 Rockford Forest Citys
of the National Association of Base Ball Players
. He was still playing for the Forrest Citys in 1869, and was with them two years later when Rockford joined the first all-professional league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
.
Rockford lasted just the one season in the Association, and Addy did not rejoin the league until when joined the Philadelphia White Stockings
. He played in ten games as player-manager, before moving on and joining the Boston Red Stockings later in the season. He helped the Red Stockings win the league title that year, playing in right field, hitting
.355, and finished ninth in the league with a .354 on-base percentage. On January 20, 1874, the National Association's Judiciary Committee met to discuss, among other things, charges that Addy had joined the Boston Red Stockings before 60 days had elapsed since leaving the Philadelphia club. He was acquitted of the charge and was allowed to play.
He did not play for the Red Stockings in 1874, as he signed to play for the Hartford Dark Blues
, but his batting declined to .239, and his on-base percentage dropped to .243. For the season, he re-joined the Philadelphia White Stockings, playing
in a career high 69 games. He batted .258, and finished ninth in the league with 16 stolen base
s. For one game on October 28, 1875, Addy was used as a National Association umpire
.
At season's end, the Association folded, as was replaced by National League
, and Addy joined the Chicago White Stockings
. Chicago won the league title that season, with Addy playing 32 games, and hitting .282. Addy moved to his second Major League team in two years, and sixth team in seven years, when he joined the Cincinnati Reds
, playing everyday in right field, and later took over as the team's manager after Lip Pike
quit the position.
, and is interred at Mountain View Cemetery under the name of Eddy Addy with a birthdate of February 1838.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and second baseman
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...
, whose professional career spanned from in the National Association
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...
to in 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...
. He is credited as the first player to introduce the slide
Slide (baseball)
In baseball, a slide is when a player, acting as a baserunner, drops his body to the ground once he is very close to the base he is approaching and slides along the ground to reach the base....
in an organized game, and later attempted to create a game of baseball that would have been played on ice.
Career
Born in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, he is credited with employing the first slide in an organized baseball game, while playing for the 1866 Rockford Forest Citys
Rockford Forest Citys
Rockford Forest Citys , from Rockford, Illinois was one of the first professional baseball clubs. Rockford played for one season during the National Association inaugural year of 1871.-Origins:...
of the National Association of Base Ball Players
National Association of Base Ball Players
The National Association of Base Ball Players was the first organization governing American baseball. The first, 1857 convention of sixteen New York City clubs...
. He was still playing for the Forrest Citys in 1869, and was with them two years later when Rockford joined the first all-professional league, 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...
.
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...
. He played in ten games as player-manager, before moving on and joining the Boston Red Stockings later in the season. He helped the Red Stockings win the league title that year, playing in right field, hitting
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 :...
.355, and finished ninth in the league with a .354 on-base percentage. On January 20, 1874, the National Association's Judiciary Committee met to discuss, among other things, charges that Addy had joined the Boston Red Stockings before 60 days had elapsed since leaving the Philadelphia club. He was acquitted of the charge and was allowed to play.
He did not play for the Red Stockings in 1874, as he signed to play for the Hartford Dark Blues
Hartford Dark Blues
The Hartford Dark Blues were a 19th century baseball team. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut.-History:They were a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1874 and 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1877...
, but his batting declined to .239, and his on-base percentage dropped to .243. For the season, he re-joined the Philadelphia White Stockings, playing
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,...
in a career high 69 games. He batted .258, and finished ninth in the league with 16 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. For one game on October 28, 1875, Addy was used as a National Association umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
.
At season's end, the Association folded, as was replaced by 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...
, and Addy joined the Chicago White Stockings
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Chicago won the league title that season, with Addy playing 32 games, and hitting .282. Addy moved to his second Major League team in two years, and sixth team in seven years, when he joined the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds (1876-1880)
The Cincinnati Reds, also known as the Cincinnati Red Stockings, were a professional baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio that played from 1876–1880. The Reds were a charter member of the National League.-History:...
, playing everyday in right field, and later took over as the team's manager after 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...
quit the position.
Post-career
Addy later tried and ultimately failed trying to generate interest in baseball played on ice. He died at the age of 65 in Pocatello, IdahoPocatello, Idaho
Pocatello is the county seat and largest city of Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the Pocatello metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Bannock...
, and is interred at Mountain View Cemetery under the name of Eddy Addy with a birthdate of February 1838.