Bug Holliday
Encyclopedia
James Wear "Bug" Holliday (February 8, 1867 – February 15, 1910) was an American
center fielder
in Major League Baseball
for ten seasons, from through , plus the 1885 World Series
. He holds the distinction of being the first player to make his major league debut in post-season play, with the Chicago White Stockings
in 1885. He played the rest of his career with the Cincinnati Reds
, both when they were in the American Association
and in the National League
. He twice led the league in home run
s, and was among the leaders in various other offensive categories throughout his career. After his playing career was over, he was an umpire
for one season.
, and became the first player in major league history to make his debut in the post-season when he was called up by the Chicago White Stockings
when they needed another outfielder
after Game 4 of the World Series
. He played in one game, and had one hit in four at bat
s. The distinction has since been matched by Mark Kiger
, who played in the 2006 American League Championship Series
for the Oakland Athletics
as a defensive replacement.
Holliday made his regular-season major league debut in 1889 for the Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association. In his first season with the Red Stockings, he led the league in home runs with 19, while finishing in the top ten in many offensive categories. He was fifth in batting average
with .321, fifth in runs batted in (RBIs)
with 104, third in hits
with 181, and ninth in doubles
with 28.
Before the season, the Red Stockings transferred their team over to the National League and officially became the Reds. Holliday picked up where he left off the previous season, with an opening day home run off Bill Hutchinson in a 5-4 loss to the Chicago Colts
. But after that, his season's power numbers dropped significantly, as he hit only four home runs, tallied 75 RBIs, and had a .270 batting average.
He bounced back the following season, when he hit nine home runs, which was fourth in the league, batted .319 to finish second in the league, and totaled 84 RBIs, which was ninth. He followed the campaign with an even better season, when he played in 153 games, batted 602 times, scored 114 runs, and tripled
16 times, all career highs. He also claimed his second home run title that season, with 13, and finished in the top ten with 176 hits as well.
Both and saw Holliday continue his batting production; although his home runs dipped to five in 1893, he still batted .310, totaled 84 RBIs, and scored 108 runs. But statistically, 1894 was his greatest season, when his .372 batting average was his career high, as well as his 119 runs scored, 190 hits, 119 RBIs, .420 on base percentage
and .523 slugging percentage.
During the first six years of his career, he slugged 63 home runs, which was second to only Roger Connor
during the same span; but in he had an appendectomy, and was never the same player after that. In his last four seasons he was never more than a part-time player.
of the Pittsburgh Pirates
and Cincinnati Reds second baseman
Jack Morrissey
became engaged in words, which led to Wagner being surrounded by other Reds players. Holliday ejected Wagner from the game to quell the possibility of an altercation on the field.
He continued to live in Cincinnati, and worked in a pool room
while also covering horse racing
for a local newspaper. He died at the age of 43 in Cincinnati of gangrene of foot and leg, and is interred at Spring Grove Cemetery
, also in Cincinnati. The New York Times
reported his illness on February 3, 1910, and as a result, Reds manager Clark Griffith
ordered all of the Cincinnati players to be vaccinated before they left for training camp.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
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...
for ten seasons, from through , plus the 1885 World Series
1885 World Series
The 1885 World Series was an end-of-the-year playoff series between the National League champion Chicago White Stockings and American Association champion St. Louis Browns. The Series was played in four different cities...
. He holds the distinction of being the first player to make his major league debut in post-season play, with 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...
in 1885. He played the rest of his career with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, both when they were in the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
and 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 twice led the league in 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 was among the leaders in various other offensive categories throughout his career. After his playing career was over, he was an 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...
for one season.
Career
Holliday was born in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and became the first player in major league history to make his debut in the post-season when he was called up by 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...
when they needed another outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
after Game 4 of the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. He played in one game, and had one hit in four at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. The distinction has since been matched by Mark Kiger
Mark Kiger
Mark Winston Kiger is a retired baseball third baseman.-Career:Kiger was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 27th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign. After attending the University of Florida, he signed with the Oakland Athletics as a 5th round selection in 2002...
, who played in the 2006 American League Championship Series
2006 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Detroit turned four double plays...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
as a defensive replacement.
Holliday made his regular-season major league debut in 1889 for the Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association. In his first season with the Red Stockings, he led the league in home runs with 19, while finishing in the top ten in many offensive categories. He was fifth in 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 :...
with .321, fifth in runs batted in (RBIs)
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...
with 104, third in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
with 181, and ninth in 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....
with 28.
Before the season, the Red Stockings transferred their team over to the National League and officially became the Reds. Holliday picked up where he left off the previous season, with an opening day home run off Bill Hutchinson in a 5-4 loss to the Chicago Colts
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...
. But after that, his season's power numbers dropped significantly, as he hit only four home runs, tallied 75 RBIs, and had a .270 batting average.
He bounced back the following season, when he hit nine home runs, which was fourth in the league, batted .319 to finish second in the league, and totaled 84 RBIs, which was ninth. He followed the campaign with an even better season, when he played in 153 games, batted 602 times, scored 114 runs, and tripled
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....
16 times, all career highs. He also claimed his second home run title that season, with 13, and finished in the top ten with 176 hits as well.
Both and saw Holliday continue his batting production; although his home runs dipped to five in 1893, he still batted .310, totaled 84 RBIs, and scored 108 runs. But statistically, 1894 was his greatest season, when his .372 batting average was his career high, as well as his 119 runs scored, 190 hits, 119 RBIs, .420 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
and .523 slugging percentage.
During the first six years of his career, he slugged 63 home runs, which was second to only Roger Connor
Roger Connor
Roger Connor was a 19th century Major League Baseball player, born in Waterbury, Connecticut. Known for being the player whom Babe Ruth succeeded as the all-time home run champion, Connor hit 138 home runs during his 18-year career, and his career home run record stood for 23 years after his...
during the same span; but in he had an appendectomy, and was never the same player after that. In his last four seasons he was never more than a part-time player.
Post-career
When Holliday's baseball career was over, he was a National League umpire for the season, officiating in 53 games that season. He was involved in one incident in which Honus WagnerHonus Wagner
-Louisville Colonels:Recognizing his talent, Barrow recommended Wagner to the Louisville Colonels. After some hesitation about his awkward figure, Wagner was signed by the Colonels, where he hit .338 in 61 games....
of the 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...
and Cincinnati Reds 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...
Jack Morrissey
Jack Morrissey
John Albert "Jack" Morrissey , nicknamed "King", was an American professional baseball player from Lansing, Michigan who played parts of two season in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds from 1902 to 1903....
became engaged in words, which led to Wagner being surrounded by other Reds players. Holliday ejected Wagner from the game to quell the possibility of an altercation on the field.
He continued to live in Cincinnati, and worked in a pool room
Billiard room
A billiard room is a recreation room, such as in a house or recreation center, with a billiards, pool or snooker table...
while also covering horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
for a local newspaper. He died at the age of 43 in Cincinnati of gangrene of foot and leg, and is interred at Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
, also in Cincinnati. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported his illness on February 3, 1910, and as a result, Reds manager Clark Griffith
Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...
ordered all of the Cincinnati players to be vaccinated before they left for training camp.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions