George Bausewine
Encyclopedia
George W. Bausewine was an American
professional baseball pitcher
and umpire
in Major League Baseball
.
, and first played professional baseball at the age of 18 for the Utica
, Pent-ups minor league baseball
club of the International League
in 1887. He also played for the Altoona
club of the Pennsylvania State Association
, and the Canton
club of the Ohio State League
that year. In 1888, the Ohio State League became the Tri-State League and he played a full season with the Canton Nadiys.
Bausewine moved around to several minor league clubs in 1889, including the London Tecumsehs
of the International League, before being signed by the Philadelphia Athletics
of the American Association
on September 10. He pitched
in seven game for the Athletics that season he had a 1–4 Win–loss record, and completed
all six of the games he started
. In 55⅓ innings pitched
, he struck out
18 batters and had a 3.90 earned run average
. He was released from the team before the 1890 season on April 5. After his return to the minor leagues in 1890, he played for various teams until 1895; including teams in St. Paul, Minnesota, Albany, New York
, Allentown, Pennsylvania
, Syracuse, New York
, and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
.
umpiring crew for the season, and appeared in 123 games that year; 100 as the home plate umpire, and 23 at first base. Although it was his only season at the major league level, he is credited with 13 player/manager ejections, including future Hall of Fame
player Honus Wagner
. On August 2, Wagner was called out at first base on a close play, who showed his displeasure by throwing a baseball near Bausewine during warmups the following inning, who then ejected him from the game. Wagner received a three game suspension and a $40 fine for his actions from League President Harry Pulliam
. This was Wagner's third suspension of the season, and he commented that Bausewine was in no danger of his throw and probably would not have done anything had the Giants not said that he had tried to hit him.
On August 5, 1905, Bausewine was umpiring a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates
and the New York Giants
, with score tied 5–5 in the ninth inning, when the Giants argued with him over a close call at third base, and refused to return to the game. For refusing, he forfeits
the game to the Pirates. New York appealed the forfeiture to League President Pulliam‚ but he upheld the decision by Bausewine however.
with his wife Emma, and joined the local police department as an officer
. He served the department for 29 years until 1944, when he retired as their Chief of police
. He and wife had two children, a son and a daughter. Bausewine died in his sleep on July 29, 1947, in Norristown at the age of 78, and is interred at Arlington Cemetery
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and 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...
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...
.
Playing career
Bausewine was born on March 22, 1869 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and first played professional baseball at the age of 18 for the Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, Pent-ups minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
club of 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...
in 1887. He also played for the Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
club of the Pennsylvania State Association
Pennsylvania State Association
Running from 1934 through 1942 the Pennsylvania State Association was a class D league. It was based in the southwestern part of the state. The league was usually full of minor league farm teams. During the nine-year run of the league there were eleven cities, all from Pennsylvania, that...
, and the Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
club of the Ohio State League
Ohio State League
The first Ohio State League was a baseball league in 1887 before changing names to the Tri-State League.The first 20th century Ohio State League started in 1908 as a class D loop and ran through 1916. Another Ohio State League was formed in 1936 and ran through 1947 except for a break in '42-'43...
that year. In 1888, the Ohio State League became the Tri-State League and he played a full season with the Canton Nadiys.
Bausewine moved around to several minor league clubs in 1889, including the London Tecumsehs
London Tecumsehs
The historic London Tecumsehs were a professional men's baseball team in London, Ontario, Canada, that were first formed in 1868 — a merger of the Forest City Base Ball Club and the London Base Ball Club — which, according to George Railton's 1856 London directory, consisted of officers J.K. Brown,...
of the International League, before being signed by the Philadelphia Athletics
Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional baseball team, one of six charter members of the American Association, a 19th-century major league, which began play in 1882 as a rival to the National League. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Eclipse of...
of 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...
on September 10. He pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
in seven game for the Athletics that season he had a 1–4 Win–loss record, and completed
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
all six of the games he started
Games started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
. In 55⅓ innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
, he struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
18 batters and had a 3.90 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. He was released from the team before the 1890 season on April 5. After his return to the minor leagues in 1890, he played for various teams until 1895; including teams in St. Paul, Minnesota, Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
.
Umpiring career
Bausewine emerged as member of the National LeagueNational 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...
umpiring crew for the season, and appeared in 123 games that year; 100 as the home plate umpire, and 23 at first base. Although it was his only season at the major league level, he is credited with 13 player/manager ejections, including future Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
player Honus Wagner
Honus 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....
. On August 2, Wagner was called out at first base on a close play, who showed his displeasure by throwing a baseball near Bausewine during warmups the following inning, who then ejected him from the game. Wagner received a three game suspension and a $40 fine for his actions from League President Harry Pulliam
Harry Pulliam
Harry Clay Pulliam was an American baseball executive who served as the sixth President of the National League, from 1903 until his death , in the period in which the NL and the fledgling American League settled their hostilities and formed a National Agreement which led to the creation of the...
. This was Wagner's third suspension of the season, and he commented that Bausewine was in no danger of his throw and probably would not have done anything had the Giants not said that he had tried to hit him.
On August 5, 1905, Bausewine was umpiring a game between 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 the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, with score tied 5–5 in the ninth inning, when the Giants argued with him over a close call at third base, and refused to return to the game. For refusing, he forfeits
Forfeit (baseball)
In rare cases, baseball games are forfeited, usually in the event when a team is no longer able to play. In the event of forfeiture, the score is recorded as "9 to 0", as per rule 2.00 of the Major League Baseball Rules Book...
the game to the Pirates. New York appealed the forfeiture to League President Pulliam‚ but he upheld the decision by Bausewine however.
Personal life
After his umpiring career was over, he settled in Norristown, PennsylvaniaNorristown, Pennsylvania
Norristown is a municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of the city limits of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The population was 34,324 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...
with his wife Emma, and joined the local police department as an officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
. He served the department for 29 years until 1944, when he retired as their Chief of police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
. He and wife had two children, a son and a daughter. Bausewine died in his sleep on July 29, 1947, in Norristown at the age of 78, and is interred at Arlington Cemetery
Arlington Cemetery Co
Arlington Cemetery Co was founded in 1895. It is located on State Road in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania and occupies roughly .Arlington Cemetery consists of the Mount Vernon Office, Toppitzer Funeral Home, Williamsburg Chapel, The Museum of Mourning Art, The Garden Mausoleum, The Monticello Mausoleum,...
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located southwest of Center City, Philadelphia and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
.