Gracie Pierce
Encyclopedia
Grayson S. "Gracie" Pierce (before 1865— August 28, 1894) was an American
Major League Baseball
second baseman
and center fielder
for three seasons, playing for five teams from 1882 to 1884. He later became a regular umpire
in both the National League
and the Players League
.
of the American Association
. He played a total of nine games, all as a second baseman, and batted
.303 in 33 at bat
s. He scored three runs
, and hit one double
. Later that season, he played in 41 games for the Baltimore Orioles
, also of the American Association. His batting average dropped to .199 in 151 at bats with Orioles, as well as his production, scoring just eight runs, two doubles, and one triple
. His season average between the two teams was .217, and he led the league among second basemen with 65 errors.
of the American Association, hitting .171 in 41 at bats, scored five runs, and did not gather one extra-base hit. Later in the season, he joined the New York Gothams
of the National League, playing in 18 games, totaling just five hits
in 62 at bats for a .080 batting average. He also began to play more in the outfield, mainly as a center fielder, rather than at second base. His batting average for the season was .117, but he did hit the second (and last) triple of his career.
, where he played in just five games, splitting his time between second base and the outfield. He batted .250 for the season, with records indicating his participation in the game played August 1. His career totals include a .186 batting average, 21 runs scored, four doubles, and two triples in 84 games and 307 at bats.
minor league baseball
team in 1886, along with fellow Metropolitans Ed Kennedy, and Dasher Troy
, when players began to leave the team due to speculation that the American Association was going to eliminate them from the league.
During his major league umpiring career, he was involved in one forfeit
ed game, and umpired game six of the 1886 World Series
. The forfeited game was played between the St. Louis Maroons and the Washington Nationals
on September 29, 1886. In the seventh inning, after a St. Louis player had struck out
, the Maroons refused to play, complaining that it was too dark to continue. Pierce ruled that due to their refusal to play, they forfeited the game to the Nationals.
On October 23, 1886, he umpired the sixth and final game of the 1886 World Series. The St. Louis Browns
of the American Association were up on the Chicago White Stockings
of the National League, three games to two entering the game. The game ended with St. Louis winning after ten innings of play, sealing the series victory, the only undisputed championship that the Association could claim over the National League.
Eight years later, Gracie Pierce died in his hometown of New York City
. His age cannot be determined with certainty due to the unavailability of his birth year, but if he was in his twenties during the earliest years of his playing career, his death occurred while he was still in his mid-thirties.
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...
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...
and 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...
for three seasons, playing for five teams from 1882 to 1884. He later became a regular 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 both 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...
and the Players League
Players League
The Players' National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, popularly known as the Players' League , was a short-lived but star-studded professional American baseball league of the 19th century...
.
1882
Pierce began his major league career on May 2, 1882 for the Louisville EclipseLouisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...
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...
. He played a total of nine games, all as a second baseman, and batted
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 :...
.303 in 33 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. He scored three runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, and hit one double
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....
. Later that season, he played in 41 games for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
, also of the American Association. His batting average dropped to .199 in 151 at bats with Orioles, as well as his production, scoring just eight runs, two doubles, and one triple
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....
. His season average between the two teams was .217, and he led the league among second basemen with 65 errors.
1883
He began the season with the Columbus BuckeyesColumbus Buckeyes (AA)
The Columbus Buckeyes were a baseball team in the American Association from 1883 to 1884. In two seasons they won 101 games and lost 104 for a winning percentage of .493. Their home games were played at Recreation Park in Columbus, Ohio....
of the American Association, hitting .171 in 41 at bats, scored five runs, and did not gather one extra-base hit. Later in the season, he joined the New York Gothams
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....
of the National League, playing in 18 games, totaling just five 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....
in 62 at bats for a .080 batting average. He also began to play more in the outfield, mainly as a center fielder, rather than at second base. His batting average for the season was .117, but he did hit the second (and last) triple of his career.
1884
His last major league season was spent with the New York MetropolitansNew York Metropolitans
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887...
, where he played in just five games, splitting his time between second base and the outfield. He batted .250 for the season, with records indicating his participation in the game played August 1. His career totals include a .186 batting average, 21 runs scored, four doubles, and two triples in 84 games and 307 at bats.
Minor leagues
He signed and played for an Elmira, New YorkElmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
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...
team in 1886, along with fellow Metropolitans Ed Kennedy, and Dasher Troy
Dasher Troy
John Joseph "Dasher" Troy , was an American Major League Baseball player who played mainly as a second baseman from to . He played for the Detroit Wolverines, Providence Grays, New York Gothams, and the New York Metropolitans. He was born in New York City, and died at the age of 81 in Ozone Park,...
, when players began to leave the team due to speculation that the American Association was going to eliminate them from the league.
As an umpire
Pierce had, during his playing days, filled in for the regular umpire from time to time. He registered three games in 1882 and one game in 1884. He began to umpire games regularly in 1886, when he called 47 games, and 1887, when he called 33, all in the National League. He didn't appear as an official umpire at a major league game until 1890, when he officiated at 57 games in the Players League.During his major league umpiring career, he was involved in one forfeit
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...
ed game, and umpired game six of the 1886 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...
. The forfeited game was played between the St. Louis Maroons and the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals (1886-89)
The Washington Nationals, sometimes referred to as the Washington Statesmen, was a professional baseball team in the mid to late 1880s. They existed for a period of four years as a member of the National League from to . During their four-year tenure they had six different managers and compiled a...
on September 29, 1886. In the seventh inning, after a St. Louis player had 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....
, the Maroons refused to play, complaining that it was too dark to continue. Pierce ruled that due to their refusal to play, they forfeited the game to the Nationals.
On October 23, 1886, he umpired the sixth and final game of the 1886 World Series. The St. Louis Browns
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
of the American Association were up on 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...
of the National League, three games to two entering the game. The game ended with St. Louis winning after ten innings of play, sealing the series victory, the only undisputed championship that the Association could claim over the National League.
Eight years later, Gracie Pierce died in his hometown of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His age cannot be determined with certainty due to the unavailability of his birth year, but if he was in his twenties during the earliest years of his playing career, his death occurred while he was still in his mid-thirties.