Jake Beckley
Encyclopedia
Jacob Peter Beckley nicknamed "Eagle Eye", was a Major League Baseball
player at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri
.
baseball while still a teen in his native Hannibal. According to The Baseball Biography Project it was a former Hannibal teammate, Bob Hart, who ushered Beckley into professional play by suggesting the 18-year old to the Leavenworth Oilers (Leavenworth, Kansas
) of the Western Association.
After spliting two seasons between Leavenworth and a team in Lincoln, Nebraska
, Jake Beckley's contract was sold to the St. Louis Whites in the Western Association
before he was purchased (along with Harry Staley
) by the Pittsburgh Alleghenys
for $4,500 midway through the 1888 season. After playing one and a half seasons for the Alleghenys, he jumped to the Pittsburgh Burghers
, a team in the newly formed Players League
. The league lasted only one season, and Beckley spent the next five and a half seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates
. On July 25, 1896, he was traded to the New York Giants
for Harry Davis and $1,000. Beckley was released by the Giants the following season on May 22, and he signed as a free agent
with the Cincinnati Reds
five days later. He played with Cincinnati for seven seasons and was later purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals
on February 11, 1904. Beckley retired after the 1907 season with 2930 career hits, second only to Cap Anson
.
After his Major League career ended, Beckley became a player/manager
for Kansas City
in the American Association
in 1908-1909, Bartlesville in the Western Association
in 1910, and Hannibal in the Central Association
in 1911. After his playing career, he served as an umpire
in the Federal League
in 1913 and also served as a baseball coach at William Jewell College
in Liberty, Missouri
.
in Kansas City, Missouri
at the age of 50. He was interred at the Riverside Cemetery in Hannibal, Missouri
.
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...
player at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
.
Professional career
Jake Beckley began playing semi-proSemi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
baseball while still a teen in his native Hannibal. According to The Baseball Biography Project it was a former Hannibal teammate, Bob Hart, who ushered Beckley into professional play by suggesting the 18-year old to the Leavenworth Oilers (Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
) of the Western Association.
After spliting two seasons between Leavenworth and a team in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, Jake Beckley's contract was sold to the St. Louis Whites in the Western Association
Western Association
The Western Association was the name of five different leagues in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Western Association on October 28, 1887...
before he was purchased (along with Harry Staley
Harry Staley
Henry Eli Staley , was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the major leagues from 1888-1895. He would play for the Boston Beaneaters, Pittsburgh Alleghenys/Pirates, Pittsburgh Burghers, and St. Louis Browns.-External links:...
) by the Pittsburgh Alleghenys
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...
for $4,500 midway through the 1888 season. After playing one and a half seasons for the Alleghenys, he jumped to the Pittsburgh Burghers
Pittsburgh Burghers
The Pittsburgh Burghers were a baseball team in the Players' League, a short-lived Major League that existed only for the 1890 season. The team included a number of players who had jumped from the National League's Pittsburgh Alleghenys , including Hall of Famers Pud Galvin, Ned Hanlon, and Jake...
, a team in the newly formed 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...
. The league lasted only one season, and Beckley spent the next five and a half seasons with 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...
. On July 25, 1896, he was traded to 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....
for Harry Davis and $1,000. Beckley was released by the Giants the following season on May 22, and he signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
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....
five days later. He played with Cincinnati for seven seasons and was later purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals
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...
on February 11, 1904. Beckley retired after the 1907 season with 2930 career hits, second only to Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
.
After his Major League career ended, Beckley became a player/manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 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 1908-1909, Bartlesville in the Western Association
Western Association
The Western Association was the name of five different leagues in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Western Association on October 28, 1887...
in 1910, and Hannibal in the Central Association
Central Association
The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917.-1908:The teams from Burlington, Iowa, Jacksonville, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Ottumwa, Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa joined after having...
in 1911. After his playing career, he served as 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...
in the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
in 1913 and also served as a baseball coach at William Jewell College
William Jewell College
William Jewell College is a private, four-year liberal arts college of 1,100 undergraduate students located in Liberty, Missouri, U.S. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders, including Robert S. James, a Baptist minister and father of the...
in Liberty, Missouri
Liberty, Missouri
Liberty is a city in Clay County, Missouri and is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. At the 2007 population estimate, the city population was 29,993...
.
Personal life
Jake Beckley was the son of Bernhart and Rosina (Neth) Beckley. He was twice married but had no children, his first wife Molly dying just months after their 1891 wedding. In addition to his umpiring and coaching after retirement from professional play, Beckley operated a grain business in Kansas City. Jake Beckley died of heart diseaseHeart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
at the age of 50. He was interred at the Riverside Cemetery in Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
.
Honors
- Elected into the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumThe 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...
in 1971.
See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples records
External links
- Player bio and stats at Sports Mogul