Jerry Harrington
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah Peter "Jerry" Harrington (August 12, 1868 – April 16, 1913) was a professional baseball
player whose career spanned six season, including four seasons in Major League Baseball
(MLB). Harrington played the majority of his games in the majors at catcher
, however, he did play first base and third base
on occasion. In 189 major league games between the Cincinnati Reds
and the Louisville Colonels
, Harrington batted
.227 with 60 runs
, 151 hits
, 19 doubles
, six triples
, three home runs, 73 runs batted in (RBIs), and eight stolen bases.
on August 12, 1868. His father was the manager
of the Keokuk, Iowa
baseball club in 1885. At the age of 16, Jerry Harrington began to play semi-professional
baseball with the Bonaparte, Iowa
team. Two years later, Harrington began to play with the Creston, Iowa
ball club of the Iowa League.
. That season, he played for the Danville Browns, the Davenport club, and the Decatur club. Harrington continued to play in the Central Interstate League in 1889 with the Davenport Hawkeyes/Monmouth. Harrington made his major league debut on April 30, 1890 with the Cincinnati Reds
. In his first season, he batted .246 with 25 runs, 58 hits, seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 23 RBIs, and four stolen bases in 65 games. Lee Allen, author of The Cincinnati Reds, wrote that Harrington and fellow player Billy Rhines
were two top prospects when they joined the Reds, although nearly unknown today. It was also said that Harrington could throw out a baserunner from his knees. In 1891, Harrington's second season with the Reds, he batted .228 with 25 runs, 76 hits, 10 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 41 RBIs, and four stolen bases in 92 games. In David L. Porter's Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Q–Z, it was noted that Rhines, Harrington and fellow Reds teammate Pete Browning
received fines and suspensions because of misbehavior outside of baseball. Harrington played his final season with the Reds in 1892. In 22 games, Harrington batted .213 with six runs, 13 hits, one double, and three RBIs. In 1893, Harrington joined the Louisville Colonels
, which would prove to be his final season in professional baseball. With the Colonels, Harrington batted .111 with four runs, four hits, one double, and three RBIs in 10 games.
. There, Harrington became the assistant chief of police
. In 1913, Harrington was struck in the head with a beer bottle by Tom Merrit, described in Lee Allen's book The Cincinnati Reds as a "thug." Harrington died on August 16, 1913 at the age of 45 and was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned six season, including four seasons 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...
(MLB). Harrington played the majority of his games in the majors at catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, however, he did play first base and third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
on occasion. In 189 major league games between 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....
and the Louisville Colonels
Louisville 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...
, Harrington 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 :...
.227 with 60 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...
, 151 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....
, 19 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....
, six triples
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....
, three home runs, 73 runs batted in (RBIs), and eight stolen bases.
Early life
Harrington was born in Hamden, OhioHamden, Ohio
Hamden is a village in Vinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 871 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hamden is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
on August 12, 1868. His father was the 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...
of the Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
baseball club in 1885. At the age of 16, Jerry Harrington began to play semi-professional
Semi-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 with the Bonaparte, Iowa
Bonaparte, Iowa
Bonaparte is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 458 at the 2000 census. The town is located on the Des Moines River and contains a number of historical buildings, including a large pottery. The town was flooded during the Flood of 1851.-Geography:Bonaparte's...
team. Two years later, Harrington began to play with the Creston, Iowa
Creston, Iowa
Creston is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,597 at the 2000 census. McKinley Lake lies within a large, multi-purpose municipal park within the city limits, and three additional recreational lakes are located within seven miles of Creston:...
ball club of the Iowa League.
Professional career
In 1888, Harrington began his professional career in the Central Interstate LeagueCentral Interstate League
The Central Interstate League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1888-1889.-Former Teams:The following are former teams that made up the Central Interstate League:*Bloomington Reds, 1888*Burlington Babies, 1889...
. That season, he played for the Danville Browns, the Davenport club, and the Decatur club. Harrington continued to play in the Central Interstate League in 1889 with the Davenport Hawkeyes/Monmouth. Harrington made his major league debut on April 30, 1890 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....
. In his first season, he batted .246 with 25 runs, 58 hits, seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 23 RBIs, and four stolen bases in 65 games. Lee Allen, author of The Cincinnati Reds, wrote that Harrington and fellow player Billy Rhines
Billy Rhines
William Pearl Rhines was a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 9 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He led the National League in ERA twice while playing for Cincinnati...
were two top prospects when they joined the Reds, although nearly unknown today. It was also said that Harrington could throw out a baserunner from his knees. In 1891, Harrington's second season with the Reds, he batted .228 with 25 runs, 76 hits, 10 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 41 RBIs, and four stolen bases in 92 games. In David L. Porter's Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Q–Z, it was noted that Rhines, Harrington and fellow Reds teammate Pete Browning
Pete Browning
Louis Rogers "Pete" Browning was an American center and left fielder in Major League Baseball from 1882 to 1894 who played primarily for the Louisville Eclipse/Colonels, becoming one of the sport's most accomplished batters of the 1880s...
received fines and suspensions because of misbehavior outside of baseball. Harrington played his final season with the Reds in 1892. In 22 games, Harrington batted .213 with six runs, 13 hits, one double, and three RBIs. In 1893, Harrington joined the Louisville Colonels
Louisville 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...
, which would prove to be his final season in professional baseball. With the Colonels, Harrington batted .111 with four runs, four hits, one double, and three RBIs in 10 games.
Later life
After his professional baseball career was over, Harrington resided in Keokuk, IowaKeokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
. There, Harrington became the assistant 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...
. In 1913, Harrington was struck in the head with a beer bottle by Tom Merrit, described in Lee Allen's book The Cincinnati Reds as a "thug." Harrington died on August 16, 1913 at the age of 45 and was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa.