John Cahill (baseball)
Encyclopedia
John Patrick Parnell "Patsy" Cahill (April 4, 1865 – October 31, 1901) was a Major League Baseball
outfielder
. In addition to playing the outfield, Cahill also played third base
, shortstop
and he also pitched
10 games.
There is speculation that Cahill was the inspiration for Ernest Lawrence Thayer's poem "Casey at the Bat
" after Thayer reportedly saw Cahill play in Stockton, California
.
with the Philadelphia Quakers
in December 1883 but on May 19, 1884 his contact was purchased by the Columbus Buckeyes
from the Quakers. Cahill began his professional career with the Buckeyes of the American Association
in 1886. He played in 59 games and batted
.219 with 46 hits
, three doubles
, three triples
and six base on balls
in 210 at bats.
ball club of the Southern Association
. He returned to the major leagues in 1886 playing for the St. Louis Maroons
of the National League
. Cahill hit only .199 with 92 hits with 17 doubles, six triples, one home run
, 32 RBIs with 16 stolen base
s.
from the St. Louis Maroons. Cahill would play out his final season in the Major Leagues with the Hoosiers batting .205 with 54 hits, four doubles, three triples, 26 RBIs and a career high 34 steals in 68 games. In addition to Cahill's batting statistics he also pitched a career high six games, including one start. He went 0–2 with a 14.32 ERA
with five strikeout
s.
. Stops Cahill made included the Eau Claire, Wisconsin
ball club of the Northwestern League
, the Oakland Colonels of the California League
, the Bloomington Reds of the Central Interstate League
, the Stockton, California
ball club of the California League, back to Oakland, then to the Sacramento Senators
, back to Oakland, then to the Rock Island-Moline Twins in the Illinois-Indiana League
, the Dallas Hams in the Texas League
, the Fort Worth Panthers, the Denison Tigers of the Texas Southern League and then back to Fort Worth.
He was also an umpire
after his playing career was over but Cahill died soon after that in 1901 at the age of 36 in Pleasanton, California
and was laid to rest at Saint Mary Cemetery
, in Oakland, California
.
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...
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...
. In addition to playing the outfield, Cahill also played third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and he also pitched
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...
10 games.
There is speculation that Cahill was the inspiration for Ernest Lawrence Thayer's poem "Casey at the Bat
Casey at the Bat
"Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888" is a baseball poem written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. First published in The San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888, it was later popularized by DeWolf Hopper in many vaudeville performances.The poem was originally published...
" after Thayer reportedly saw Cahill play in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
.
Columbus Buckeyes
Cahill signed as a free agentFree 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 Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in December 1883 but on May 19, 1884 his contact was purchased by the Columbus Buckeyes
Columbus 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....
from the Quakers. Cahill began his professional career with the Buckeyes 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...
in 1886. He played in 59 games 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 :...
.219 with 46 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....
, three 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....
, three 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....
and six base on balls
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in 210 at bats.
St. Louis Maroons
In 1885 Cahill played for the Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
ball club of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. He returned to the major leagues in 1886 playing for the St. Louis Maroons
St. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers
300px|thumb|right|1888 Indianapolis HoosiersThe St. Louis Maroons were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1884-1886. The club, established by Henry Lucas, were the one near-major league quality entry in the Union Association, a league that lasted only one season, due...
of 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...
. Cahill hit only .199 with 92 hits with 17 doubles, six triples, one 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...
, 32 RBIs with 16 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
Indianapolis Hoosiers
On March 8, 1887 Cahill was purchased by the Indianapolis HoosiersSt. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers
300px|thumb|right|1888 Indianapolis HoosiersThe St. Louis Maroons were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1884-1886. The club, established by Henry Lucas, were the one near-major league quality entry in the Union Association, a league that lasted only one season, due...
from the St. Louis Maroons. Cahill would play out his final season in the Major Leagues with the Hoosiers batting .205 with 54 hits, four doubles, three triples, 26 RBIs and a career high 34 steals in 68 games. In addition to Cahill's batting statistics he also pitched a career high six games, including one start. He went 0–2 with a 14.32 ERA
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...
with five strikeout
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....
s.
Legacy
Cahill played the rest of his career in the minor leaguesMinor 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...
. Stops Cahill made included the Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
ball club of the Northwestern League
Northwestern League
The Northwestern League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1883–1884, and again from 1886-1887. It was founded by Elias Matter in 1883.-1883-1884:...
, the Oakland Colonels of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, the Bloomington Reds of the Central Interstate League
Central 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...
, the Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
ball club of the California League, back to Oakland, then to the Sacramento Senators
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
, back to Oakland, then to the Rock Island-Moline Twins in the Illinois-Indiana League
Illinois-Indiana League
The Illinois–Indiana League or Two-I League was based in Illinois and Indiana and refers the name of two different baseball circuits in Minor league baseball which operated in and .-Cities represented/Teams:-Cities represented/Teams:-Source:*...
, the Dallas Hams in the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, the Fort Worth Panthers, the Denison Tigers of the Texas Southern League and then back to Fort Worth.
He was also 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...
after his playing career was over but Cahill died soon after that in 1901 at the age of 36 in Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
and was laid to rest at Saint Mary Cemetery
Saint Mary Cemetery (Oakland, California)
Saint Mary Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery in Oakland, California, adjacent to Mountain View Cemetery.-People interred:*Juan Bautista Alvarado Mexican governor of California...
, in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.
External links
- Stats and Bio at Baseball Almanac.