John Clapp (baseball)
Encyclopedia
John Edgar Clapp nicknamed "Honest John", was a professional baseball
player-manager whose career spanned 12 seasons, 11 of which were spent with the Major League Baseball
(MLB) Middletown Mansfields
(1872), Philadelphia Athletics (1873–1875), St. Louis Brown Stockings
(1876–1877), Indianapolis Blues
(1878), Buffalo Bisons (1879), Cincinnati Reds (1880), Cleveland Blues
(1881), and New York Gothams (1883). Clapp, who predominately played as a catcher
, also played as an outfielder
. Over his career, Clapp compiled a career batting average
of .283 with 459 runs scored
, 713 hits
, 92 doubles
, 35 triples
, 7 home run
s, and 834 runs batted in (RBI). Over 1,188 games played
, Clapp struck out
only 51 times. Although the majority of his career was spent in the major leagues, Clapp also played two seasons of minor league baseball
. He made his MLB debut at the age of 21 and was listed as standing 5 in 7 in (170.18 cm) and weighing 194 pounds (88 kg). His brother, Aaron Clapp
, also played one season of MLB for the Troy Trojans.
(NA). Over 19 games played, Clapp batted .278 with one home run and a team-high 30 runs scored while managing the team to a 5–19 record. After the team folded, Clapp joined the Philadelphia Athletics. His single home run tied him for the team-lead along with Wes Fisler
, Cherokee Fisher
, and Tim Murnane
. Next season, in 1874, Clapp led the NA in at bats per home run (55); his on-base percentage (.732) was a career-high, while the Athletics finished the season 33–22, third in the NA, under manager Dick McBride
. In his final year with the club, Clapp batted .264 with 77 hits and 39 RBI. His putout
total was second in the NA among catchers.
In 1876, Clapp joined the St. Louis Brown Stockings of the National League
(NL). He finished the year tied for the team lead in games played (64) and hits (91), while he led the NL in putout
s as a catcher, with 333. Next season, Clapp batted a career high .318, while his on-base percentage and on-base plus slugging
percentages were the second highest in his career. In the field, Clapp committed 40 errors as a catcher, second highest in the NL to Lew Brown
's 49. After leaving the team, Clapp joined the Indianapolis Blues, where he served as a player-manager for the 1878 season. Playing primarily in the outfield, Clapp was tied for the MLB lead in games played along with Indianapolis teammates Silver Flint
, Russ McKelvy
, Orator Shafer, and Ned Williamson
.
After his one-year stint with the Blues, Clapp joined the Buffalo Bisons. Playing in 70 games, Clapp managed the team to a 46–32 record, placing the Bisons third in the NL. On June 25 of that year, Clapp ended a streak of 212 consecutive games played, serving primarily as a catcher. In 1880, now playing and managing for the Cincinnati Reds, Clapp played in a total of 80 games, a career high, while leading the team to a 21–59 record. In 1882, after leading the NL in walks
, Clapp made his minor-league debut for the New York Metropolitans
of the League Alliance
. In 1883, his last MLB season, Clapp played for and managed the New York Gothams for their inaugural season. Clapp, then 34, spent his final professional season with the St. Paul Apostles, where he batted .180 with 11 hits and a double.
. Clapp was intered at Lake View Cemetery in Ithaca.
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-manager whose career spanned 12 seasons, 11 of which were spent with the 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) Middletown Mansfields
Middletown Mansfields
The Middletown Mansfields were a Baseball team in Middletown, Connecticut. The Mansfields were a member of the National Association in 1872. The baseball team was organized by Ben Douglas Jr., who named the team after his great-uncle General Joseph Mansfield. They were managed by catcher John...
(1872), Philadelphia Athletics (1873–1875), St. Louis Brown Stockings
St. Louis Brown Stockings
The St. Louis Brown Stockings were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1875 to 1877.-History:Joining the National Association in the final season of that league, the Brown Stockings were the first team to represent St. Louis in a professional baseball association . The...
(1876–1877), Indianapolis Blues
Indianapolis Blues
The Indianapolis Blues were a baseball team in the National League only during the 1878 season and finished fifth in the six-team league with a 24-36 record. They were managed by outfielder/first baseman/catcher John Clapp, and played their home games at South Street Park.Their top-hitting regular...
(1878), Buffalo Bisons (1879), Cincinnati Reds (1880), Cleveland Blues
Cleveland Blues (NL)
The Cleveland Blues were a Major League Baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that operated in the National League from 1879 to 1884. In six seasons their best finish was third place in 1880. Hugh Daily threw a no-hitter for the Blues on Sept. 13, 1883. Besides Daily, notable Blues players...
(1881), and New York Gothams (1883). Clapp, who predominately played as a 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...
, also played as an 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...
. Over his career, Clapp compiled a career batting average
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 :...
of .283 with 459 runs scored
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...
, 713 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....
, 92 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....
, 35 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....
, 7 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...
s, and 834 runs batted in (RBI). Over 1,188 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, Clapp 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....
only 51 times. Although the majority of his career was spent in the major leagues, Clapp also played two seasons of 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...
. He made his MLB debut at the age of 21 and was listed as standing 5 in 7 in (170.18 cm) and weighing 194 pounds (88 kg). His brother, Aaron Clapp
Aaron Clapp
Aaron Bronson Clapp was a first baseman in Major League Baseball for the 1879 Troy Trojans. His brother, John Clapp, had a more successful baseball career.-Sources:...
, also played one season of MLB for the Troy Trojans.
Professional career
In 1872, Clapp began his professional career with the Middletown Mansfields of the National Association of Professional Base Ball PlayersNational Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
(NA). Over 19 games played, Clapp batted .278 with one home run and a team-high 30 runs scored while managing the team to a 5–19 record. After the team folded, Clapp joined the Philadelphia Athletics. His single home run tied him for the team-lead along with Wes Fisler
Wes Fisler
Weston Dickson Fisler was a professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics from 1871 to 1876. He was an infielder/outfielder who threw right-handed....
, Cherokee Fisher
Cherokee Fisher
William Charles "Cherokee" Fisher , was an American baseball pitcher.Fisher was a pitcher during organized baseball's formative years, from about 1867 to the end of his career. He was known for his fastball on the field and his heavy drinking off it. William J...
, and Tim Murnane
Tim Murnane
Timothy Hayes Murnane was an American sportswriter specializing in baseball, regarded as the leading baseball writer at The Boston Globe for about thirty years until his death. At the same time, he organized and led professional sports leagues and helped govern the baseball industry...
. Next season, in 1874, Clapp led the NA in at bats per home run (55); his on-base percentage (.732) was a career-high, while the Athletics finished the season 33–22, third in the NA, under manager Dick McBride
Dick McBride
James Dickson "Dick" McBride was an American Major League Baseball player from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was the star pitcher and the player-manager for the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association from through most of the when Cap Anson took over as player-manager for the...
. In his final year with the club, Clapp batted .264 with 77 hits and 39 RBI. His putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
total was second in the NA among catchers.
In 1876, Clapp joined the St. Louis Brown Stockings 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...
(NL). He finished the year tied for the team lead in games played (64) and hits (91), while he led the NL in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s as a catcher, with 333. Next season, Clapp batted a career high .318, while his on-base percentage and on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
percentages were the second highest in his career. In the field, Clapp committed 40 errors as a catcher, second highest in the NL to Lew Brown
Lew Brown (baseball)
Lewis J. Brown was an American Major League Baseball catcher and first baseman for seven seasons and played for six different teams from 1876 to 1884. Brown was primarily a catcher, but he also logged over 100 games as a first baseman...
's 49. After leaving the team, Clapp joined the Indianapolis Blues, where he served as a player-manager for the 1878 season. Playing primarily in the outfield, Clapp was tied for the MLB lead in games played along with Indianapolis teammates Silver Flint
Silver Flint
Frank Sylvester Flint was a Major League catcher in the 19th century. He began his career at age 19 with the St...
, Russ McKelvy
Russ McKelvy
Russell Errett McKelvy was an American Major League Baseball player who played center field for the Indianapolis Blues of the National League , and one game in right field for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys.-Career:After attending Allegheny College from 1873 through 1877, he signed with the...
, Orator Shafer, and Ned Williamson
Ned Williamson
Edward Nagle "Ned" or "Ed" Williamson was an American Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons from 1878 until 1890...
.
After his one-year stint with the Blues, Clapp joined the Buffalo Bisons. Playing in 70 games, Clapp managed the team to a 46–32 record, placing the Bisons third in the NL. On June 25 of that year, Clapp ended a streak of 212 consecutive games played, serving primarily as a catcher. In 1880, now playing and managing for the Cincinnati Reds, Clapp played in a total of 80 games, a career high, while leading the team to a 21–59 record. In 1882, after leading the NL in walks
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...
, Clapp made his minor-league debut for the New York Metropolitans
New York Metropolitans
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887...
of the League Alliance
League Alliance
The League Alliance was the first semi-affiliated minor league baseball league. Proposed by Al Spalding on January 15, 1877 . Independent baseball teams were to affiliate with National League teams, which would honor their respective contracts. The league only existed for one season, 1877, though...
. In 1883, his last MLB season, Clapp played for and managed the New York Gothams for their inaugural season. Clapp, then 34, spent his final professional season with the St. Paul Apostles, where he batted .180 with 11 hits and a double.
After baseball
After retiring from baseball, Clapp served as a night sergeant in his hometown of Ithaca, New York. He died at midnight on December 18, 1904, of apoplexyApoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
. Clapp was intered at Lake View Cemetery in Ithaca.