Leech Maskrey
Encyclopedia
Samuel Leech Maskrey was an American
Major League Baseball
left fielder
. He played five seasons in the majors, from until , for the Louisville Eclipse
and Colonels
and the Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA)
. His brother, Harry Maskrey
, was his teammate on the 1882 Eclipse.
After spending the 1887-89 seasons playing minor league baseball
, Maskrey was part of a contingent sent to England in 1890 by Albert Spalding
at the behest of a newly formed national professional baseball body. This organization had sent a letter to the American Spalding requesting help in establishing a league. They requested eight to ten players to coach and convert the existing players (whose primary game was usually soccer). Spalding sent a skilled manager, Jim Hart
, along with players Maskrey, William J. Barr, Charles Bartlett, and J. E. Prior. Maskrey was the only one of the players who had played in the majors to that point, and stayed there for one season as a manager.
Following his sojourn in England, Maskrey returned to the U.S. minor leagues in 1891, where he played for the Tacoma team in the Pacific Northwestern League. After spending the 1892 season with the Atlanta Firecrackers of the Southern Association
, part of which he spent as a player-manager, he retired and went into the hotel business with his brother Harry.
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...
left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
. He played five seasons in the majors, from until , for the Louisville Eclipse
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...
and 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...
and the Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA)
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....
. His brother, Harry Maskrey
Harry Maskrey (baseball)
Harry H. Maskrey , was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the Major Leagues for the 1882 Louisville Eclipse. He appeared in one game on September 21, 1882 and was hitless in four at-bats for the Eclipse. His brother, Leech Maskrey, also played for the 82 Eclipse.-External links:...
, was his teammate on the 1882 Eclipse.
After spending the 1887-89 seasons playing 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...
, Maskrey was part of a contingent sent to England in 1890 by Albert Spalding
Albert Spalding
Albert Goodwill Spalding was a professional baseball player, manager and co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company.-Biography:...
at the behest of a newly formed national professional baseball body. This organization had sent a letter to the American Spalding requesting help in establishing a league. They requested eight to ten players to coach and convert the existing players (whose primary game was usually soccer). Spalding sent a skilled manager, Jim Hart
Jim Hart (baseball)
James Aristotle Hart was a manager for the Louisville Colonels and the Boston Beaneaters for parts of three seasons....
, along with players Maskrey, William J. Barr, Charles Bartlett, and J. E. Prior. Maskrey was the only one of the players who had played in the majors to that point, and stayed there for one season as a manager.
Following his sojourn in England, Maskrey returned to the U.S. minor leagues in 1891, where he played for the Tacoma team in the Pacific Northwestern League. After spending the 1892 season with the Atlanta Firecrackers 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...
, part of which he spent as a player-manager, he retired and went into the hotel business with his brother Harry.