Ned Williamson
Encyclopedia
Edward Nagle "Ned" or "Ed" Williamson (October 24, 1857 – March 3, 1894) was an American
Major League Baseball
player for 13 seasons from 1878 until 1890. He played for three different teams: the Indianapolis Blues
of the National League
(NL) for one season, the Chicago White Stockings
(NL) for 11 seasons, and the Chicago Pirates
of the Players' League for one season.
From 1883 and 1887, Williamson held the single season record for both doubles
and home run
s. Although his record for doubles was surpassed in 1887, he held the home run record until 1919, when it was topped by Babe Ruth
of the Boston Red Sox
. Statistically, he was one of the best fielders of his era. During the first eight years of his career, he led the league, at his position, in both fielding percentage
and double play
s five times, and assists
six times. Later, when he moved to shortstop
, he again led the league in both assists and double plays.
His career was shortened by a knee injury that he suffered in Paris
, France
, during a world-tour organized by Albert Spalding
. After he left organized baseball, his health declined rapidly. He contracted Tuberculosis
, and ultimately died at the age of 36 of dropsy
.
, Williamson began his major league career on May 1, 1878 for the Indianapolis Blues of the National League. That season he played
in all 63 of the team's games as the starting third baseman
, leading the league in that category. He umpired
his only game during this season, when, on August 12, he called a game between the Chicago White Stockings
and the Providence Grays
. His season-ending statistics included a .232 batting average
, one home run, and 31 runs
scored.
The Blues were only a Major League team for the 1878 season, resulting in Williamson joining the Chicago White Stockings for the 1879 season. He was their regular third baseman, leading the league in multiple fielding categories for his position, including fielding percentage, assists, putout
s, and double plays. As a hitter, his numbers improved. He finished second in the league with 13 triples
, and eighth in doubles with 20, while also raising his batting average to .294. During the next three seasons, his batting statistics fluctuated from year to year. His batting average rose from .251 in 1880 to .282 in 1882; likewise, his 20 doubles in 1880 were good for seventh in the league, but dropped to 12 in 1881. He followed that season with 27 in 1882, which was fourth in the league. During this time period, when his level of hitting had dropped, his play in the field did not. He led the league in fielding percentage from 1880 to 1882, and in assists in 1881 and 1882.
In 1883, Williamson set the Major League record for doubles in a single season by hitting 49, surpassing King Kelly
's 37 set the previous year. Williamson's record for doubles stood until Tip O'Neill
of the St. Louis Browns
hit 52 in 1887. The high amount of doubles Williamson hit was attributed to the short dimensions of Chicago's Lakeshore Park
, whose distances were 186 feet (56.7 m) in left field
, 300 feet (91.4 m) in center field
, and 190 feet (57.9 m) in right field
. Balls that were hit over the fence were counted as doubles until 1884, when they became home runs. On September 6, Chicago scored a record 18 runs in one inning during a 26–6 victory over the Detroit Wolverines
. Williamson contributed three hits, and scored three runs in that inning, setting individual records in both categories. Other than runs scored, the other team records set that day included the most hits and total bases
in one inning.
During this time period, the establishment of the ground rules
of each park, rested with the home team. Cap Anson
, the team captain, and on-field manager
, decided that in 1884, balls that were hit over the fence were to be home runs. Williamson used these short dimensions, and new ground rules to set the single season home run record by hitting 27 in a 112-game season, surpassing the record of 14 set by Harry Stovey
the previous year. Of the 27 home runs he hit that year, 25 of them were hit at home. This record stood for 35 years until it was broken in 1919 by Babe Ruth
, who hit 29 for the Boston Red Sox
in a 140-game schedule. The first three of Williamson's 27 home runs came on May 30, in the second game of a doubleheader
against the Detroit Wolverines
. By doing so, Williamson became the first major league baseball player to hit three home runs in one game. During these two record-breaking seasons, his fielding prowess did not recede. He did not lead the league in fielding percentage in either 1883 or 1884, but did lead in assists, capping off a streak of five consecutive years in which he did so, while also leading the league in double plays for the second and third consecutive year.
After the 1884 season, the White Stockings moved to West Side Park
, and Williamson's power numbers dropped. Without the short fences, his home run total dropped to three, his doubles went down to 16, and his batting average dropped to .238, his lowest average since he became a White Stocking. Despite his low hitting numbers, he did lead the league in games played with 116, bases on balls with 75, and yet again, led his position in assists, double plays, and for the fifth and last time, fielding percentage. Chicago won the National League championship that season, and agreed to play the American Association
champions, the St. Louis Browns
in a seven game "World Series
". Before game one began, the players of both team held a field day which included contests of skill, and Williamson won the long throw, with a toss that travelled 400 feet, four inches. The 1885 series ended in a tie when each team won three games, and one games ended in a tie. Williamson collected two base hits in 23 at bat
s, for a .087 batting average, and scored one run.
Beginning in 1886, Williamson switched his fielding position to shortstop
, while the Chicago White Stockings again won the National League championship, their fifth in seven years. The team's success did not coincide with Williamson's slide in seasonal numbers. His batting average dropped to his career low of .216, and his strikeout
s jumped up to a career high of 71, in 430 at bats, although he did finish third in bases on balls. The White Stockings met the St. Louis Browns following the season and agreed to play a best of seven "World Series" for the second consecutive year. The Browns won the series, four games to two over Chicago, and Williamson's statistics for the series did not improve, in fact, they were worse than in 1885. He gathered one base hit in 18 at bats, for a .056 batting average, and scored two runs.
1887 was Williamson's second season at shortstop, his last full season in the Majors, and his numbers began to climb back to what they were during the early part of his career. His batting average jumped back up to .267, hit 20 doubles, 14 triples, 73 base on balls, and nine home runs. In 1888, his batting average dipped again, this time to .250, but he did finish fourth in the league in both RBIs
with 73, and base on balls with 65. In the field, he led the league in assists and double plays.
organized an around-the-world tour to promote the game of baseball. The two teams Spalding selected were the White Stockings and a collection of players from other National League teams. The tour departed on October 20, 1888 to play exhibition games throughout the western United States
for a month, before departing to Hawaii
. The tour visited several foreign countries, such as; Australia
, Egypt
, Ceylon
(Sri Lanka), France
, Italy
, and England
. It was during a game played on at the Parc Aristotique in Paris
, France on March 8, 1889, when Williamson suffered a torn knee cap which forced him to be bedridden in England on doctor's orders, missing the tour through Britain
. Though players in the 19th century were responsible for their own medical care, Williamson asked Spalding to help him financially with the mounting medical costs. Spalding refused, citing that he was not obligated to assist, and Williamson never forgave him for this.
Williamson, among his baseball contemporaries, wrote the most colorful articles to newspapers as the tour was unfolding. Williamson, an 1880s teammate of Anson in Chicago, had a knack for roasting—poking fun at—his teammates, while always coming across as good-natured. A testament to the letters' significance is that they are a dominant source of one recent book's World Tour presentation.
s. He joined the Chicago Pirates
of the Players' League for the 1890 season, his final Major League season, and played in 73 games, while hitting .195.
In Spring 1894, Williamson travelled to Hot Springs, Arkansas
in hopes that he could recover from a liver ailment and lose some weight as well, but the treatments did not work. Williamson died on March 3 of that year, at the age of 36 in Willow Springs, Arkansas of dropsy
(edema) complicated by consumption
(tuberculosis). He is interred in an unmarked grave at Rosehill Cemetery
in Chicago, Illinois.
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...
player for 13 seasons from 1878 until 1890. He played for three different teams: the 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...
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) for one season, the Chicago White Stockings
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(NL) for 11 seasons, and the Chicago Pirates
Chicago Pirates
The Chicago Pirates were a baseball team in the Players' League for a single season in 1890. The team played their home games at South Side Park . Their powerful National League rivals were the Chicago White Stockings. The Pirates recruited most of the White Stocking's players, and for this reason...
of the Players' League for one season.
From 1883 and 1887, Williamson held the single season record for both 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....
and 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. Although his record for doubles was surpassed in 1887, he held the home run record until 1919, when it was topped by Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. Statistically, he was one of the best fielders of his era. During the first eight years of his career, he led the league, at his position, in both fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
and double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s five times, and assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
six times. Later, when he moved to 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...
, he again led the league in both assists and double plays.
His career was shortened by a knee injury that he suffered in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, during a world-tour organized 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:...
. After he left organized baseball, his health declined rapidly. He contracted Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, and ultimately died at the age of 36 of dropsy
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
.
Career
Born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Williamson began his major league career on May 1, 1878 for the Indianapolis Blues of the National League. That season he 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,...
in all 63 of the team's games as the starting third baseman
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...
, leading the league in that category. He umpired
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...
his only game during this season, when, on August 12, he called a game between the Chicago White Stockings
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and the Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
. His season-ending statistics included a .232 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 :...
, one home run, and 31 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...
scored.
The Blues were only a Major League team for the 1878 season, resulting in Williamson joining the Chicago White Stockings for the 1879 season. He was their regular third baseman, leading the league in multiple fielding categories for his position, including fielding percentage, assists, 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, and double plays. As a hitter, his numbers improved. He finished second in the league with 13 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 eighth in doubles with 20, while also raising his batting average to .294. During the next three seasons, his batting statistics fluctuated from year to year. His batting average rose from .251 in 1880 to .282 in 1882; likewise, his 20 doubles in 1880 were good for seventh in the league, but dropped to 12 in 1881. He followed that season with 27 in 1882, which was fourth in the league. During this time period, when his level of hitting had dropped, his play in the field did not. He led the league in fielding percentage from 1880 to 1882, and in assists in 1881 and 1882.
In 1883, Williamson set the Major League record for doubles in a single season by hitting 49, surpassing King Kelly
King Kelly
Michael Joseph "King" Kelly was an American right fielder, catcher, and manager in various professional American baseball leagues including the National League, International Association, Players' League, and the American Association. He spent the majority of his 16-season playing career with the...
's 37 set the previous year. Williamson's record for doubles stood until Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill (baseball player)
James Edward "Tip" O'Neill was a Canadian left fielder in Major League Baseball in the late 19th century....
of the St. Louis Browns
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...
hit 52 in 1887. The high amount of doubles Williamson hit was attributed to the short dimensions of Chicago's Lakeshore Park
Union Base-Ball Grounds
Union Base-Ball Grounds was a baseball park located in Chicago, Illinois. It was also called White-Stocking Park, as it was the home field of the Chicago White Stockings of the National Association in 1871, after spending the 1870 season as an independent professional club playing home games...
, whose distances were 186 feet (56.7 m) in left field
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...
, 300 feet (91.4 m) in center field
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
, and 190 feet (57.9 m) in right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
. Balls that were hit over the fence were counted as doubles until 1884, when they became home runs. On September 6, Chicago scored a record 18 runs in one inning during a 26–6 victory over the Detroit Wolverines
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
. Williamson contributed three hits, and scored three runs in that inning, setting individual records in both categories. Other than runs scored, the other team records set that day included the most hits and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
in one inning.
During this time period, the establishment of the ground rules
Ground rules (baseball)
In baseball, ground rules are special rules particular to each baseball park in which the game is played. Unlike the well-defined playing field of most other sports, the playing area of a baseball field extends to an outfield fence in fair territory and the stadium seating in foul territory...
of each park, rested with the home team. Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
, the team captain, and on-field 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...
, decided that in 1884, balls that were hit over the fence were to be home runs. Williamson used these short dimensions, and new ground rules to set the single season home run record by hitting 27 in a 112-game season, surpassing the record of 14 set by Harry Stovey
Harry Stovey
Harry Duffield Stovey, born Harry Duffield Stowe was a 19th century Major League Baseball player and the first player in major league history to hit 100 home runs...
the previous year. Of the 27 home runs he hit that year, 25 of them were hit at home. This record stood for 35 years until it was broken in 1919 by Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, who hit 29 for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in a 140-game schedule. The first three of Williamson's 27 home runs came on May 30, in the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the Detroit Wolverines
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
. By doing so, Williamson became the first major league baseball player to hit three home runs in one game. During these two record-breaking seasons, his fielding prowess did not recede. He did not lead the league in fielding percentage in either 1883 or 1884, but did lead in assists, capping off a streak of five consecutive years in which he did so, while also leading the league in double plays for the second and third consecutive year.
After the 1884 season, the White Stockings moved to West Side Park
West Side Park
West Side Park was the name used for two different baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago, Illinois. They were both home fields of the team now known as the Chicago Cubs of the National League. Both parks witnessed championship baseball...
, and Williamson's power numbers dropped. Without the short fences, his home run total dropped to three, his doubles went down to 16, and his batting average dropped to .238, his lowest average since he became a White Stocking. Despite his low hitting numbers, he did lead the league in games played with 116, bases on balls with 75, and yet again, led his position in assists, double plays, and for the fifth and last time, fielding percentage. Chicago won the National League championship that season, and agreed to play 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...
champions, the St. Louis Browns
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...
in a seven game "World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
". Before game one began, the players of both team held a field day which included contests of skill, and Williamson won the long throw, with a toss that travelled 400 feet, four inches. The 1885 series ended in a tie when each team won three games, and one games ended in a tie. Williamson collected two base hits in 23 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s, for a .087 batting average, and scored one run.
Beginning in 1886, Williamson switched his fielding position to 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...
, while the Chicago White Stockings again won the National League championship, their fifth in seven years. The team's success did not coincide with Williamson's slide in seasonal numbers. His batting average dropped to his career low of .216, and his 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 jumped up to a career high of 71, in 430 at bats, although he did finish third in bases on balls. The White Stockings met the St. Louis Browns following the season and agreed to play a best of seven "World Series" for the second consecutive year. The Browns won the series, four games to two over Chicago, and Williamson's statistics for the series did not improve, in fact, they were worse than in 1885. He gathered one base hit in 18 at bats, for a .056 batting average, and scored two runs.
1887 was Williamson's second season at shortstop, his last full season in the Majors, and his numbers began to climb back to what they were during the early part of his career. His batting average jumped back up to .267, hit 20 doubles, 14 triples, 73 base on balls, and nine home runs. In 1888, his batting average dipped again, this time to .250, but he did finish fourth in the league in both RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
with 73, and base on balls with 65. In the field, he led the league in assists and double plays.
Spalding's world tour
At the completion of the 1888 baseball season, Albert SpaldingAlbert Spalding
Albert Goodwill Spalding was a professional baseball player, manager and co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company.-Biography:...
organized an around-the-world tour to promote the game of baseball. The two teams Spalding selected were the White Stockings and a collection of players from other National League teams. The tour departed on October 20, 1888 to play exhibition games throughout the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for a month, before departing to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The tour visited several foreign countries, such as; Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
(Sri Lanka), France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was during a game played on at the Parc Aristotique in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France on March 8, 1889, when Williamson suffered a torn knee cap which forced him to be bedridden in England on doctor's orders, missing the tour through Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. Though players in the 19th century were responsible for their own medical care, Williamson asked Spalding to help him financially with the mounting medical costs. Spalding refused, citing that he was not obligated to assist, and Williamson never forgave him for this.
Williamson, among his baseball contemporaries, wrote the most colorful articles to newspapers as the tour was unfolding. Williamson, an 1880s teammate of Anson in Chicago, had a knack for roasting—poking fun at—his teammates, while always coming across as good-natured. A testament to the letters' significance is that they are a dominant source of one recent book's World Tour presentation.
Late career and death
The injury to Williamson's knee caused his career to suffer, as he played in 47 games during the 1889 season. He batted .237, and of his 41 hits that season, only five of them were extra base hitExtra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s. He joined the Chicago Pirates
Chicago Pirates
The Chicago Pirates were a baseball team in the Players' League for a single season in 1890. The team played their home games at South Side Park . Their powerful National League rivals were the Chicago White Stockings. The Pirates recruited most of the White Stocking's players, and for this reason...
of the Players' League for the 1890 season, his final Major League season, and played in 73 games, while hitting .195.
In Spring 1894, Williamson travelled to Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
in hopes that he could recover from a liver ailment and lose some weight as well, but the treatments did not work. Williamson died on March 3 of that year, at the age of 36 in Willow Springs, Arkansas of dropsy
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
(edema) complicated by consumption
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
(tuberculosis). He is interred in an unmarked grave at Rosehill Cemetery
Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago
Rosehill Cemetery is a Victorian era cemetery on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, USA, and at , is the largest cemetery in the City of Chicago. The name "Rosehill" resulted from a City Clerk's error – the area was previously called "Roe's Hill", named for nearby farmer Hiram Roe...
in Chicago, Illinois.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball home run records
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball saves champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions