Terry Larkin
Encyclopedia
Frank S. "Terry" Larkin (1856 – September 16, 1894) was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played for five teams during a six-season career.
, pitching a complete game
in his only appearance of the season. He pitched in for the Hartford Dark Blues
, posting a 29-25 record while pitching 501 innings. He then moved to the Chicago White Stockings
for the and seasons, going 29-26 in 1878 and 31-23 in 1879, pitching over 500 innings each season. Larkin was a good hitter for a pitcher and finished 8th in the National League
with 32 runs batted in
(RBI), while hitting for a .288 average
in 1878.
In the midst of the 1879 season, Larkin developed arm trouble and the main pitching duties fell to third baseman Frank Hankinson
, although Larkin continued to pitch. His arm problems worsened and after five games, the Troy Trojans released him and he was out of Major League Baseball until .
Larkin made headlines on April 24, 1883 when he shot and injured his wife and a police officer, then tried to commit suicide. Failing in that, he attempted suicide again the next day. Larkin's wife refused to press charges and he was soon released by the police. Larkin was arrested again on February 18, 1884 for threatening to shoot his father. Soon released again, Larkin managed to sign and play for the Richmond Virginians
of the American Association
and was their everyday second baseman when they became a mid-season replacement for the disbanded Washington Nationals
.
, New York
. He is interred at Calvary Cemetery
in Woodside, New York.
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...
pitcher
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...
who played for five teams during a six-season career.
Career
Larkin, a right-hander, debuted on May 20, for the New York MutualsNew York Mutuals
The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter...
, pitching a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
in his only appearance of the season. He pitched in for the Hartford Dark Blues
Hartford Dark Blues
The Hartford Dark Blues were a 19th century baseball team. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut.-History:They were a member of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1874 and 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1877...
, posting a 29-25 record while pitching 501 innings. He then moved to 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...
for the and seasons, going 29-26 in 1878 and 31-23 in 1879, pitching over 500 innings each season. Larkin was a good hitter for a pitcher and finished 8th in 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...
with 32 runs batted in
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...
(RBI), while hitting for a .288 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 :...
in 1878.
In the midst of the 1879 season, Larkin developed arm trouble and the main pitching duties fell to third baseman Frank Hankinson
Frank Hankinson
Frank Edward Hankinson was an American third baseman in the early years of Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Stockings , Cleveland Blues , Troy Trojans , New York Gothams , New York Metropolitans , and Kansas City Cowboys...
, although Larkin continued to pitch. His arm problems worsened and after five games, the Troy Trojans released him and he was out of Major League Baseball until .
Larkin made headlines on April 24, 1883 when he shot and injured his wife and a police officer, then tried to commit suicide. Failing in that, he attempted suicide again the next day. Larkin's wife refused to press charges and he was soon released by the police. Larkin was arrested again on February 18, 1884 for threatening to shoot his father. Soon released again, Larkin managed to sign and play for the Richmond Virginians
Richmond Virginians (1884)
The Richmond Virginians was a major league baseball team that played in the American Association in 1884. They had a record of 12 wins and 30 losses after replacing the Washington Statesmen, who had dropped out of the league. The Virginians were managed by Felix Moses and played their home games in...
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...
and was their everyday second baseman when they became a mid-season replacement for the disbanded Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals (AA)
The Washington Nationals of 1884 were a short-lived baseball team in the American Association. They won 12 games and lost 51. Their home games were played at Athletic Park in Washington, D.C. They are also known as the Washington Statesmen....
.
Post-career
Larkin was later institutionalized after challenging his former employer to a duel with pistols, and while apparently still hospitalized committed suicide by slitting his throat with a razor on September 16, 1894 in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He is interred at Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, Queens
The Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in Queens has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States.The offices of Calvary Cemetery are located at 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd. in Woodside in the New York City borough of Queens, New York. The cemetery is managed by the Trustees of...
in Woodside, New York.