Tom Cahill (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Thomas H. "Tom" Cahill was an Irish American
professional baseball
player who played from 1888–1894. He played one season in Major League Baseball
and had a career batting average
of .253 with 109 hits
, 17 doubles
, 7 triples
, 3 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases.
in October, 1868. His father, also named Thomas Cahill, was born in Ireland
and worked as a laborer
. Cahill's mother was also born in Ireland. Cahill attended both the College of the Holy Cross
, and the University of Pennsylvania
. At the University of Pennsylvania, Cahill studied medicine
while playing professional baseball. He left the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
in 1891 to play professional baseball full-time, but planned on returning to his studies and eventually becoming a doctor
.
. The next season, Cahill played with the New Haven, Connecticut
baseball club of the Atlantic Association. Cahill was described by the Meriden Daily Republican as "a popular catcher
," and the New Haven club resigned Cahill for the 1890 season.
of the American Association
in 1901, a year after they won the American Association pennant. On the season, Cahill played multiple positions including catcher (55 games), shortstop
(49 games), outfield
(12 games), second base (6 games), and third base
(2 games). In total, Cahill committed 69 errors
in 342 total chances
, giving him a fielding percentage
of .930. On the offensive side, Cahill batted .253 with 68 runs
, 17 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 44 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and 41 bases on balls
. Among teammates, Cahill lead the Colonels in stolen bases, and stolen bases; was second in doubles; and was fourth in hits, bases on balls, and triples (tied with Ollie Beard
). Cahill was first in the majors in stolen bases amongst fellow rookies (tied with Tommy Dowd
), and was second in the league (first in the American Association) in doubles. On April 21, 1892, Cahill was released by the Colonels.
and became the Scranton Indians. He was the manager
of the Scranton baseball club.
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
professional baseball
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 who played from 1888–1894. He played one season in 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...
and had 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 .253 with 109 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....
, 17 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....
, 7 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....
, 3 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases.
Early life
Cahill was born in Fall River, MassachusettsFall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
in October, 1868. His father, also named Thomas Cahill, was born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and worked as a laborer
Laborer
A Laborer or labourer - see variation in english spelling - is one of the construction trades, traditionally considered unskilled manual labor, as opposed to skilled labor. In the division of labor, laborers have all blasting, hand tools, power tools, air tools, and small heavy equipment, and act...
. Cahill's mother was also born in Ireland. Cahill attended both the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
, and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. At the University of Pennsylvania, Cahill studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
while playing professional baseball. He left the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine , formerly the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was founded in 1765, making it the oldest American medical school. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, it is located in the University City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is widely...
in 1891 to play professional baseball full-time, but planned on returning to his studies and eventually becoming a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
.
Early career
In 1888, Cahill began his professional career at the age of 19 with the Worcester Grays of the New England LeagueNew England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
. The next season, Cahill played with the New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
baseball club of the Atlantic Association. Cahill was described by the Meriden Daily Republican as "a popular 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...
," and the New Haven club resigned Cahill for the 1890 season.
Louisville Colonels
Cahill began to play with the Major League Baseball franchise Louisville ColonelsLouisville 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...
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 1901, a year after they won the American Association pennant. On the season, Cahill played multiple positions including catcher (55 games), 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...
(49 games), outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
(12 games), second base (6 games), and third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
(2 games). In total, Cahill committed 69 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 342 total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
, giving him a 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...
of .930. On the offensive side, Cahill batted .253 with 68 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...
, 17 doubles, 7 triples, 3 home runs, 44 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and 41 bases 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...
. Among teammates, Cahill lead the Colonels in stolen bases, and stolen bases; was second in doubles; and was fourth in hits, bases on balls, and triples (tied with Ollie Beard
Ollie Beard
Oliver Perry Beard was an American Major League Baseball player who played shortstop for the Cincinnati Red Stockings/Reds from 1889 to 1890. He then played third base for the Louisville Colonels in 1891. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, it is claimed that his family invented the Kentucky version of...
). Cahill was first in the majors in stolen bases amongst fellow rookies (tied with Tommy Dowd
Tommy Dowd (baseball)
Thomas Jefferson Dowd , nicknamed "Buttermilk Tommy", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and second baseman from Holyoke, Massachusetts who played for six teams during his ten-season career.-College:...
), and was second in the league (first in the American Association) in doubles. On April 21, 1892, Cahill was released by the Colonels.
Later career
After his major league career, Cahill played for the Troy Trojans of the Eastern League for two seasons (1892–1893). His final season was 1894, before his death. Cahill played with the Troy Washerwomen, which later moved to Scranton, PennsylvaniaScranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
and became the Scranton Indians. He was the 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...
of the Scranton baseball club.