Tom McCreery
Encyclopedia
Thomas Livingston "Tom" McCreery (October 19, 1874 – July 3, 1941) was an outfielder
and pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He played for the Louisville Colonels
(1895–1897), New York Giants
(1897–1898), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1898–1900), Brooklyn Superbas
(1901–1903) and Boston Beaneaters
(1903). McCreery was a switch hitter
and threw right-handed.
McCreery was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania
and debuted with the Louisville Colonels in 1895, primarily as a starting pitcher
, and posted a 3-1 record with a shutout
. In 1896 McCreery switched to outfield, and he responded with a .351 batting average
, 65 runs batted in, 91 runs
, 26 stolen base
s, a .546 slugging percentage, and led the National League
with 21 triples
.
In 1897, McCreery posted career-highs in runs (91), stolen bases (28), RBI (67), games played
(138), and hit .289. On July 12, he hit three inside-the-park home run
s, becoming the first and only player in major league history to hit three inside-homers in a single game. He also played in part of seven seasons with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Superbas, hitting .323 for Pittsburgh in 1899. He played his final major league game with the Boston Beaneaters in 1903.
In a nine-season career, McCreery was a .290 hitter with 26 home runs and 386 RBI in 799 games.
An alumnus of Georgetown University
, McCreery served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh
's baseball team
in 1912. McCreery died in Beaver, Pennsylvania
, at the age of 66.
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...
and 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...
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...
. He played for the Louisville 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...
(1895–1897), New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1897–1898), Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1898–1900), Brooklyn Superbas
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1901–1903) and Boston Beaneaters
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1903). McCreery was a switch hitter
Switch hitter
In baseball, a switch-hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed.-Baseball:Usually, right-handed batters hit better against left-handed pitchers and vice-versa. Most curveballs break away from batters hitting from the same side as the opposing pitcher. Such pitches are often...
and threw right-handed.
McCreery was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
and debuted with the Louisville Colonels in 1895, primarily as a starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
, and posted a 3-1 record with a shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
. In 1896 McCreery switched to outfield, and he responded with a .351 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 :...
, 65 runs batted in, 91 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...
, 26 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, a .546 slugging percentage, and led 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 21 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....
.
In 1897, McCreery posted career-highs in runs (91), stolen bases (28), RBI (67), 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,...
(138), and hit .289. On July 12, he hit three inside-the-park home run
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
s, becoming the first and only player in major league history to hit three inside-homers in a single game. He also played in part of seven seasons with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Superbas, hitting .323 for Pittsburgh in 1899. He played his final major league game with the Boston Beaneaters in 1903.
In a nine-season career, McCreery was a .290 hitter with 26 home runs and 386 RBI in 799 games.
An alumnus of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, McCreery served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
's baseball team
Pittsburgh Panthers baseball
Pittsburgh Panthers baseball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt baseball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games at Charles L. Cost Field in...
in 1912. McCreery died in Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
, at the age of 66.