Tommy Beals
Encyclopedia
Thomas Lamb Beals was an American
Major League Baseball
player in the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
and the National League
. He played mostly in the outfield
and at second base
for the Washington Olympics
, Washington Blue Legs
, Boston Red Stockings, and Chicago White Stockings
from 1871 to 1880.
Beals made his debut for the Olympics playing under the name W. Thomas on July 27, 1871. The Olympics franchise did not last beyond nine games into their 1872 schedule, and Beals was able to join the Blue Stockings the next season as a second baseman
/catcher
. He had the best season of his career, hitting .272 with a career-high 24 RBI
on 46 hits.
In 1874, Beals started playing under his given name with the perennially powerful Red Stockings. As a part-time second baseman/outfielder
, he only managed to hit .196. He reprised his part-time role in the Boston outfield the next season but significantly increased his production, hitting .265. After that 1875 season, the National Association became the National League, and Beals was without a job in Major League Baseball for the next four seasons.
Beals reemerged in 1880 with the White Stockings at age 29. He played 13 games for the Chicago club that season, hitting a career-low .152, and hung up his spikes after the season. Beals died, at the age of 65, on October 2, 1915 in San Francisco, California
, and he is interred at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
in Colma, California
.
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 in the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
and 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...
. He played mostly in the outfield
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 at second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
for the Washington Olympics
Washington Olympics
The Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics, was an early professional baseball team.When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro...
, Washington Blue Legs
Washington Blue Legs
The Washington Blue Legs, or less commonly known as the Washington Nationals, were a professional baseball team established in Washington, D.C., and played their home games at the Nationals Grounds and the Olympics Grounds...
, Boston Red Stockings, and 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...
from 1871 to 1880.
Beals made his debut for the Olympics playing under the name W. Thomas on July 27, 1871. The Olympics franchise did not last beyond nine games into their 1872 schedule, and Beals was able to join the Blue Stockings the next season as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
/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...
. He had the best season of his career, hitting .272 with a career-high 24 RBI
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...
on 46 hits.
In 1874, Beals started playing under his given name with the perennially powerful Red Stockings. As a part-time second baseman/outfielder
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...
, he only managed to hit .196. He reprised his part-time role in the Boston outfield the next season but significantly increased his production, hitting .265. After that 1875 season, the National Association became the National League, and Beals was without a job in Major League Baseball for the next four seasons.
Beals reemerged in 1880 with the White Stockings at age 29. He played 13 games for the Chicago club that season, hitting a career-low .152, and hung up his spikes after the season. Beals died, at the age of 65, on October 2, 1915 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, and he is interred at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, established by Hamden Holmes Noble in 1892, is a cemetery located in Colma, California, a place known as the "City of the Silent". It is the final resting site for several members of the celebrated Hearst family plus other prominent citizens from the greater San...
in Colma, California
Colma, California
Colma is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924....
.