Tommy McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Thomas Francis Michael "Tommy" McCarthy (July 24, 1863 – August 5, 1922) was a 19th century Major League Baseball
player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
in the Union Association
in as a starting pitcher
and outfielder
. In limited innings and at-bats, he played poorly, batting
at a paltry .215 average, and lost all seven of his pitching appearances. McCarthy moved to the National League
and played with the Boston Beaneaters
the following season and the Philadelphia Quakers
the following two years but failed to bat higher than .200 in any season, although in limited at-bats.
Setting aside aspirations of being a star pitcher, McCarthy finally settled into an everyday position in a lineup in with the St. Louis Browns
in the American Association
. With the Browns until , McCarthy scored over 100 runs each season and grew increasingly productive at the plate. He batted .350 in and drove in 95 runs in 1891. Although the shoddy record-keeping of the time prevents an accurate tally, he also asserted himself as a daring presence on the base-paths, by some accounts stealing
over 100 bases in 1888 and approaching the mark in 1890.
McCarthy moved back to the National League to play for the Boston Beaneaters
in and enjoyed his most productive seasons over the next few years. In he drove in over 100 runs for the first time in his career, a feat that he repeated in while hitting 13 home run
s. The press of the day called McCarthy and teammate Hugh Duffy
the "Heavenly Twins". Their Boston team was one of the most successful clubs of the era. McCarthy played for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
in before retiring. He finished his career with a .292 batting average, 44 home runs and roughly 500 stolen bases.
has always been a controversial one due to his less than spectacular statistics, especially when compared to those of his fellow inductees and some players who have not yet been honored.
In his Historical Baseball Abstract
, Sabermetrician
Bill James
makes the point that McCarthy was held in such high esteem because of his introduction of the "hit and run
" play into the game. This play, among other novel strategies (such as batter to baserunner signals, etc.) that he and his Boston teammates utilized, were a clever and gentlemanly counter to the rough and tumble "Baltimore" style of play which was, at the time, giving baseball a bad name. Nevertheless, in the same book, James also said that McCarthy is the worst player in the Hall of Fame.
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. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Career
McCarthy was born on July 24, 1863 in Boston, Massachusetts, the eldest son of Daniel and Sarah McCarthy. McCarthy joined the Boston RedsBoston Reds (UA)
The Boston Reds of 1884 were a member of the short-lived Union Association. One of the last teams to join the Union Association, the Reds were owned by George Wright, whose long association with professional baseball lent sorely-needed credibility to the fledgling league...
in the Union Association
Union Association
The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for only one season in 1884. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season...
in 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 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...
. In limited innings and at-bats, he played poorly, batting
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 :...
at a paltry .215 average, and lost all seven of his pitching appearances. McCarthy moved to 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...
and played with the 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....
the following season and the Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
the following two years but failed to bat higher than .200 in any season, although in limited at-bats.
Setting aside aspirations of being a star pitcher, McCarthy finally settled into an everyday position in a lineup in with 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 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...
. With the Browns until , McCarthy scored over 100 runs each season and grew increasingly productive at the plate. He batted .350 in and drove in 95 runs in 1891. Although the shoddy record-keeping of the time prevents an accurate tally, he also asserted himself as a daring presence on the base-paths, by some accounts stealing
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...
over 100 bases in 1888 and approaching the mark in 1890.
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....
in and enjoyed his most productive seasons over the next few years. In he drove in over 100 runs for the first time in his career, a feat that he repeated in while hitting 13 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. The press of the day called McCarthy and teammate Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.-Career:...
the "Heavenly Twins". Their Boston team was one of the most successful clubs of the era. McCarthy played for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
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...
in before retiring. He finished his career with a .292 batting average, 44 home runs and roughly 500 stolen bases.
Hall of Fame selection
McCarthy's selection into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1946
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1946 were conducted by methods refashioned and then fashioned again during the year. As in 1945 the Baseball Writers Association of America voted by mail to select from recent players and elected no one...
has always been a controversial one due to his less than spectacular statistics, especially when compared to those of his fellow inductees and some players who have not yet been honored.
In his Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
, Sabermetrician
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
makes the point that McCarthy was held in such high esteem because of his introduction of the "hit and run
Hit and run (baseball)
A hit and run is a high risk/high reward offensive strategy used in baseball.When the offense has a baserunner on first base , the runner on first breaks for second as the pitch is thrown...
" play into the game. This play, among other novel strategies (such as batter to baserunner signals, etc.) that he and his Boston teammates utilized, were a clever and gentlemanly counter to the rough and tumble "Baltimore" style of play which was, at the time, giving baseball a bad name. Nevertheless, in the same book, James also said that McCarthy is the worst player in the Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases