Books and articles about Tommy McCarthy

RELATED LINKS Submissions » The Amazing 1894 Boston Beaneaters by Frank Ceresi

McCarthy's statistics are unimpressive for a Hall of Famer, but his creative innovations left an indelible mark on the game. He hit .300 only four times in 13 seasons and had a lifetime fielding percentage of .897, and was at his best from 1892 to 1895 when he and Hugh Duffy were "the Heavenly Twins" in the Boston outfield. McCarthy had played for manager Frank Selee's Oshkosh champions in the North Western League in 1887, and after four years in the American Association was reunited with Selee in Boston. Selee encouraged innovative baseball, and McCarthy is credited with perfecting, if not inventing, the hit-and-run; runner-to-batter signals; and an outfield trap, designed to freeze forced baserunners, where if the runner stayed on base McCarthy would trap the ball and get at least a forceout and possibly a double play. After retiring as a player, McCarthy scouted, coached several colleges, and ran a bowling alley and saloon with Duffy. The Veterans Committee elected him to the Hall of Fame in 1946. (ADS)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » November 3, 1887: The directors of the Omaha club agree to pay $3,000 per month to manager Frank Selee to bring his team from Oshkosh, where they won the Northwestern League pennant in 1887. Two top stars, outfielders Tommy McCarthy and Dummy Hoy, will spend 1888 in the ML, however, and Selee's Omaha team will finish 4th in the WA race. » September 18, 1889: The Browns Tommy McCarthy steals 2B, 3B, and home in the 7th inning of a 3–2 St. Louis victory in Kansas City. » August 5, 1922: Tommy McCarthy, a top OF in the 1890s, dies at 58. He will enter the Hall of Fame in 1946. On the 14th, an all-star team will beat the Red Sox in a benefit game that raises more than $5,000 for his family. » August 14, 1922: Lizzie Murphy of the Providence all-stars, plays 1B for an AL all-star team in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox, making her the first female to play for a major-league team. Other all-stars are Chick Shorten, Tillie Walker, Frank Bruggy, Bootnose Hoffman, Jim Bagby, Nick Altrock, and Donnie Bush. The all-stars win 3–2 when Doc Johnson triples home Pep Young in the 10th. The proceeds benefit the family of former Sox player and manager Tommy McCarthy. The future Hall of Famer passed away August 5.