Dick Burns

Dick Burns

Pitcher/Outfielder
Born: December 26, 1863(1863-12-26)
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Died: November 16, 1937(1937-11-16) (aged 73)
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Batted: Left Threw: Left 
MLB debut
May 3, 1883 for the Detroit Wolverines
Last MLB appearance
July 23, 1885 for the St. Louis Maroons
Career statistics
Record     25-27
Earned run average     3.07
Strikeouts     199
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Richard Simon "Dick" Burns (December 26, 1863 – November 16, 1937) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and outfielder, born in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He played a total of three seasons in the majors from 1883 to 1885, getting most of his playing time in the short-lived Union Association in 1884.[1]

Contents

Career

Dick began his Major League career with the 1883 Detroit Wolverines of the National League, and finished the season with a 2-12 win/loss record.[1] After the season, he joined the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds of the newly formed and short-lived Union Association. It was with the Outlaw Reds that he compiled very good stats; a 23-15 win/loss record, a 2.46 ERA,[1] pitched a no-hitter on August 26, 1884 Kansas City Cowboys, the first of only two no-hitters pitched in that league.[2]

Post-Majors career

The Union Association merged with the National League after the 1884 season, and Burns signed and played with the St. Louis Maroons of the National League, playing 14 games in the outfield, and pitching just once, in a relief appearance.[1] This was his final big league season, after which he went on to play for the Milwaukee Brewers in the minors, continuing his two-way playing.[3] Burns' sudden rise in effectiveness and subsequent disappearance back into obscurity is attributable to the difference in the talent levels of the Union Association and National League. The competition in the UA is roughly equivalent to that of the Double-A level of the current Minor league. [4]

Later life

Burns died in Holyoke, Massachusetts at the age of 73, and was interred at the Calvary Cemetery in Holyoke.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Dick Burns's Statistics". retrosheet.org. http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B/Pburnd102.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
  2. ^ "MLB No-Hitters". espn.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/nohitters. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
  3. ^ "The Minor League Milwaukee Brewers, pg. 34". by Brian A. Podoll. http://books.google.com/books?id=qf71ysRuW_QC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=%22dick+burns%22+baseball&source=web&ots=JIfh9CJ4Ah&sig=V15iji2EAML2i1IDFomRy3uJFjs&hl=en#PPA34,M10. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
  4. ^ "Redleg Rundown: Cincinnati Reds Era IIIA: 1884". mvn.com. http://mvn.com/mlb-reds/2007/11/14/cincinnati-reds-era-iiia-1884/. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 

External links

Achievements
Preceded by
Pud Galvin		 No-hitter pitcher
August 26, 1884		 Succeeded by
Ed Cushman