Jim McElroy (baseball)

Jim McElroy
Pitcher
Born: November 5, 1862
Napa County, California
Died: February 24, 1889 (aged 26)
Needles, California
Batted: Unknown Threw: Unknown
MLB debut
May 26, 1884 for the Philadelphia Quakers
Last MLB appearance
August 21, 1884 for the Wilmington Quicksteps
Career statistics
Games pitched 14
W–L record 1–13
Earned run average 5.12
Teams

James D. McElroy (November 5, 1862 – February 24, 1889) was an American professional baseball player who played one season at the major league level. He pitched thirteen games for the 1884 Philadelphia Quakers, and one game for the Wilmington Quicksteps.[1] His W–L record was 1–13, and he had an earned run average of 5.12.[1] He attended Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California.[2]

He is first seen on May 2, 1884, pitching for the Baltimore Monumentals of the Eastern League, when he pitched against the Quicksteps.[3] Before the 1884 season, Harry Wright took over as the Phillies manager, and liked McElroy's talent.[3] He threw extremely hard, but was very wild. In his 14 starts, there were seven different catchers who caught him, four of whom claimed that McElroy was the first pitcher they had ever caught at the major league level. In an era when catcher's equipment was still very meager, and with no other catchers willing to work with McElroy, Wright had to release him.[3]

McElroy died in Needles, California.[1] of an intentional opium overdose[4]

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Jim McElroy's career statistics". Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  2. ↑ "Jim McElroy's career statistics". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Nemec, p. 27
  4. ↑ Russo, Frank. "Suicides". thedeadballera.com. Retrieved 2009-04-08.

External links