Al Pratt (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Albert G. Pratt nicknamed "Uncle Al", was an American
right-handed pitcher
and outfielder
in the National Association
for the Cleveland Forest Citys
, and was a manager
in Major League Baseball
with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys
of the American Association
.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, Pratt was a Civil War
veteran and baseball player. Pratt was 5'7", 140 lbs., and compiled a 12-26 record in 43 professional games as a hurler. In successive years with Cleveland, 1871–1872, Pratt hit .262 and .277 in 45 games with a total of 52 hits.
He managed the Portsmouth, Ohio
baseball team in 1868. Afterward he was a member of the Forest City Club of Cleveland in the Professional League of Baseball Players. This was the first professional league in America.
In 1880 Pratt founded the first major league club in Pittsburgh, the Alleghenys (later renamed the Pittsburgh Pirates
), which joined the American Association.
Pratt celebrated his 90th birthday two days before his death in Pittsburgh on November 21, 1937. He was buried, according to his request, attired in his Grand Army of the Republic
uniform.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
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 the National Association
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...
for the Cleveland Forest Citys
Cleveland Forest Citys
The Forest Citys were a short lived professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1870s. The actual name of the team, as shown in standings, was Forest City, not "Cleveland". The name "Forest Citys" was used in the same generic style of the day in which the team from Chicago,...
, and was a manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in 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...
with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
of 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...
.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pratt was a Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran and baseball player. Pratt was 5'7", 140 lbs., and compiled a 12-26 record in 43 professional games as a hurler. In successive years with Cleveland, 1871–1872, Pratt hit .262 and .277 in 45 games with a total of 52 hits.
He managed the Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
baseball team in 1868. Afterward he was a member of the Forest City Club of Cleveland in the Professional League of Baseball Players. This was the first professional league in America.
In 1880 Pratt founded the first major league club in Pittsburgh, the Alleghenys (later renamed the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
), which joined the American Association.
Pratt celebrated his 90th birthday two days before his death in Pittsburgh on November 21, 1937. He was buried, according to his request, attired in his Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
uniform.
External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career playing statistics and managing record