Blondie Purcell
Encyclopedia
William Aloysius "Blondie" Purcell (March 16, 1854 – February 20, 1912), was an American
Major League Baseball
player born in Paterson, New Jersey
. He played for a total of 12 seasons while playing for eight different teams in two leagues. He appeared in 1097 games, mainly in the outfield
, but did pitch in 79 games throughout his career, as well as other infield
positions.
On June 6, , while playing for the Buffalo Bisons, he was fined $10 ($ today) for slicing open a soggy baseball. He did this to compel the umpire
to put a fresh ball in play so his pitcher, Pud Galvin
, would be able to throw his curveball
.
In he was the player-manager for the Philadelphia Quakers
. He took the reins of the team after just 14 games, when they were only 4–13 under player-manager Bob Ferguson, and finished the season with an equally dismal 17–81 record. The 8th-place Quakers finished 23 games behind the 7th-place Detroit Wolverines
. Purcell never managed another major-league game.
Purcell is one of the few players in major-league history whose death is not documented by the Society for American Baseball Research
, although according to Find A Grave
he has a death date of February 20, 1912, and is buried in Greenmount Cemetery located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
player born in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
. He played for a total of 12 seasons while playing for eight different teams in two leagues. He appeared in 1097 games, mainly in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
, but did pitch in 79 games throughout his career, as well as other infield
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
positions.
On June 6, , while playing for the Buffalo Bisons, he was fined $10 ($ today) for slicing open a soggy baseball. He did this to compel the umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
to put a fresh ball in play so his pitcher, Pud Galvin
Pud Galvin
James Francis Galvin , nicknamed "Pud", "Gentle Jeems", and "The Little Steam Engine", was an American National Association and Major League Baseball pitcher. He was Major League Baseball's first 300-game winner...
, would be able to throw his curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
.
In he was the player-manager for 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...
. He took the reins of the team after just 14 games, when they were only 4–13 under player-manager Bob Ferguson, and finished the season with an equally dismal 17–81 record. The 8th-place Quakers finished 23 games behind the 7th-place Detroit Wolverines
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
. Purcell never managed another major-league game.
Purcell is one of the few players in major-league history whose death is not documented by the Society for American Baseball Research
Society for American Baseball Research
The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
, although according to Find A Grave
Find A Grave
Find a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
he has a death date of February 20, 1912, and is buried in Greenmount Cemetery located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.