Charles W. Householder (February 8, 1854 – September 3, 1913) was an American

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...

 played mainly as a first baseman

First baseman

First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...

 and catcher

Catcher

Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...

 for the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles (19th century)

The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...

 in and the Brooklyn Atlantics

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

 in .

Career

On July 18, 1882, 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...

 Tony Mullane

Tony Mullane

Anthony John "Tony" Mullane , nickamed "Count" and "The Apollo of the Box", was an Irish Major League Baseball player who pitched for seven teams during his 13-season career...

 of the Louisville Eclipse

Louisville Colonels

The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...

, normally a right-handed pitcher, began to pitch left-handed whenever a Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Orioles (19th century)

The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...

 left-handed hitter would come to bat. This strategy appeared to work until the ninth inning when left-handed hitting Charlie Householder hit a home run

Home run

In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

 to win the game for the Orioles.

For the season, Householder signed with and was playing for the Merrits of Camden, New Jersey

Camden, New Jersey

The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...

, when Charlie Byrne

Charlie Byrne (baseball)

Charles H. Byrne was a New York realtor who was one of the original founders of the team that became the Brooklyn Dodgers....

 of fellow league team, the Brooklyn Grays

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

 bought his contract, along with other Merrits Sam Kimber

Sam Kimber

Samuel Jackson "Sam" Kimber was an American Major League Baseball player who pitched one full season, for the 1884 Brooklyn Atlantics of the American Association, and one game for the 1885 Providence Grays of the National League.Although his career was short, Sam did have one shining moment, on...

, Bill Greenwood

Bill Greenwood

William F. Greenwood was an American Major League Baseball player who played the majority of his career as a second baseman for a total of six seasons from to . He was a left-handed infielder, not entirely uncommon in the 19th century, he is the all-time leader in games played at second base by...

, Frank Fennelly

Frank Fennelly

Francis John Fennelly was a 19th century Major League Baseball shortstop. He played his entire career for American Association teams: the Washington Nationals , Cincinnati Red Stockings , Philadelphia Athletics , and Brooklyn Gladiators...

, and Jack Corcoran

Jack Corcoran

John H. "Jack" Corcoran , was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Atlantics during the season. This was his only season in the Majors. He did play professional baseball in various minor and independent leagues from 1882-1899.-External links:...

. He finished out the year and transitioned with the team over to 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...

, where they would be known as the Atlantics.

On October 4, 1884, Householder collected two of the Atlantics four hits

Hit (baseball)

In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....

 off Tony Mullane, this time of the Toledo Blue Stockings

Toledo Blue Stockings

The Toledo Blue Stockings formed as a minor league baseball team in Toledo, Ohio in 1883. They won the Northwestern League championship in 1883. Their home ballpark was League Park....

, a single

Single (baseball)

In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...

 and a double

Double (baseball)

In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....

. The game went 10 innings and was called because of darkness, ending in a 0-0 tie, with Atlantic pitcher Sam Kimber recording the first extra-inning no-hitter

No-hitter

A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

.

Householder died in his hometown of 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,...

 at the age of 59, and is interred at the Mount Vernon Cemetery in Philadelphia.

External links