Denny Mack
Encyclopedia
Dennis Joseph Mack, born as Dennis Joseph McGee, (1851 - April 10, 1888) was a professional baseball player who was a first baseman
and shortstop
in Major League Baseball
for eight seasons from to . He played for seven different teams, including as a player-manager for the Louisville Eclipse
in .
, then joined the Rockford Forest Citys
of the National Association
for the 1871 season. The National Association was the first fully professional baseball league, and Rockford compiled a 4-21 record in its 25 games, finishing ninth in the nine-team league before folding at the season's end. Mack appeared in all 25 of his team's games, leading the team with 34 runs scored, 8 walks
, and 12 stolen bases.
Mack went on to play the next three seasons in the National Association. During the last of these, 1874, he was involved in accusations of game fixing
. On August 20, umpire Billy McLean
came forward with allegations that a game between Mack's Philadelphia Whites and the Chicago White Stockings
had been thrown by the Philadelphia club. McLean claimed that Philadelphia's John Radcliffe had approached him with an offer of $175 in exchange for making calls favorable to the White Stockings. According to McLean, Radcliffe named four other players as complicit in the fix: Mack, Candy Cummings
, Bill Craver
, and Nat Hicks
. The board of directors for the Whites met to consider these charges on September 1, and they elected not to pursue the matter further with any players but Radcliffe, describing McLean's claims as "hearsay". The stockholders of the club voted to expel Radcliffe on September 8, by a count of 26 to 15, but he appealed to the judiciary committee of the National Association, and was reinstated on March 2, due to what Henry Chadwick characterized as procedural errors during the course of his expulsion.
Mack then spent 1876 and 1880 in the National League
, and concluded by spending two more seasons in the American Association
in 1882 and 1883. During the 1882 season, he also served as manager of the Louisville Eclipse, leading the second-place club to a 42-38 record. He led the NA in walks in 1872, and ranked among his league's leaders in stolen bases three times. Mack ended his career with a .228 batting average
, .273 on-base percentage, and .271 slugging percentage in 373 games played and 1505 at bats.
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 shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
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...
for eight seasons from to . He played for seven different teams, including as a player-manager for 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...
in .
Career
Mack spent three years at Villanova UniversityVillanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, then joined the Rockford Forest Citys
Rockford Forest Citys
Rockford Forest Citys , from Rockford, Illinois was one of the first professional baseball clubs. Rockford played for one season during the National Association inaugural year of 1871.-Origins:...
of 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 1871 season. The National Association was the first fully professional baseball league, and Rockford compiled a 4-21 record in its 25 games, finishing ninth in the nine-team league before folding at the season's end. Mack appeared in all 25 of his team's games, leading the team with 34 runs scored, 8 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and 12 stolen bases.
Mack went on to play the next three seasons in the National Association. During the last of these, 1874, he was involved in accusations of game fixing
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
. On August 20, umpire Billy McLean
Billy McLean
William H. McLean was an English professional baseball umpire born in Preston, Lancashire, England. He umpired games in both the National Association from 1872 until 1875, then the National League when the Association folded...
came forward with allegations that a game between Mack's Philadelphia Whites and the Chicago White Stockings
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
had been thrown by the Philadelphia club. McLean claimed that Philadelphia's John Radcliffe had approached him with an offer of $175 in exchange for making calls favorable to the White Stockings. According to McLean, Radcliffe named four other players as complicit in the fix: Mack, Candy Cummings
Candy Cummings
William Arthur "Candy" Cummings was a professional baseball pitcher in the National Association and National League who was credited with inventing the curveball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.-Career:...
, Bill Craver
Bill Craver
William H. Craver was an American Major League Baseball player from Troy, New York who played mainly as an infielder, but did play many games at catcher as well during his seven year career. He played for seven different teams, in two leagues...
, and Nat Hicks
Nat Hicks
Nathaniel Woodhull "Nat" Hicks was an American Major League Baseball player born in Hempstead, New York. He played for a total of six seasons, two in the National League...
. The board of directors for the Whites met to consider these charges on September 1, and they elected not to pursue the matter further with any players but Radcliffe, describing McLean's claims as "hearsay". The stockholders of the club voted to expel Radcliffe on September 8, by a count of 26 to 15, but he appealed to the judiciary committee of the National Association, and was reinstated on March 2, due to what Henry Chadwick characterized as procedural errors during the course of his expulsion.
Mack then spent 1876 and 1880 in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, and concluded by spending two more seasons in 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...
in 1882 and 1883. During the 1882 season, he also served as manager of the Louisville Eclipse, leading the second-place club to a 42-38 record. He led the NA in walks in 1872, and ranked among his league's leaders in stolen bases three times. Mack ended his career with a .228 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, .273 on-base percentage, and .271 slugging percentage in 373 games played and 1505 at bats.
Death
He suffered a fit on the evening of April 9, 1888, and remained unconscious until dying of his injuries at 6 a.m. the next day.External links
- Denny Mack's major league statistics at Baseball-Reference.com