Ed Conwell
Encyclopedia
Edward James "Irish" Conwell (January 29, 1890 – May 1, 1926) was a professional baseball
player from 1909 to 1919. Primarily a third baseman
, he appeared in one Major League Baseball
game for the St. Louis Cardinals
in 1911. He was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 155 pounds.
, in 1890. He started his professional baseball career in 1909, playing for the Ohio State League
's Portsmouth Cobblers. Conwell had a batting average
of .161 in 34 games that season. In 1910, he became the team's regular third baseman and batted .208 in 131 games. He improved his average even more in 1911, batting .306 and leading the Cobblers with 160 hits
. On September 1, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the rule 5 draft. Conwell made his major league debut on September 22, 1911; he struck out
in his only at bat
and committed an error
on his only chance in the field. That was the last time he played in the majors.
Conwell returned to Portsmouth in 1912 and again had the most hits on the team. For the next two seasons, he continued his steady hitting with batting averages of .299 and .316. The 1915 season was the last that Conwell played for Portsmouth, and he was, in the opinion of one sportswriter, the best third baseman in the Ohio State League.
From 1915 to 1917, Conwell played for the Texas League
's Waco Navigators
. He batted .281 during his first season there, but his average fell to .245 and then .227. After playing only 12 games in 1918, he finished his professional baseball career with one season for the Evansville Evas of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He batted a career-high .318 that year and led Evansville with 149 hits. In addition, a fan presented him with a gold watch for being the team's best hitter.
In 1,193 career minor league games, Conwell accumulated 1,227 hits and batted .277. He died in Chicago in 1926.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player from 1909 to 1919. Primarily a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, he appeared in one 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...
game for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in 1911. He was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 155 pounds.
Career
Conwell was born in Chicago, IllinoisChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, in 1890. He started his professional baseball career in 1909, playing for the Ohio State League
Ohio State League
The first Ohio State League was a baseball league in 1887 before changing names to the Tri-State League.The first 20th century Ohio State League started in 1908 as a class D loop and ran through 1916. Another Ohio State League was formed in 1936 and ran through 1947 except for a break in '42-'43...
's Portsmouth Cobblers. Conwell had a 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 :...
of .161 in 34 games that season. In 1910, he became the team's regular third baseman and batted .208 in 131 games. He improved his average even more in 1911, batting .306 and leading the Cobblers with 160 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....
. On September 1, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the rule 5 draft. Conwell made his major league debut on September 22, 1911; he struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
in his only at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
and committed an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
on his only chance in the field. That was the last time he played in the majors.
Conwell returned to Portsmouth in 1912 and again had the most hits on the team. For the next two seasons, he continued his steady hitting with batting averages of .299 and .316. The 1915 season was the last that Conwell played for Portsmouth, and he was, in the opinion of one sportswriter, the best third baseman in the Ohio State League.
From 1915 to 1917, Conwell played for the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
's Waco Navigators
Waco Navigators
The Waco Navigators were a Texas League baseball team based in Waco, Texas, USA that played from 1906 to 1919. They played their home games at Katy Park....
. He batted .281 during his first season there, but his average fell to .245 and then .227. After playing only 12 games in 1918, he finished his professional baseball career with one season for the Evansville Evas of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He batted a career-high .318 that year and led Evansville with 149 hits. In addition, a fan presented him with a gold watch for being the team's best hitter.
In 1,193 career minor league games, Conwell accumulated 1,227 hits and batted .277. He died in Chicago in 1926.