George Bechtel
Encyclopedia
George A. Bechtel was an American
right fielder
and pitcher
in professional baseball
's early history who became one of the leading players of his era. He played in all five seasons of baseball's first all-professional league, the National Association
, and later played in the first season of baseball's first major league
, the National League
, when the Association folded. He later became the first player in major league history to be suspended for life for intentionally losing games for money.
, Bechtel began his professional career in for the Philadelphia Athletics, when they joined the new National Association. Bechtel had played for the Athletics in , and stayed with the team during its transformation from the previous version of the National Association
. He batted
.351 that season while playing in 20 of the team's 28 games, as the Athletics won the season's championship. Bechtel had also played for a couple of other Philadelphia teams during his amateur career before 1870. He was formerly of the Philadelphias in 1867
, and the Keystones in both 1868 and .
The following season, he signed with the New York Mutuals
, who had offered him a higher salary in , and batted .302 and scored 64 runs
in the team's 54-game schedule. After just one season in New York, Bechtel moved back to Philadelphia, playing the next two seasons for the Philadelphia White Stockings
with mixed success at the plate, batting .244 in and .278 in . When the season began, he again moved, this time to the Philadelphia Centennials
, and was their pitcher in all 14 games that the club played.
On May 26, 1875, after a 2-12 start, Bechtel and fellow Centennial Bill Craver
were sold to the Philadelphia Athletics for $1,500. This is the first known sale of ballplayers from one team to another in baseball history. It is theorized that sale was actually an enticement for the Centennials to fold, which they did.
was equal to any player, but, as the season wore on, he grew careless, and from other causes unnecessary to mention, he played poorly."
On May 20, 1876, in a game against the Mutuals, he made three of the team's nine errors
, all three in crucial game situations. After the game, he became a "much suspected man" by the press and his team alike, so the team suspended him for crooked play.
On June 10, Bechtel wired teammate Jim Devlin
a message stating "We can make $500 if you lose the game today. Tell John (manager Jack Chapman
) and let me know at once. BECHTEL." Devlin wired him back explaining that he was not that kind of player, and presented the telegram to the team's management. Louisville immediately suspended him from the team. Bechtel was picked up by the Mutuals and played in a couple of games for them before the end of the season. The National League followed the lead of the Grays and suspended Bechtel before the season, and despite attempts for re-instatement, he was denied. Devlin himself was also banned for life the following season when he and a couple of teammates were paid for losing games. At this time, it is unknown when and where Bechtel died, but Peter Morris, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research
, claims that he most likely died in Philadelphia on April 3, 1921.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and 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...
in professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
's early history who became one of the leading players of his era. He played in all five seasons of baseball's first all-professional league, 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...
, and later played in the first season of baseball's first major league
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...
, 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...
, when the Association folded. He later became the first player in major league history to be suspended for life for intentionally losing games for money.
Career
Born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, 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,...
, Bechtel began his professional career in for the Philadelphia Athletics, when they joined the new National Association. Bechtel had played for the Athletics in , and stayed with the team during its transformation from the previous version of the National Association
National Association of Base Ball Players
The National Association of Base Ball Players was the first organization governing American baseball. The first, 1857 convention of sixteen New York City clubs...
. He batted
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 :...
.351 that season while playing in 20 of the team's 28 games, as the Athletics won the season's championship. Bechtel had also played for a couple of other Philadelphia teams during his amateur career before 1870. He was formerly of the Philadelphias in 1867
1845 to 1868 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the years 1845 to 1868 throughout the world.-Events:*1845 September 10 — A baseball game is played that is described the following day in the New York Morning News....
, and the Keystones in both 1868 and .
The following season, he signed with the New York Mutuals
New York Mutuals
The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter...
, who had offered him a higher salary in , and batted .302 and scored 64 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in the team's 54-game schedule. After just one season in New York, Bechtel moved back to Philadelphia, playing the next two seasons for the Philadelphia White Stockings
Philadelphia White Stockings
The Philadelphia White Stockings were an early professional baseball team. They were a member of the National Association from 1873 to 1875. Their home games were played at the Jefferson Street Grounds...
with mixed success at the plate, batting .244 in and .278 in . When the season began, he again moved, this time to the Philadelphia Centennials
Philadelphia Centennials
The Philadelphia Centennials of 1875 were a short-lived baseball team in the National Association. They won 2 games, lost 12, and did not finish out the season. Their home games were played at Centennial Grounds....
, and was their pitcher in all 14 games that the club played.
On May 26, 1875, after a 2-12 start, Bechtel and fellow Centennial 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...
were sold to the Philadelphia Athletics for $1,500. This is the first known sale of ballplayers from one team to another in baseball history. It is theorized that sale was actually an enticement for the Centennials to fold, which they did.
Expulsion
Rumors surrounded Bechtel's play ever since the late 1860s, indicating that he was a very good fielder, one of the better fielders of the day, but his play at times became sloppy. Henry Chadwick once stated regarding his play: "At the commencement of the season, Bechtel's play in left fieldLeft fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
was equal to any player, but, as the season wore on, he grew careless, and from other causes unnecessary to mention, he played poorly."
On May 20, 1876, in a game against the Mutuals, he made three of the team's nine errors
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 ...
, all three in crucial game situations. After the game, he became a "much suspected man" by the press and his team alike, so the team suspended him for crooked play.
On June 10, Bechtel wired teammate Jim Devlin
Jim Devlin
James Alexander Devlin was an American Major League Baseball player who played mainly as a first baseman early in his career, then as a pitcher in the latter part...
a message stating "We can make $500 if you lose the game today. Tell John (manager Jack Chapman
Jack Chapman
John Curtis "Jack" Chapman was an American Major League Baseball player and manager who was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began playing in the National Association when he played for the Brooklyn Atlantics and the St. Louis Brown Stockings. In , when the National League formed, he became the...
) and let me know at once. BECHTEL." Devlin wired him back explaining that he was not that kind of player, and presented the telegram to the team's management. Louisville immediately suspended him from the team. Bechtel was picked up by the Mutuals and played in a couple of games for them before the end of the season. The National League followed the lead of the Grays and suspended Bechtel before the season, and despite attempts for re-instatement, he was denied. Devlin himself was also banned for life the following season when he and a couple of teammates were paid for losing games. At this time, it is unknown when and where Bechtel died, but Peter Morris, a member of 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...
, claims that he most likely died in Philadelphia on April 3, 1921.