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George Hall (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
George William Hall was a professional baseball
player who played in the National Association and later the National League
. Born in Stepney
, England
, Hall later immigrated to the U.S. He made his professional debut on May 5, 1871.
of the National Association in , hitting
.294 in 32 games. He moved onto the Baltimore Canaries
for the and seasons, hitting .336 and .345 respectively. Playing mostly center field up to this point, he moved around from center to right field the following year when he played for the Champions, the Boston Red Stockings. After just one season with the Red Stockings, he moved on to play for the Philadelphia Athletics where he had another good season at the plate, hitting .299, and four home run
s, which was good for second place behind Jim O'Rourke's six.
After the 1875 season the National Association folded, leaving room for a new league to begin. In , the National League
came into existence, the first official "Major League". George's team, the Athletics, followed that movement with very little success, finishing seventh out of eight teams. One of the bright spots that year for the Athletics was the hitting prowess of their star hitter, George Hall. He led the team in almost all major hitting categories including a .366 batting average, 51 runs scored
, and a league leading five home runs. On June 17, 1876, he became the first Major League baseball player to hit 2 home runs in one game. Those 5 home runs stood as the single season home run record until Charley Jones
hit 9 in .
For the baseball season, Philadelphia had been expelled from the league for refusing to go on a western road trip, late in the 1876 season, for financial reasons, so George moved on to play for the Louisville Grays
. Again, he had an excellent season, hitting .323, scoring 51 runs, and hitting 8 triples
. Surprisingly, after appearing in the league leaders for home runs the last 2 season, he did not hit one in 1877.
with charges that they threw some road games in August and September. Both admitted only to throwing non-league games, one of which was an exhibition game in Lowell, Massachusetts
on August 30, and another in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
on September 3. The admissions also implicated teammates Al Nichols
and Bill Craver
. Hall claimed that he and Devlin helped in losses to the Cincinnati Reds
on September 6 and to the minor league
Indianapolis Blues
on September 24‚ but he argued that since the Reds were about to be suspended and the games nullified‚ it amounted to an exhibition game
. As a result of the scandal, all four players were banned for life from Major League Baseball.
Hall died in Ridgewood
, New Jersey
at the age of 74. He was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery
in Brooklyn, New York.
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...
player who played in the National Association and later 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...
. Born in Stepney
Stepney
Stepney is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End that grew out of a medieval village around St Dunstan's church and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Hall later immigrated to the U.S. He made his professional debut on May 5, 1871.
Early career
George began his professional career with the Washington OlympicsWashington Olympics
The Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics, was an early professional baseball team.When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro...
of the National Association in , hitting
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 :...
.294 in 32 games. He moved onto the Baltimore Canaries
Baltimore Canaries
The Baltimore Canaries were a professional baseball club in the National Association from 1872 to 1874.-History:The team was usually listed as Lord Baltimore in the box scores of the day, and were also referred to as the Yellow Stockings...
for the and seasons, hitting .336 and .345 respectively. Playing mostly center field up to this point, he moved around from center to right field the following year when he played for the Champions, the Boston Red Stockings. After just one season with the Red Stockings, he moved on to play for the Philadelphia Athletics where he had another good season at the plate, hitting .299, and four 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...
s, which was good for second place behind Jim O'Rourke's six.
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...
came into existence, the first official "Major League". George's team, the Athletics, followed that movement with very little success, finishing seventh out of eight teams. One of the bright spots that year for the Athletics was the hitting prowess of their star hitter, George Hall. He led the team in almost all major hitting categories including a .366 batting average, 51 runs scored
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...
, and a league leading five home runs. On June 17, 1876, he became the first Major League baseball player to hit 2 home runs in one game. Those 5 home runs stood as the single season home run record until Charley Jones
Charley Jones
Charles Wesley Jones was an American left fielder in the National Association and Major League Baseball who hit 56 home runs and batted .298 during his twelve-year career...
hit 9 in .
For the baseball season, Philadelphia had been expelled from the league for refusing to go on a western road trip, late in the 1876 season, for financial reasons, so George moved on to play for the Louisville Grays
Louisville Grays
The Louisville Grays were a 19th century U.S. baseball team and charter member of the National League, based in Louisville, Kentucky. They played two seasons, 1876 and 1877, and compiled a record of 65–61. Their home games were at the Louisville Baseball Park. The Grays were owned by...
. Again, he had an excellent season, hitting .323, scoring 51 runs, and hitting 8 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. Surprisingly, after appearing in the league leaders for home runs the last 2 season, he did not hit one in 1877.
Gambling scandal and banning
On October 26, 1877, Louisville club vice president Charles Chase confronted George and fellow Gray Jim DevlinJim 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...
with charges that they threw some road games in August and September. Both admitted only to throwing non-league games, one of which was an exhibition game in Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
on August 30, and another in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
on September 3. The admissions also implicated teammates Al Nichols
Al Nichols
Alfred Henry Nichols was an English Major League Baseball player for three seasons. Born in Worcester, England, he played for three different teams, and mainly played as a third baseman...
and 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...
. Hall claimed that he and Devlin helped in losses to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
on September 6 and to the minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Indianapolis Blues
Indianapolis Blues
The Indianapolis Blues were a baseball team in the National League only during the 1878 season and finished fifth in the six-team league with a 24-36 record. They were managed by outfielder/first baseman/catcher John Clapp, and played their home games at South Street Park.Their top-hitting regular...
on September 24‚ but he argued that since the Reds were about to be suspended and the games nullified‚ it amounted to an exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
. As a result of the scandal, all four players were banned for life from Major League Baseball.
Hall died in Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
at the age of 74. He was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery
Cemetery of the Evergreens, Brooklyn
The Cemetery of the Evergreens is a non-denominational cemetery in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, colloquially called Evergreen Cemetery. It was incorporated in 1849, not long after the passage of New York's Rural Cemetery Act spurred development of cemeteries outside Manhattan. For a time, it was...
in Brooklyn, New York.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball figures who have been banned for life
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions