Hugh Duffy
Encyclopedia
Hugh Duffy was a 19th century Major League Baseball
player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
, was a textile mill worker who had taken up baseball as a semipro for weekend diversion. He played a couple years of minor league ball in the New England League
before jumping to the majors, starting up in the league's initial season of 1886, and playing on clubs in Hartford, Springfield and Salem, as well as the Lowell Massachusetts team in 1887.
Duffy entered the National League
with Cap Anson
's Chicago White Stockings
in after receiving an offer of $2,000 from the club. Anson initially was unimpressed with the 5'7" 150 pound Duffy, telling him, "We already have a batboy." He shortly thereafter earned the reputation of an outstanding outfielder and powerful hitter. Duffy ended up replacing Billy Sunday
as the team's regular right fielder. He switched leagues, joining the American Association's
Boston Reds in ; he then returned to the NL with the Boston Beaneaters
in , where he enjoyed his best seasons.
Playing in Boston from 1891 through , Duffy knocked in 100 runs or more eight times. In Duffy had one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, leading the league with 18 home run
s, with 145 RBI and a .440 batting average
(see Triple crown
). Duffy's .440 average is the Major League single season batting average record. He played with two other Hall of Fame outfielders during his career, Tommy McCarthy
(as half of the "Heavenly Twins") and Billy Hamilton. Duffy finished his career in with 106 home runs which was, at the time, one of the highest career totals.
During the 1902 and 1903 seasons, Duffy was player-manager for the Western League
's Milwaukee franchise and the following season was hired on as player-manager for the Phillies. Duffy went on to coach the Harvard varsity and freshman baseball squads from 1917 through 1919. He also managed the 1920 Toronto Maple Leafs to a .701 winning percentage — the best in the team's 83-year history, but only good enough for second place in the International League
. In 1921, Duffy was hired as full-time manager of the Red Sox, guiding them for two seasons. He had previously been player-manager for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901, the Phillies from 1904 to 1906 and the White Sox from 1910 to 1911.
He later became a scout for the Boston Red Sox
from to . He played much of his career with fellow Hall of Famers Jimmy Collins
and Kid Nichols
.
for a complete explanation.
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...
player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
Career
Duffy, born in Cranston, Rhode IslandCranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
, was a textile mill worker who had taken up baseball as a semipro for weekend diversion. He played a couple years of minor league ball in the New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
before jumping to the majors, starting up in the league's initial season of 1886, and playing on clubs in Hartford, Springfield and Salem, as well as the Lowell Massachusetts team in 1887.
Duffy entered 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...
with Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
's 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...
in after receiving an offer of $2,000 from the club. Anson initially was unimpressed with the 5'7" 150 pound Duffy, telling him, "We already have a batboy." He shortly thereafter earned the reputation of an outstanding outfielder and powerful hitter. Duffy ended up replacing Billy Sunday
Billy Sunday
William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
as the team's regular right fielder. He switched leagues, joining the American Association's
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...
Boston Reds in ; he then returned to the NL with the Boston Beaneaters
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in , where he enjoyed his best seasons.
Playing in Boston from 1891 through , Duffy knocked in 100 runs or more eight times. In Duffy had one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, leading the league with 18 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, with 145 RBI and a .440 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 :...
(see Triple crown
Triple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
). Duffy's .440 average is the Major League single season batting average record. He played with two other Hall of Fame outfielders during his career, Tommy McCarthy
Tommy McCarthy
Thomas Francis Michael "Tommy" McCarthy was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.-Career:...
(as half of the "Heavenly Twins") and Billy Hamilton. Duffy finished his career in with 106 home runs which was, at the time, one of the highest career totals.
During the 1902 and 1903 seasons, Duffy was player-manager for the Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
's Milwaukee franchise and the following season was hired on as player-manager for the Phillies. Duffy went on to coach the Harvard varsity and freshman baseball squads from 1917 through 1919. He also managed the 1920 Toronto Maple Leafs to a .701 winning percentage — the best in the team's 83-year history, but only good enough for second place in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. In 1921, Duffy was hired as full-time manager of the Red Sox, guiding them for two seasons. He had previously been player-manager for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901, the Phillies from 1904 to 1906 and the White Sox from 1910 to 1911.
He later became a scout for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
from to . He played much of his career with fellow Hall of Famers Jimmy Collins
Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century who was widely regarded as being the best third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson...
and Kid Nichols
Kid Nichols
Charles Augustus Nichols , better known as Kid Nichols, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Admired for his steadfast consistency year-in and year-out, Nichols won 361 games, the 7th highest total in major league history...
.
Statistics
See:Career StatisticsBaseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
for a complete explanation.
| G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| 1,737 | 7,042 | 2,282 | 325 | 119 | 106 | 1,552 | 1,302 | 574 | 662 | 211 | .324 | .384 | .449 |
See also
- Triple crown (baseball)Triple crown (baseball)In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs batted in champions
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
External links
| Accomplishments |
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