Jerry Denny
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah Dennis Denny was a third baseman
in Major League Baseball
. Denny was a rarity: a left-handed thrower who played a position traditionally reserved for right-handers.
Over 13 professional seasons he played for the Providence Grays
(1881–1885), St. Louis Maroons
(1886), Indianapolis Hoosiers
(1888–1889), New York Giants
(1890–1891), Cleveland Spiders
(1891), Philadelphia Phillies
(1891), and Louisville Colonels
(1893–1894). After leaving the Major Leagues, Denny continued playing Minor League baseball
until 1902.
Denny was the last Major League position player
(non-pitcher
) to play his entire career on the diamond without a fielding glove
. (Fielding gloves gradually gained acceptance between 1885 and the mid-1890s, although padded mitts for catchers
and first basemen were introduced earlier.) Denny was also one of the few ambidextrous major league players; although he threw primarily with his right arm, he could also toss with his left. This gave him a defensive advantage at his customary field position—in ranging to his left on a ground ball, if he saw a play at second base, instead of having to transfer the ball to his right hand while pivoting and repositioning his body (as third basemen would customarily do), Denny could dispatch the ball to second with his left hand. This skill contributed to his refusal to wear a glove in the field, long after most players considered gloves an essential piece of equipment.
In 1884, Denny helped the National League
champion Grays defeat the New York Metropolitans
of the American Association
in the major leagues' first post-season championship match-up
. That season, he was the Grays' leader in home runs (six, and one in the championship series) and runs batted in (59), and second in extra base hits (37).
of.260, an On-base percentage of.287, a Slugging Percentage of.384, and 1,898 Total bases
.
by a third baseman in a single game, handling 16 chances during an 18-inning match on August 17, 1882.
He led the National League
in Games (85) in 1881 and Strikeouts (79) in 1888.
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...
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...
. Denny was a rarity: a left-handed thrower who played a position traditionally reserved for right-handers.
Over 13 professional seasons he played for the Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
(1881–1885), St. Louis Maroons
St. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers
300px|thumb|right|1888 Indianapolis HoosiersThe St. Louis Maroons were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1884-1886. The club, established by Henry Lucas, were the one near-major league quality entry in the Union Association, a league that lasted only one season, due...
(1886), Indianapolis Hoosiers
St. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers
300px|thumb|right|1888 Indianapolis HoosiersThe St. Louis Maroons were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1884-1886. The club, established by Henry Lucas, were the one near-major league quality entry in the Union Association, a league that lasted only one season, due...
(1888–1889), New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1890–1891), Cleveland Spiders
Cleveland Spiders
The Cleveland Spiders were a Major League Baseball team which played between 1887 and 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio. The team played at National League Park from 1889 to 1890 and at League Park from 1891 to 1899.- 1887-1891 :...
(1891), Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1891), and Louisville Colonels
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...
(1893–1894). After leaving the Major Leagues, Denny continued playing Minor League baseball
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...
until 1902.
Denny was the last Major League position player
Position player
In baseball, a position player is a player who on defense plays as an infielder, outfielder, or catcher. This is generally all players on a team except for the pitcher, who is considered separate from the position players; in the American League, there is also a designated hitter, who bats but...
(non-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...
) to play his entire career on the diamond without a fielding glove
Baseball glove
A baseball glove or mitt is a large leather glove that baseball players on the defending team are allowed to wear to assist them in catching and fielding balls hit by a batter, or thrown by a teammate.-History:...
. (Fielding gloves gradually gained acceptance between 1885 and the mid-1890s, although padded mitts for catchers
Catchers
Catchers was an Irish indie pop band formed in 1993 and led by singer-songwriter Dale Grundle. The band consisted of Dale Grundle , Alice Lemon , Peter Kelly , Ger FitzGerald , Craig Carpenter and Jonathan Lord...
and first basemen were introduced earlier.) Denny was also one of the few ambidextrous major league players; although he threw primarily with his right arm, he could also toss with his left. This gave him a defensive advantage at his customary field position—in ranging to his left on a ground ball, if he saw a play at second base, instead of having to transfer the ball to his right hand while pivoting and repositioning his body (as third basemen would customarily do), Denny could dispatch the ball to second with his left hand. This skill contributed to his refusal to wear a glove in the field, long after most players considered gloves an essential piece of equipment.
In 1884, Denny helped 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...
champion Grays defeat the New York Metropolitans
New York Metropolitans
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887...
of 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 the major leagues' first post-season championship match-up
1884 World Series
In baseball the 1884 World Series was an early forerunner of the modern post-season championship series.Although the "Fall Classic" as we know it didn't begin until 1903, Major League Baseball had several versions of a post-season championship series before that.The first such championship series...
. That season, he was the Grays' leader in home runs (six, and one in the championship series) and runs batted in (59), and second in extra base hits (37).
Professional statistics
His career totals are 1,237 Games and 4,946 At Bats, 714 Runs, 1,286 Hits, 238 Doubles, 76 Triples, 74 Home Runs, 667 RBI, 130 Stolen Bases, 173 Walks, a Batting AverageBatting 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.260, an On-base percentage of.287, a Slugging Percentage of.384, and 1,898 Total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
.
Notable achievements
Denny holds the Major League record for most chancesTotal chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
by a third baseman in a single game, handling 16 chances during an 18-inning match on August 17, 1882.
He led 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...
in Games (85) in 1881 and Strikeouts (79) in 1888.
External links
- BaseballLibrary.com
- Bio at ProvidenceGrays.org
- Player bio at Baseball Historian
- Obituary, New York Times, August 17, 1927
- The 1884 Providence Grays' season and championship were chronicled in Edward Achorn's Fifty-Nine in '84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had (HarperCollins, 2010), in which Denny makes cameo appearances.