Nat Hicks
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Woodhull "Nat" Hicks (April 19, 1845 – April 21, 1907) was an American
Major League Baseball
player born in Hempstead, New York
. He played for a total of six seasons, two in the National League
. A popular and highly regarded player during his time in baseball, but injuries sustained over the course of his career cut his playing time short.
through , most notably for the Eckford of Brooklyn
. He played catcher
behind the popular and future Hall of Famer
, Candy Cummings
. Later moved on and spent most of his career playing in the National Association
. He joined the New York Mutuals in and became their everyday catcher. He batted
.306 that season as the Mutuals finished third. Nat returned with the Mutuals in , but that season saw his skills decline significantly both in the field and at the bat. He played in only 28 games
and shared the catching duties that season with Dick Higham
and Doug Allison
.
On July 24, 1873, Bob Ferguson of the Brooklyn Atlantics
was the umpire
in a game between the New York Mutuals
and the Baltimore Canaries
which ended with the Mutuals scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning
for an 11-10 victory. Ferguson and the Mutuals' Nat Hicks got into a verbal altercation which ended with Ferguson breaking Hicks' arm by hitting him with a bat. Ferguson required a police escort to leave the field and Hicks was out of action for 2 months.
Nat changed teams in , joining the Philadelphia White Stockings
and enjoyed a bounce back season, batting .274, and caught every game the team played. He returned to the mutuals in when he was named the player-manager, the only stint as a manager
in his career. There is some dispute with this notion, as other baseball references have him as player-manager for the White Stockings the previous year as well, instead of Bill Craver
. When the Association folded, the Mutuals and Hicks moved over to the newly formed National League in , and then finished his career with the Cincinnati Reds
.
at the age of 62 of accidental gas asphyxia
tion in a hotel
room, and was interred in St. Peter Cemetery in Jersey City, New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
player born in Hempstead, New York
Hempstead (village), New York
Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:...
. He played for a total of six seasons, two in 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...
. A popular and highly regarded player during his time in baseball, but injuries sustained over the course of his career cut his playing time short.
Career
Nat began playing professional baseball in the National Association of Base Ball PlayersNational 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...
through , most notably for the Eckford of Brooklyn
Eckford of Brooklyn
Eckford of Brooklyn, or simply Eckford, was an American baseball club from 1855 to 1872. When the pioneering Union Grounds opened for baseball in 1862, the Eckfords must have been the most important tenant, for they played more games than any other club that year and won the "national"...
. He played catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
behind the popular and future Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
, Candy Cummings
Candy Cummings
William Arthur "Candy" Cummings was a professional baseball pitcher in the National Association and National League who was credited with inventing the curveball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.-Career:...
. Later moved on and spent most of his career playing in 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...
. He joined the New York Mutuals in and became their everyday catcher. 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 :...
.306 that season as the Mutuals finished third. Nat returned with the Mutuals in , but that season saw his skills decline significantly both in the field and at the bat. He played in only 28 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
and shared the catching duties that season with Dick Higham
Dick Higham
Richard Higham was an American professional baseball player born in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. However, he is best known as the only umpire to be banned from baseball....
and Doug Allison
Doug Allison
Douglas L. Allison played catcher for the original Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional baseball team. He was considered a specialist, at a time when some of the better batsmen who manned the position normally rested, or substituted at other fielding positions. In Cincinnati,...
.
On July 24, 1873, Bob Ferguson of the Brooklyn Atlantics
Brooklyn Atlantics
The Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
was the umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
in a game between 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...
and 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...
which ended with the Mutuals scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
for an 11-10 victory. Ferguson and the Mutuals' Nat Hicks got into a verbal altercation which ended with Ferguson breaking Hicks' arm by hitting him with a bat. Ferguson required a police escort to leave the field and Hicks was out of action for 2 months.
Nat changed teams in , joining 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...
and enjoyed a bounce back season, batting .274, and caught every game the team played. He returned to the mutuals in when he was named the player-manager, the only stint as a manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in his career. There is some dispute with this notion, as other baseball references have him as player-manager for the White Stockings the previous year as well, instead of 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...
. When the Association folded, the Mutuals and Hicks moved over to the newly formed National League in , and then finished his career with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds (1876-1880)
The Cincinnati Reds, also known as the Cincinnati Red Stockings, were a professional baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio that played from 1876–1880. The Reds were a charter member of the National League.-History:...
.
Post-career
After his baseball days were over, he became a professional singer and proprieter of a billiard academy. Nat died in Hoboken, New JerseyHoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
at the age of 62 of accidental gas asphyxia
Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
tion in a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
room, and was interred in St. Peter Cemetery in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
.