Paul Sentell
Encyclopedia
Leopold Theodore "Paul" Sentell (August 27, 1879 – April 27, 1923) was a professional baseball
player, manager
, and umpire
. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball
for the Philadelphia Phillies
. Sentell was 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighed 176 pounds.
, in 1879. He started his professional baseball career in 1903 in the Cotton States League
. The following season, he moved to the South Atlantic League
and had a batting average
of .263. In 1905, Sentell batted a career-high .315, stole
50 bases, and scored 71 runs
to help the Macon Brigands
win the league championship. His 137 hits
that season led the South Atlantic League and were just three more than the second-place finisher, Ty Cobb
, who would go on to have a Hall of Fame
career in the majors.
Sentell made his MLB debut in 1906 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in 63 games that year, mostly at third base
and second base
, and hit .229. In early 1907, he played three games for Philadelphia but spent most of the season with the Eastern League
's Jersey City Skeeters
. From 1908 to 1913, Sentell played in the Southern Association
for the Mobile Sea Gulls
, Atlanta Crackers
, and Chattanooga Lookouts
. He then became a player-manager
for the Galveston Pirates
of the Texas League
and stayed with the team for four seasons.
After his playing career ended in 1918, Sentell worked as an umpire in the Texas League for several years until the National League
hired him for the 1922 and 1923 seasons. Sentell was umpiring a game in early 1923 when he collapsed on the field. He died of appendicitis
a few days later.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player, 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...
, and 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...
. He played two seasons 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...
for the 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...
. Sentell was 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighed 176 pounds.
Career
Sentell was born in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, in 1879. He started his professional baseball career in 1903 in the Cotton States League
Cotton States League
The Cotton States League name was used five different times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new...
. The following season, he moved to the South Atlantic League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
and had a 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 :...
of .263. In 1905, Sentell batted a career-high .315, stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
50 bases, and scored 71 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...
to help the Macon Brigands
Macon Peaches
The Macon Peaches was the predominant name of the American minor league baseball franchise representing Macon, Georgia, during the 20th century....
win the league championship. His 137 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
that season led the South Atlantic League and were just three more than the second-place finisher, Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, who would go on to have a Hall of Fame
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...
career in the majors.
Sentell made his MLB debut in 1906 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in 63 games that year, mostly at third base
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...
and second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, and hit .229. In early 1907, he played three games for Philadelphia but spent most of the season with the Eastern 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...
's Jersey City Skeeters
Jersey City Skeeters
The Jersey City Skeeters were a minor league baseball team which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey. The club started in the 1860s and by 1870 joined the National Association of Base Ball Players....
. From 1908 to 1913, Sentell played in the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
for the Mobile Sea Gulls
Mobile Bears
The Mobile Bears were an American minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama. The franchise was a member of the old Southern Association, a high-level circuit that folded after the 1961 season. Mobile joined the SA in 1908 as the Sea Gulls, but changed its name to the Bears in 1918, and...
, Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
, and Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
. He then became a player-manager
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
for the Galveston Pirates
Galveston Pirates (baseball)
The Galveston Pirates were a Texas League baseball team based in Galveston, Texas, USA that existed from 1912 to 1917 and from 1919 to 1921.-Beach Park:Beach Park was the home venue of the Galveston Pirates from 1912 to 1914...
of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
and stayed with the team for four seasons.
After his playing career ended in 1918, Sentell worked as an umpire in the Texas League for several years until 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...
hired him for the 1922 and 1923 seasons. Sentell was umpiring a game in early 1923 when he collapsed on the field. He died of appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
a few days later.