Sleeper Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Thomas Jefferson Sullivan (1859 – October 13, 1909) was a catcher
in Major League Baseball
. Nicknamed "Sleeper" and "Old Iron Hands", Sullivan played for the National League
's Buffalo Bisons, the American Association
's St. Louis Brown Stockings
and Louisville Eclipse
, and the Union Association
's St. Louis Maroons
during the 1880s. Sullivan stood at 5' 7" and weighed 175 lb.
. He started his professional baseball career in 1877, when he played for two teams: the New England League's Lowell Ladies Men and the League Alliance
's Evansville Red. Sullivan then moved to the International Association in 1878 and the Northwestern League in 1879.
In 1881, Sullivan joined the National League's Buffalo Bisons and made his major league debut on May 3. Sullivan was the Bison's second-string catcher. In 35 games, he batted .190 with 15 runs batted in
. After the season, Sullivan jumped to the American Association's St. Louis Brown Stockings, where he played in 1882 and part of 1883. He was the team's starting catcher in 1882, playing in 51 games, but he had the lowest batting average
(.190) and OPS+ (39) of the team's regulars. He also ranked second in the league in passed ball
s, with 97. The following season, Sullivan played eight games for St. Louis and one game for the Louisville Eclipse, with a batting average of .207. In 1884, he played two games for the Union Association's St. Louis Maroons. Sullivan last appeared in a major league game on May 29 of that year.
By 1886, Sullivan had moved back to the eastern part of the country. He spent that year playing in the Eastern League
for the Meriden Silvermen and Hartford Dark Blues, and in 1887, he played for the Eastern League's Danbury Hatters and the Pennsylvania State Association's Reading franchise. His primary position for Danbury and Reading was shortstop
. Sullivan then played in the Atlantic Association in 1889 and 1890; the New England League
in 1891; and the Eastern League in 1892 before ending his professional baseball career.
Sullivan earned the nickname "Sleeper" because of his unfamiliarity with Pullman sleeper cars
in an era when baseball teams traveled by train. He died in St. Louis in 1909 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery.
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...
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...
. Nicknamed "Sleeper" and "Old Iron Hands", Sullivan played for 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...
's Buffalo Bisons, 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...
's St. Louis Brown Stockings
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Louisville Eclipse
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...
, and the Union Association
Union Association
The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for only one season in 1884. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season...
's 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...
during the 1880s. Sullivan stood at 5' 7" and weighed 175 lb.
Career
Sullivan was born in Ireland in 1859 and was raised in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He started his professional baseball career in 1877, when he played for two teams: the New England League's Lowell Ladies Men and the League Alliance
League Alliance
The League Alliance was the first semi-affiliated minor league baseball league. Proposed by Al Spalding on January 15, 1877 . Independent baseball teams were to affiliate with National League teams, which would honor their respective contracts. The league only existed for one season, 1877, though...
's Evansville Red. Sullivan then moved to the International Association in 1878 and the Northwestern League in 1879.
In 1881, Sullivan joined the National League's Buffalo Bisons and made his major league debut on May 3. Sullivan was the Bison's second-string catcher. In 35 games, he batted .190 with 15 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. After the season, Sullivan jumped to the American Association's St. Louis Brown Stockings, where he played in 1882 and part of 1883. He was the team's starting catcher in 1882, playing in 51 games, but he had the lowest 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 :...
(.190) and OPS+ (39) of the team's regulars. He also ranked second in the league in passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s, with 97. The following season, Sullivan played eight games for St. Louis and one game for the Louisville Eclipse, with a batting average of .207. In 1884, he played two games for the Union Association's St. Louis Maroons. Sullivan last appeared in a major league game on May 29 of that year.
By 1886, Sullivan had moved back to the eastern part of the country. He spent that year playing in 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...
for the Meriden Silvermen and Hartford Dark Blues, and in 1887, he played for the Eastern League's Danbury Hatters and the Pennsylvania State Association's Reading franchise. His primary position for Danbury and Reading was shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. Sullivan then played in the Atlantic Association in 1889 and 1890; 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...
in 1891; and the Eastern League in 1892 before ending his professional baseball career.
Sullivan earned the nickname "Sleeper" because of his unfamiliarity with Pullman sleeper cars
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
in an era when baseball teams traveled by train. He died in St. Louis in 1909 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery.
External links
- Sleeper Sullivan at Find a Grave