George Barclay "Win" Mercer (June 20, 1874 – January 12, 1903) was a 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...

 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...

 from 1894 to 1902. Born in Chester, West Virginia

Chester, West Virginia

Chester is a city in Hancock County, West Virginia, United States, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,592 at the 2000 census. Chester was established in 1896, but not incorporated until 1907. The city is...

, he played primarily with 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...

 Washington Senators

Washington Senators (1891-1899)

The Washington Senators were a 19th century baseball team. The team was also known as the Washington Statesmen and the Washington Nationals. The team played at Boundary Field....

 (1894–1899), winning 20 games twice with the club. He also played with the 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....

 (1900), the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

 Washington Senators

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 (1901), and the Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 (1902). Mercer 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 started

Games started

In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...

 (41), shutout

Shutout

In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....

s (3), and saves

Save (sport)

In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...

 (3) in 1897. He holds the interesting record of most stolen bases (nine) by a pitcher in one season. His career record of 251 complete games ranks No. 77 in Major League history.

Six Seasons with the Washington Senators: 1894-1899

Mercer spent the first seven years of his major league career, 1894–1899, with the Washington Senators

Washington Senators (1891-1899)

The Washington Senators were a 19th century baseball team. The team was also known as the Washington Statesmen and the Washington Nationals. The team played at Boundary Field....

. The Senators were one of the worst teams in baseball during Mercer’s years with them. During Mercer’s tenure, the Senators were 45-87 (1894); 43-85 (1895); 58-73 (1896); 61-71 (1897); 51-101 (1898) and 54-98 (1899).

While Mercer’s career record is 131-164, these figures do not reflect Mercer’s talents. In Mercer’s rookie season, 1894, he pitched 336-1/3 innings and had 29 complete games at age 20. His ERA of 3.85 was third best in the National League. Yet, his win-loss record for the hapless Senators was 17-23. In 1896, Mercer managed to win 25 games (5th best in the National League) despite playing for a losing team. If Mercer’s decisions were removed from the Senators’ 1896 season, they would have finished 23-55 – a .294 winning percentage.

A game played on August 31, 1896 demonstrates how difficult it was for Mercer to secure wins for the Nationals. On that day, Mercer shut out Chicago for 11 innings, but the Senators also failed to score a run against opposing pitcher Cy Young

Cy Young

Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...

. The Senators finally scored a run in the 11th inning to give Mercer the win, but Mercer lacked the support to achieve the win totals he could have secured on a better hitting team.

Mercer’s Role in the Ladies’ Day Riot of 1897

According to a biography of Mercer published by SABR, Mercer was a fan favorite, especially with women. He reportedly was “young and handsome with piercing dark eyes, and an outgoing personality.” According to one account (Nash and Zullo, “Turnstile Turnoffs” in ‘The Baseball Hall of Shame’ (1985)), the ladies loved Mercer, and he “loved the ladies.” Playing on Mercer’s popularity with the ladies, Washington liked to pitch Mercer on Tuesdays and Fridays, which were designated “Ladies’ Days.” One Ladies’ Day game in 1897 ended in shambles when women rioted after Umpire Bill Carpenter ejected Mercer. According to Nash and Zullo, “an army of angry females poured out of the stands. They surrounded Carpenter, shoved him to the ground and ripped his clothing. Finally, police brought the situation under control.”

Mercer’s Talents as a Batter

Mercer also proved himself to be a solid hitter with the Nationals. He hit .291 in his rookie season with 29 runs, 29 RBIs, 9 extra base hits, and 9 stolen bases. After Mercer hit .317 in 1897, the Senators began using him as a position player starting in 1898 on days when he wasn’t pitching. As a result, Mercer played at every position except catcher in his career, including 90 games at 3rd base, 75 games in the outfield, 39 games at shortstop, 8 games at first base, and 5 at 2nd base. With increased at bats in 1898, Mercer batted .321 with a .369 on base percentage. The rest of the Nationals’ team batted .271 for the 1898 season – 50 points lower than Mercer. And in 1899, he hit .299 and achieved career highs with 73 runs, 35 RBIs, 112 hits, and 16 stolen bases.

The New York Giants: 1900

On January 10, 1900, the 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....

 purchased Mercer from Washington. Mercer had the misfortune of playing for the Giants in a year when they finished 18 games under .500 and in 8th place. Mercer finished the 1900 season with a 13-17 record and a 3.86 ERA

The American League: 1901-1902

Before the 1901 season, Mercer jumped to the newly formed American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

. He played the 1901 season with the new American League Washington Senators

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

. The team finished 11 games under .500 and in 6th place. Mercer was 9-13 as a pitcher, but batted .300 with 10 steals. On August 8, 1901, Mercer stole home against the Athletics, becoming the first American League pitcher to accomplish the feat.

Mercer played for the Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 in 1902 and had one of his best seasons. Though he had eight major league seasons behind him, Mercer was only 27 years old at the start of the 1902 season. He started 33 games for the Tigers and had 28 complete games. His ERA of 3.04 was the best of his career. His four shutouts in 1902 were second in the American League to Addie Joss

Addie Joss

Adrian Joss was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched his entire nine-year baseball career for the Cleveland Bronchos/Naps .-Early life:...

.

Mercer’s Suicide in January 1903

After the conclusion of the 1902 season, the Tigers appointed the 28-year-old Mercer to be their player-manager for 1903. However, on January 12, 1903, after a barnstorming tour through the west, Mercer checked into the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco and killed himself by inhaling illuminating gas at age 28. Mercer’s suicide won national attention, and there were conflicting reports about the reasons for the suicide. The Sporting News reported that Mercer had been gambling and apparently saw no way to make the deficit good. According to this version, his losses included not only his own money but the funds of other players, with estimates ranging from $3,000 to $8,000. Another report rejected the idea of gambling debts and blamed the suicide on a relationship with a woman. Some reports indicated that Mercer left a suicide note warning of the evils of women and gambling. There is no known substantiation for these reports, and The New York Times reported on Mercer's death as follows: "[Mercer] registered at the Occidental Hotel last evening. He was found asphyxiated in his room to-day. Mercer registered under the name George Murray and gave his residence as Philadelphia. The watchman of the hotel in making his rounds detected the odor of gas coming from Mercer's room and broke down the door. Mercer was on the bed with his coat and waistcoat covering his head; and a tube ran from the gas jet into his mouth. Among the papers found in the room was one which read: 'Tell Mr. Van Horn of the Langham Hotel that Winnie Mercer has taken his life.' Mercer was a sufferer of pulmonary troubles, and as the disease refused to yield to treatment he became despondent. He left a statement of his financial accounts, showing that he owed no money. He was twenty-eight years old...."
TheDeadballEra.com :: WIN MERCER'S OBIT at www.thedeadballera.com

Mercer was laid to rest at Riverview Cemetery in East Liverpool, Ohio

East Liverpool, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,089 people, 5,261 households, and 3,424 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,010.3 people per square mile . There were 5,743 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile...

, across the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

 from where he was born in Chester, West Virginia.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball saves champions
• MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
  MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
  This is a list of top 100 Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-The List:* Bold denotes active player...
  
  

Sources and External links

• Baseball Almanac
• Baseball SABR Biography
• Tom Deveaux, The Washington Senators 1901-1971 (McFarland & Co. 2001)
• Bruch Nash and Allan Zullo, "Turnstile Turnoffs: The Most Undignified Ballpark Promotions," in The Baseball Hall of Shame (Pocket Books 1985).