#97 – One-Armed, One-Legged Basesball Players

#97 – One-Armed, One-Legged Basesball Players - with John Hartley and Geoff Peterfy 0:00 14:04

We mentioned last week in our “This Week in Sports History” section that on May of 1883, the Snorkeys disarmed the Hoppers 33-17. Both teams were from Pennsylvania, and both teams were missing a limb. The Snorkeys were playing without the use of one arm, while the Hoppers were playing without the use of a leg. The Snorkeys are rumored to have been named after a character from the 1838 stageplay “Under the Gaslight,” a one-armed ex-soldier named Snorkey. The Hoppers were named after…well, having to hop or hobble down to first base on old-timey prosthetics or in most cases crutches. All but one player had been injured while working for the Reading Railroad. One gentleman lost a limb while fighting in Gettysburg.

The teams played several times at Recreation Park in Philadelphia, erected in 1860. Recreation Park was the first major baseball field erected in Philadelphia and ended up being used by Union soldiers during the Civil War. The field was also referred to as Centennial Grounds because the Philadelphia Centennials played there until the Phillies took over for good, using it as a home field starting in 1883.

Amputee baseball fizzled out after the 1880s for nearly 60 years, only to see a resurgence after World War II. With many baseball players headed overseas to fight, the game traveled with them. When they returned home, those that were left with amputations still wanted to play the game they loved. In New York and New Jersey in 1945, a group of around 300 amputees began practicing and having exhibition games. The group would become known as National Amputee Baseball and was mainly played on Randall’s Island in New York. Teams like The Broken Wings and The Flat Tires formed to play benefit games for the local Veteran’s Affairs. Being able to play the game of baseball brought new purpose into the lives of the wounded World War II vets. While their compatriots were getting industry jobs, amputees were not as quickly able to find gigs.

Groups of 12,000 to 18,000 fans showed up to the Polo Grounds whenever these teams would show, raising enough money for the Disabled American Veterans amputees chapter to purchase a headquarters in New York City that remains in use to this day. While not many of the players in National Amputee Baseball got to see playing time in the minors, a select few managed to leave their mark on baseball history.

Successful Amputee Players

Hugh “One-arm” Daily – Pitcher – 1882-1887

This gentleman played around the Snorkeys-era and was a rather volatile character. He had lost his hand to a gun accident and the wound never fully healed. The muscle and skin around his amputation was always tender, which led to him cold-cocking his catcher after continuing to throw the ball back too hard.

During the 1883 and 1884 seasons, Daly won 20 or more games and finished in the top ten of many of the leagues major pitching categories including innings pitched, complete games and strikeouts. Of his great seasons, he pitched a no-hitter on September 13, 1883, and struck out 19 batters in one game.

With his volatile personality, teams weren’t particularly thrilled to have Daly on their squad, but would deal with his attitude for a season or so. Over the course of six years he played for seven teams: the Buffalo Bisons, the Cleveland Blues, and the St. Louis Maroons of the National League, Chicago Browns and Washington Nationals of the Union Association, and the Cleveland Blues of the American Association.

Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown – Pitcher – 1903-1916

Mordecai Brown was an interesting part of this group because his amputation ended up being a benefit to his pitching. After a farming accident early in his life, he had his index finger fully amputated. He had a second farming accident that left his middle and ring fingers a bit mangled. All of this combined for standard pitches that moved in bizarre ways. In his career, Brown played mostly with the Chicago Cubs, where he helped grab (before this last year) the last World Series championship in Cubs history. The 1908 win gave Brown and the Cubs back to back titles and rocketed him into legend status.

In 1909 he led the National League in wins with 27, just one year after recording 29 wins. In fact, from 1906 to 1911, Brown had 20 wins or more in each season. In 1906 Brown posted the lowest ERA of any player ever where at least 200 innings were pitched with an astonishing 1.04. Baseball historians attributed Brown’s success to his ability as a groundball pitcher; the extra topspin leading to pitches that were difficult to connect solidly with. Mordecai Brown still sits at #6 all-time for ERA, posting a lifetime 2.057.

Pete Gray – Outfielder – 1945

Playing for the St. Louis Browns in 1945, Pete Gray established himself as a) the only player to make it into the majors with an amputation above the elbow and b) as the only known one-armed outfielder. After a truck accident in 1923 cost him his arm, Gray continued to play baseball, with a unique motion to get the ball out of his glove. He would catch the ball, roll it to his chest while removing his glove and flick it to himself before rifling the throw in. Over his one season with the Browns, Gray managed a .218 batting average and a field percentage over 95. Gray’s glove sits in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Bert Shepard – Pitcher – 1945

Bert Shepard lost his leg during a plan crash in World War II, but after re-teaching himself how to pitch in a German POW Camp, Shepard got his shot at national fame. In a late-season game with the Washington Senators, Shepard came in for early relief, allowing only three hits and one run over five innings of work.

After the 1945 season, he moved to the minors where he became a player/manager.

Jim Abbott – Pitcher – 1989-1999

Jim Abbott is one of the best-known one-armed pitchers and, while not quite Mordecai Brown status, had great success in his 12 years as a pitcher. His first year in the majors, Abbott was fifth place for AL Rookie of the Year, posting 12 wins, 12 losses and an ERA of 3.92. In 1991 he came in 3rd in AL Cy Young voting and in 1993 Abbott pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. Abbott bounced around from the California Angels to the Yankees, White Sox and ended his career with the Brewers. Below is the final out of his perfect game.