John Frank "Chub" Sullivan (January 12, 1856 – September 12, 1881) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who played for three seasons: two with the Cincinnati Reds (1877–1878) and one with the Worcester Worcesters (1880).[1] He was nicknamed "Chub", but was 6 feet tall and weighed a mere 164 pounds.[1] During his career, he was a popular player, sometimes known as a clown for his antics, and an early pioneer of the slide.[2]
| Chub Sullivan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First baseman | |
| Born: January 12, 1856 Boston, Massachusetts | |
| Died: September 12, 1881 (aged 25) Boston, Massachusetts | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 24, 1877, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 17, 1880, for the Worcester Worcesters | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .258 |
| Runs scored | 55 |
| Runs batted in | 24 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career
editBorn in Boston, Massachusetts, Sullivan, as a 21-year-old rookie in 1877, was the tenth-youngest player to appear in a National League game during that season,[3] replacing Charlie Gould at first base.[4] Joining the team late in the season, he played in only eight games, and batted .250.[1] He stayed on with the Reds for the 1878 season, leading the league in games played, assists by a first baseman, and fielding percentage (.975).[1] A tough hitter to strike out, Chub also finished seventh in at bat to strikeout ratio (27.1 to 1).[3]
Sullivan joined the Worcester minor league club for the 1879 season,[2] and the team did very well in a championship tournament following the season, and decided to apply as a replacement team in the National League, when the Syracuse Stars folded following the 1879 season. The team was accepted, and joined the League for the 1880 season.[5] Sullivan played in 43 games, the last season of his career, batted .259, and is credited with zero RBIs.[1] Sullivan's career totals include 112 games played, 114 hits, 55 runs scored, 24 RBIs, and a batting average of .258.[1]
Post-career
editSullivan became ill before the next season began, and eventually died on September 12 in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts at the age of 25[1] of consumption, later known as tuberculosis.[6] His Worcester teammates wore a black crêpe on their jersey sleeves in his memory, for the 1881 season.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Chub Sullivan's Stats". retrosheet.org. Retrieved May 24, 2008.
- ^ a b Foulds (2005). Boston's Ballparks & Arenas. University Press of New England. p. 146. ISBN 9781584654094.
- ^ a b "Chub Sullivan's Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 24, 2008.
- ^ Allen (2006). The Cincinnati Reds. p. 17.
- ^ Foulds (2005). Boston's Ballparks & Arenas. University Press of New England. p. 150. ISBN 9781584654094.
- ^ "The Dead Ball Era: Too Young To Die". thedeadballera.com. Retrieved May 24, 2008.
- ^ "Dressed To The Nines: Patches and Armbands". baseballhalloffame.org. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2008.
External links
edit- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)