Samuel Jay Field (October 12, 1848 – October 28, 1904) was an American professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Centennials, Washington Nationals, and Cincinnati Reds in 1875 and 1876. He was primarily a catcher.
| Sam Field | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: October 12, 1848 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| Died: October 28, 1904 (aged 56) Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 19, 1875, for the Philadelphia Centennials | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 10, 1876, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .146 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| RBI | 1 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Early life and amateur career
editField was born in Philadelphia in 1848.[1] During the last two years of the American Civil War, he served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Richmond.[2]
He began playing baseball in 1865, prior the formation of professional leagues. During the early years, he played for a Philadelphia team and caught for Cherokee Fisher.[2] He played for 15 years and was regarded as "one of the leading baseball players" of his section of the country.[3] The Sporting Life called him "one of the best catchers of his time."[4]
Professional career
editDuring the 1875 season, Field appeared in three games for the Philadelphia Centennials and five games with the Washington Nationals of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. In 1876, he played in four games for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League, which were his last appearances in the major leagues.[1][2][5] In 1877, Field played for the minor league Buffalo Bisons of the League Alliance until he suffered a season-ending thumb fracture in August.[6] Later in life, Field played for the Reading Actives, of whom he was a part owner.[2][5]
Personal life and death
editField's younger brother, Jim Field, also played in the major leagues.[5]
In his later years, Field was a fire chief and the proprietor of the Central Hotel in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.[5][7][8] He died in Sinking Spring in 1904.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Sam Field". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Paul Batesel (2012). Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875. McFarland. p. 54. ISBN 9780786470129.
- ^ "Death of a Ball Player". Harrisburg Telegraph. October 29, 1904. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Death of a Veteran Player". The Sporting Life. November 12, 1904. p. 6 – via LA84 Foundation.
- ^ a b c d David Nemec (2012). The Rank and File of 19th Century Major League Baseball. McFarland. p. 102. ISBN 9780786468904.
- ^ Martin, Brian (September 15, 2016). Pud Galvin: Baseball's First 300-Game Winner. McFarland. pp. 67–68. ISBN 978-0-7864-9977-9. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
- ^ "Happenings". The Courier. October 30, 1904. p. 12.
- ^ "Wednesday Funerals". Reading Times. November 3, 1904. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
edit- Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet