Dennis Lawrence "Dan" McGann (July 15, 1871 – December 13, 1910) was an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
and
second baseman. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) from 1896 to 1910, and won the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
in
1905
As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia (Shostakovich's 11th Symphony i ...
with the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
.
After beginning his professional career in
minor league baseball in 1895, McGann played in MLB for the
Boston Beaneaters
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- most po ...
(1896),
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
(1898),
Brooklyn Superbas
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
(1899),
Washington Senators (1899), and
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
(1900–1901) of the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) before jumping to the rival
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
to play for the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
in 1902. He returned to the NL, playing for the New York Giants (1902–1907) and
Boston Doves
The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta.
During it ...
(1908). In 1909–10, he played for the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
in the
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
.
McGann had a troubled personal life. He suffered from depression, and several members of his family committed suicide. After the 1910 season, with rumors of McGann signing with another minor league team, McGann committed suicide with a firearm.
Career
Early career (1891–1897)
McGann began his professional baseball career in
minor league baseball with a team representing his hometown,
Shelbyville, Kentucky
Shelbyville is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city in and the county seat of Shelby County, Kentucky, Shelby County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 14,045 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census.
History
Early hist ...
, in 1891. He also played for Kentucky teams representing
Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg is a home rule-class city in Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 9,064 at the 2020 census.
Although Harrodsburg was formally established by the House of Burgesses after Boonesbo ...
in 1892,
Lexington in 1893, and
Maysville in 1894.
McGann played for the
Norfolk Clams/Crows
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nort ...
of the Class-B
Virginia State League
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
in 1895 and the
Lynchburg Hill Climbers of the Class-B
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928.
The most famous alumni to c ...
in 1896. He initially played all positions except for
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
,
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
, and
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
.
[
In August 1896, the ]Boston Beaneaters
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- most po ...
of the National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) purchased McGann from Lynchburg to fill in for injured second baseman Bobby Lowe
Robert Lincoln Lowe (July 10, 1865 – December 8, 1951), nicknamed "Link", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player, coach, and scout. He played for the Boston Beaneaters (1890–1901), Chicago Cubs (1902–1903), Pittsbur ...
. McGann batted .322 with the Beaneaters, hitting for power, but he committed 21 errors in 43 games. The Beaneaters released him following the completion of the season.[ McGann played the 1897 season with the Toronto Canucks of the Class-A Eastern League. He moved to first base and batted .354, leading the Eastern League with 20 triples.][
]
Major League Baseball (1898–1908)
The Washington Senators of the NL purchased McGann, Butts Wagner, Bob McHale and Cooney Snyder from Toronto for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms) on September 22, 1897. The Senators traded McGann with Gene DeMontreville
Eugene Napoleon DeMontreville (March 10, 1873 – February 18, 1935) was an American professional baseball second baseman and shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,
Washington Senators, Baltimore Oriole ...
and Doc McJames
James McCutchen McJames (August 27, 1874 – September 23, 1901) was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons (1895–1899, 1901) with the Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles, and Brooklyn Super ...
to the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
of the NL for Doc Amole
Morris George "Doc" Amole (July 5, 1878 – March 9, 1912) was a professional baseball player who career spanned nine season, including parts of two in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles (1897) and the Washington Senators (1898). On ...
, Jack Doyle and Heinie Reitz
Henry Peter Reitz (June 29, 1867 – November 10, 1914), nicknamed "Heinie", was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was born in Chicago.
Car ...
that December. He played one season with the Orioles, in which he batted .301 with 106 runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBI) in 1898, good for fifth place in the NL.[
When Orioles manager Ned Hanlon was hired to manage the ]Brooklyn Superbas
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
during the 1899 season, receiving an ownership stake in the team to do so, he assigned several of his star players, including McGann, Joe McGinnity
Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's ...
, Joe Kelley
Joseph James Kelley (December 9, 1871 – August 14, 1943) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who starred in the outfield of the Baltimore Orioles teams of the 1890s. Making up the nucleus of the Orioles along with Joh ...
, Hughie Jennings
Hugh Ambrose Jennings (April 2, 1869 – February 1, 1928) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager from 1891 to 1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won Nat ...
and Willie Keeler
William Henry Keeler (March 3, 1872 – January 1, 1923), nicknamed "Wee Willie" because of his small stature, was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1892 to 1910, primarily for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn ...
to the Superbas. McGann finished second on the team in RBIs with 106, behind Kelley.[
McGann batted .243 for the Superbas through July 14, 1899, when they traded him with ]Aleck Smith
Alexander Benjamin "Aleck" Smith (1871 – July 9, 1919) was an American Major League Baseball catcher from New York City. Nicknamed Broadway Aleck, he played nine seasons in the majors, between 1897 and 1906, for six different teams.
He had a ...
to the Senators for Deacon McGuire
James Thomas "Deacon" McGuire (November 18, 1863 – October 31, 1936) was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach whose career spanned the years 1883 to 1915. He played 26 seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a ca ...
.[ For the Senators, McGann batted .343 during the rest of the 1899 season.][ Short on money, the Senators sold McGann and ]Gus Weyhing
August Weyhing (September 29, 1866 – September 4, 1955) was an American pitcher in professional baseball. Nicknamed "Cannonball", "Rubber Arm Gun", and "Rubber-Winged Gus", he played for nine different Major League Baseball (MLB) teams from 188 ...
to the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
for $5,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on March 9, 1900.[ McGann left the Cardinals before the end of 1901 season, for unknown reasons. The Cardinals replaced McGann with ]Bill Richardson
William Blaine Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Energy Secretary ...
.
With the formation of the American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL) as a competitor to the NL, McGann joined many fellow NL players who jumped to the AL. Following Cardinals teammate John McGraw
John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants. He was also the third baseman of the pennant-winning 1890 ...
, who became player-manager
A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...
of the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
of the AL before the 1901 season, McGann signed with the Orioles.[
However, the Orioles struggled with debt. ]Joe Kelley
Joseph James Kelley (December 9, 1871 – August 14, 1943) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who starred in the outfield of the Baltimore Orioles teams of the 1890s. Making up the nucleus of the Orioles along with Joh ...
, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and John McGraw
John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants. He was also the third baseman of the pennant-winning 1890 ...
. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder, owning 201 of the team's 400 shares. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman
Andrew Freedman (September 1, 1860 – December 4, 1915) was an American businessman who is primarily remembered as the owner of the New York Giants professional baseball team of the National League from 1895 to 1902. He also briefly owned the ...
, principal owner of the New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
, and John T. Brush
John Tomlinson Brush (June 15, 1845 – November 26, 1912) was an American sports executive who is primarily remembered as the principal owner of the New York Giants franchise in Major League Baseball from late in the 1902 season until his death ...
, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
, also of the NL. That day, Freedman released McGann, McGraw, Cy Seymour
James Bentley "Cy" Seymour (December 9, 1872 – September 20, 1919) was an American professional baseball center fielder and pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to for the New York Giants (1896–; –), Baltimore Orioles ( ...
, Roger Bresnahan
Roger Philip Bresnahan (June 11, 1879 – December 4, 1944), nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee", was an American player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Bresnahan competed in MLB for the Washington Senators (1897), Chicago ...
, Joe Kelley
Joseph James Kelley (December 9, 1871 – August 14, 1943) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who starred in the outfield of the Baltimore Orioles teams of the 1890s. Making up the nucleus of the Orioles along with Joh ...
, Joe McGinnity
Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's ...
, and Jack Cronin
John J. Cronin (May 26, 1874 – July 12, 1929) was a Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He played professionally from 1895 through 1912. His MLB career included stints with the Brooklyn Grooms (1895), Pittsburgh Pirates (1898), Cincin ...
from their contracts with Orioles. Freedman signed McGann, Bresnahan, McGinnity and Cronin to the Giants, joining McGraw, who had signed with the Giants ten days earlier. Brush signed Seymour and Kelley to the Reds.
With the Giants, McGraw installed McGann at first base, moving Christy Mathewson
Christopher Mathewson (August 12, 1880 – October 7, 1925), nicknamed "Big Six", "the Christian Gentleman", "Matty", and "the Gentleman's Hurler", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher, who played 17 seasons with the New York Giant ...
to pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
.[ McGann stole 36 bases in the 1903 season. After the season, McGann and some of his Giants teammates threatened to quit the team due to the treatment of Brush, now the Giants owner, for allegedly going back on a promise to provide the Giants with a monetary bonus for having the Giants finish in the top three of the NL and a share of the ]gate receipts Gate receipts, or simply "gate", is the sum of money taken at a sporting venue for the sale of tickets.
Traditionally, gate receipts were largely or entirely taken in cash. Today, many sporting venues will operate a season ticket scheme, which wil ...
from exhibition games, in which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGann and Jack Warner were rumored to join McGinnity in an outlaw league in California.
McGann stole 42 bases in 1904, finishing fourth in the NL. He stole five bases on May 27, 1904, setting an NL record. McGann's record stood until Davey Lopes
David Earle Lopes (; born May 3, 1945) is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. He played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston ...
stole five bases in a game in 1974, and Otis Nixon
Otis Junior Nixon (born January 9, 1959) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1983), Cleveland Indians (1984–87), Montreal Expos (1988–90), Atlanta Brav ...
stole six in a game in 1991.[ McGann led the team with a .286 batting average and six ]home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s that season. Though the Giants won the NL pennant in 1904, they refused to compete in the 1904 World Series
In 1904, there was no World Series played between the champions of the two major leagues, the Boston Americans (now the Boston Red Sox) of the American League (AL) and the New York Giants (now the San Francisco Giants) of the National League (NL ...
. Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Americans
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, following their altercations with Johnson.
McGann developed a reputation as a fighter in 1905. On April 21, 1905, in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, McGann punched catcher Fred Abbott
Harry Frederick Abbott (October 22, 1874 – June 11, 1935) was an American Major League Baseball catcher. Born Harry Frederick Winbigler, he played three seasons of Major League baseball for the Cleveland Naps and the Philadelphia Phillies.
He ...
after McGann was thrown out at home plate. Abbott hit McGann in the back with the ball, resulting in both players being ejected from the game. McGann batted .299 with 14 triples in 1905 as the Giants won NL pennant for the second consecutive year. Competing in the 1905 World Series, a series the Giants won over the Philadelphia Athletics
The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
in five games, McGann contributed with his bat and glove. Although McGann batted .235 in the series, he recorded four RBIs on three hits in a Game Three victory.[
]
McGann was briefly suspended by NL president Harry Pulliam
Harry Clay Pulliam (February 9, 1869 – July 29, 1909) was an American baseball executive who served as the sixth President of the National League. He served from 1903 until his death in 1909. He was president during the period in which the Nati ...
for fighting on May 16, 1906. McGann finished first in the NL fielding percentage at first base from 1903 through 1906.[ He also served as Giants' ]team captain
In team sport, captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. In eithe ...
. Despite this, rumors began to circulate that the Giants were looking to trade McGann, which the team denied.
Before the 1907 season, a report surfaced that the Giants would shift Mike Donlin
Michael Joseph Donlin (May 30, 1878 – September 24, 1933) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and actor. As a professional baseball player, his MLB career spanned from 1899 to 1914 in which he played mainly in the National L ...
from the outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball and ...
to first base, in order to replace McGann. Donlin denied the claim. McGann suffered a broken wrist when he was hit by a pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...
thrown by Andy Coakley
Andrew James Coakley (November 20, 1882 – September 27, 1963) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1902–1906), Cincinnati Reds (1907–1908), Chicago Cubs (1908–1909), and New York H ...
of the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
during spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 1907.
McGann returned to the Giants out of shape midway through the 1907 season, although he did bat .298 that season. That winter, trade rumours began to swirl that the Giants would trade him to the Reds. Instead, the Giants traded McGann to the Boston Doves
The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta.
During it ...
with Frank Bowerman
Frank Eugene Bowerman (December 5, 1868 – November 30, 1948) was an American catcher and manager in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New York Giants, and the Boston Doves, as well as a player-manag ...
, George Browne, Bill Dahlen
William Frederick Dahlen (January 5, 1870 – December 5, 1950), nicknamed "Bad Bill" for his ferocious temperament, was an American shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball who played for four National League teams from to . After twice ...
and Cecil Ferguson
Cecil B. Ferguson (August 27, 1883 – September 5, 1943) was an American professional baseball player.
He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons (1906–1911) with the New York Giants (NL), New York Giants and Boston Braves (baseba ...
for Al Bridwell
Albert Henry Bridwell (January 4, 1884 – January 23, 1969) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for several MLB teams, most notably the New York Giants from 1908 to 1911, when the team was managed by John McGraw. ...
, Tom Needham
Thomas Joseph Needham (April 17, 1879 – December 14, 1926) was an Irish-born Major League Baseball player from 1904 to 1914. He was a catcher with the Boston Beaneaters, New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. Needham hit poorly, hitting below .200 i ...
and Fred Tenney
Frederick Tenney (November 26, 1871 – July 3, 1952) was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned 20 seasons, 17 of which were spent with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Boston Beaneaters/Doves/Rustlers (1894–1907, 1911) ...
on December 13, 1907. Tenney, also a first baseman, was designated as McGann's replacement at first. When a reporter asked McGraw about McGann and Tenney, pointing out that both first basemen were 36 years old, McGraw replied that Tenney had taken better care of himself.[
Despite discussion of appointing McGann player-manager of the Doves, the role was assigned to Kelley. Agreeing to terms with George Dovey, president of the Doves, McGann played 135 games during the 1908 season, but batted only .240. During an April 1908 game between the Doves and the Giants, McGraw insulted McGann as slow, referring to him as a "damned ice wagon", noting "that's how the Giants lost a lot of games last season".][ After the game, McGann went to the Giants' hotel, waited for McGraw to return from the theatre, and fought him in a billiard room.][ Dovey released McGann from the Doves after the 1908 season.
]
Later career (1909–1910)
McGann signed with the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
of the Class-A American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
for the 1909 season. He played for Milwaukee in 1909 and 1910, batting only .225 in 1910, his career low.[ There were reports McGann might sign with the Oakland Oaks of the ]Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
or a team in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, near his Shelbyville home in 1911. McGann's career was ended, however, by his death in December 1910.[
]
Career statistics
In 1437 games over 12 seasons, McGann posted a .284 batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(1482-for-5226) with 842 runs, 181 doubles, 100 triples, 42 home runs
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
, 727 RBI, 282 stolen bases
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
, 429 bases on balls
A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Se ...
, .364 on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
and .381 slugging percentage
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...
. He finished his career with a .987 fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
playing 1377 games at first base and 53 games at second base.
Personal life
McGann invested in real estate and financial holdings near his Shelbyville home during his career.[ At the time of his death, his property was assessed to be worth approximately $40,000 ($ in current dollar terms).
]
Family
McGann suffered from severe clinical depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introdu ...
, a condition which ran throughout his family. One of McGann's sisters committed suicide in 1889 after their mother died. On New Year's Eve in 1901, one of McGann's brothers died as a result of an accidental shooting. In 1910, another of McGann's brothers committed suicide.
Death
On December 13, 1910, McGann committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart at a Louisville hotel. At the time of his death, he was 39 years old, and reportedly had been "in the best of health and humor" when last seen. McGann was survived by two sisters, who, despite the family history of suicide, believed their brother had been murdered, as a diamond ring valued at $800 ($ in current dollar terms) McGann had been seen wearing was missing.[
]
See also
* List of baseball players who died during their careers
This is a list of baseball players who died during their careers. These deaths occurred during a game, due to illness, results of accidents, acts of violence, or suicide.
Repeated studies have shown that Major League Baseball players have a greate ...
* List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
In baseball, a triple is a hit in which the batter advances to third base in one play, with neither the benefit of a fielding error nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice. Triples were more common in baseball's dead-ball era, whe ...
* List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
In baseball statistics, a stolen base is credited to a baserunner when he successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is throwing the ball to home plate. Under Rule 7.01 of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Official Rules, a runner acqu ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McGann, Dan
Major League Baseball first basemen
Baseball players from Kentucky
19th-century baseball players
Boston Doves players
Boston Beaneaters players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
New York Giants (NL) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
Sportspeople from Kentucky
People from Shelbyville, Kentucky
St. Louis Cardinals players
Washington Senators (1891–1899) players
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) players
Suicides by firearm in Kentucky
1871 births
1910 suicides
Norfolk Clams players
Norfolk Crows players
Lynchburg Hill Climbers players
Toronto Canucks players