George Washington Bradley (July 13, 1852 – October 2, 1931), nicknamed "Grin", 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 ...

player who was a

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 ...

and

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

. He played for multiple teams in the early years of the National League (baseball), National League, the oldest league still active in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bradley is noted for pitching the first no-hitter that is officially recognized by MLB, on July 15, 1876, for the St. Louis Brown Stockings against the Hartford Dark Blues. As a player, he was listed at and ; he threw and batted right-handed.

Baseball career

Bradley is credited as throwing the first official no-hitter, no-hit, no-run game in major league history. He pitched for the St. Louis Brown Stockings in the clubs victory over the Hartford Dark Blues on July 15, 1876. The score ended 2–0 without a hit being allowed by Bradley. That year, he completed 63 of the 64 games for St. Louis, winning 45 and leading the league with a 1.23 earned run average. Additionally, he also threw 16 Shutout (baseball), shutouts, setting a record which has not been broken to date, although was tied in 1916, 40 years later, by Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander. After 1876, Bradley was not as effective as a pitcher and played mostly other positions after 1879. He was involved in professional baseball for 30 years, 19 of them with the Philadelphia Athletics (American Association), Philadelphia Athletics. In 1883, he was the team's regular third baseman and also went 16–7 on the mound to help the A's win the American Association (19th century), American Association championship. In 1887, he served as a player-manager for the Nashville Blues of the Southern League (1885–1899), Southern League.Traughber, Bill
"Looking Back: Nashville Blues."
''Nashville Sounds''. April 26, 2004. Retrieved on March 22, 2008.

Later life

Bradley became a Philadelphia police officer following his baseball career. He died at his home in Philadelphia,on October 2, 1931. At the time of his death at age 79, he was retired on a pension from the police department which he had only begun receiving in September 1931. Bradley was interred at the Northwood Cemetery in Philadelphia.

References

*Philadelphia Public Ledger, Sunday Morning, Oct. 4, 1931, P.6 *MacMillan Baseball Encyclopedia Digital Edition (1996)

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley, George 1852 births 1931 deaths 19th-century baseball players Baltimore Orioles (AA) players Baseball player-managers Binghamton Crickets (1880s) players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Capital City of Albany players Chicago White Stockings players Cincinnati Outlaw Reds players Cleveland Blues (NL) players Detroit Wolverines players Easton (minor league baseball) players Hartford (minor league baseball) players London Tecumseh players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball third basemen Nashville Blues players National League ERA champions New Bedford (minor league baseball) players New Haven (minor league baseball) players New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players Baseball players from Reading, Pennsylvania Philadelphia Athletics (AA) players Philadelphia Police Department officers Providence Grays players Rochester Hop Bitters players Rochester Maroons players Sioux City Corn Huskers players St. Louis Brown Stockings (NA) players St. Louis Brown Stockings players Troy Trojans players Burials at Northwood Cemetery, Philadelphia Baseball players from Philadelphia

Baseball career

Later life

See also

References

External links