John Bernard Ryan (November 12, 1868 – August 21, 1952) was a
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), ...
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...
. He played from 1889 to 1913 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 ...
,
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 ...
and
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 ...
. He is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four decades.
Ryan was born in
Haverhill, Massachusetts to
Irish immigrants
The Irish diaspora ( ga, Diaspóra na nGael) refers to ethnic Irish people and their descendants who live outside the island of Ireland.
The phenomenon of migration from Ireland is recorded since the Early Middle Ages,Flechner and Meeder, The ...
. He played baseball from an early age and began playing professionally by age 18.
He was a manager in the minor leagues in 1909–1911, 1922–1923, 1926, and 1928–1929.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades
References
External links
1868 births
1952 deaths
19th-century baseball players
Major League Baseball catchers
Brooklyn Bridegrooms players
Boston Beaneaters players
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Washington Senators (1901–1960) players
Virginia Cavaliers baseball coaches
Louisville Colonels players
Minor league baseball managers
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Columbus Senators players
Detroit Tigers (Western League) players
Jersey City Skeeters players
Kansas City Blues (baseball) players
Springfield Ponies players
Syracuse Stars (minor league baseball) players
Sportspeople from Haverhill, Massachusetts
Baseball players from Massachusetts
American people of Irish descent
Crisfield Crabbers players
New Bedford Millmen players
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