Owen Thomas "Ownie" Carroll, (November 11, 1902 – June 8, 1975) 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), ...
pitcher who played nine seasons in the major leagues with the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
(1925, 1927–1930),
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
(1930),
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 ...
(1930–1932), and
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...
(1933–1934).
High school and college career
Born in
Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny ( ) is a town in the western part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Newark. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 40,684,[Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
St. Benedict's Preparatory School is a Catholic college preparatory school in Newark, New Jersey run by the Benedictines.
The school serves boys and girls in kindergarten through twelfth grade on a urban campus. The school has been accredit ...]
in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.[College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston. Founded in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England and one of the oldest ...]
at
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
, where he became widely known as the best pitcher in college baseball. He pitched a complete game, 15-inning 2–1 win against
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
in 1922.
[ Between 1922 and 1925, he had a record of 50 wins and 2 losses for the ]Holy Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They primarily compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. In ice hockey, a sport not sponsored by the Patriot League for either sex, th ...
. His two losses came as a sophomore, and he compiled perfect records of 8–0 in 1922, 11–0 in 1924 and 16–0 in 1925.[
]
Major League career
Carroll made his major league debut for the Tigers on June 20, 1925. His best season was 1928 when he went 16–12 for the Tigers in 231 innings. He came in 20th in the American League Most Valuable player voting in 1928 after finishing ninth in the league in earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) (3.27), ninth in complete games (19), ninth in Adjusted ERA+
Adjusted ERA+, often simply abbreviated to ERA+ or ERA plus, is a pitching statistic in baseball. It adjusts a pitcher's earned run average (ERA) according to the pitcher's ballpark (in case the ballpark favors batters or pitchers) and the ERA of ...
(126), and sixth in hits allowed per 9 innings (8.53). In 1929, Carroll's record turned on its head as he went 9–17, with his 17 losses ranking seventh in the league. Three years later, Carroll lost 18 games for the Reds, the most losses by a pitcher that year. Caroll finished his career in 1934 with the Dodgers. Over his 11-year major league career, Carroll was 64–90 in 1,330 inning pitched with an ERA of 4.43.
Carroll holds the record for having been traded for future Hall of Famers. He was traded to the Yankees for Waite Hoyt
Waite Charles Hoyt (September 9, 1899 – August 25, 1984) was an American right-handed professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for seven different teams during 1918–1938. He was one of the dominant pitchers of the 19 ...
, to the Cards for Jim Bottomley
James Leroy Bottomley (April 23, 1900 – December 11, 1959) was an American professional baseball player, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1922 to 1937, most prominently as a member of the St. Loui ...
, and to the Dodgers for Dazzy Vance
Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance (March 4, 1891 – February 16, 1961) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher for five different franchises in Major League Baseball (MLB) in a career that spanned twenty years. Known for ...
.
Coaching career
Carroll was the coach of the Seton Hall Pirates
The Seton Hall Pirates are the intercollegiate athletic sports teams representing Seton Hall University, located in South Orange, New Jersey. The Pirates compete as a member of the NCAA Division I level (non-football sub-level), primarily compet ...
from 1948 to 1972. Carroll led the Seton Hall Pirates to a winning record in 21 of his 25 years as their coach. The Pirates under Coach Caroll had ten seasons with winning percentages above .700, including the following:
* 1948: 13–1 (.900)
* 1949: 18–3 (.857)
* 1950: 15–5 (.750)
* 1951: 15–4 (.775)
* 1953: 11–3 (.786)
* 1959: 13–4 (.765)
* 1964: 25–5 (.833)
* 1966: 20–6 (.759)
The baseball field at Seton Hall was renamed Owen T. Carroll Field in his honor.
Death
Carroll died in Orange, New Jersey
The City of Orange is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 30,134, reflecting a decline of 2,734 (−8.3%) from the 32,868 counted in 2000.
Orange was original ...
in 1975 at age 72, and was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of New York City, was established in 1917 at 10 West Stevens Ave. in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, as a Roman Catholic burial site. Among its famous residents is ...
in East Hanover, New Jersey
East Hanover Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 11,157, reflecting a decline of 236 (−2.1%) from the 11,393 counted in the 2000 Census, whic ...
. He was survived by 4 children and 10 grandchildren.
References
External links
Baseball Almanac
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carroll, Ownie
1902 births
1975 deaths
Brooklyn Dodgers players
Cincinnati Reds players
Holy Cross Crusaders baseball players
Detroit Tigers players
Major League Baseball pitchers
New York Yankees players
People from Kearny, New Jersey
Seton Hall Pirates baseball coaches
Hanover Raiders players
Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baseball players from Hudson County, New Jersey
St. Benedict's Preparatory School alumni
Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (East Hanover, New Jersey)