Arthur Irwin
Encyclopedia
Arthur Albert Irwin nicknamed Doc or Sandy, was a Canadian-American
shortstop
and manager
in Major League Baseball
during the late nineteenth century. The fame earned by Irwin during a 13-year (1880–91; 1894) playing career and eight years as a manager would be eclipsed by the circumstances of his death – an apparent suicide
– more than two decades after his last major league game.
Born in Toronto, United Canada, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts
, Irwin played for the Worcester Ruby Legs (1880–82), Providence Grays
(1883–85), Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies
(1886–89, 1894), and Washington Nationals (1889) of the National League
and for the Boston Reds in the Players' League (1890) and American Association
(1891). A left-handed hitter, Irwin appeared in 1,010 games and batted
.241.
Irwin was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
, and his plaque notes that he is "best known for popularizing the fielder's glove. Not wanting to miss any games after he broke two fingers on his left hand in a game, Irwin improvised and made a glove from a large driving glove, adding padding, a button at the back, and sewed the third and fourth fingers together. The glove was soon adopted by other players and became known as the 'Irwin Glove.'"
He managed Washington (1889, 1892, 1898–99), the Phillies (1894–95), and the New York Giants
(1896) of the National League, and Boston of the American Association in 1891. He led Boston to the 1891 AA pennant – the last year the Association was classified as a major league – and compiled a winning record (149–110) with the Phillies. But in his other five seasons as a pilot, his clubs posted losing records and over his managing career he won 416 and lost 427 (.493). In 1897, he returned to his hometown to manage the Toronto team in the Eastern League, leading the team for two seasons.
After serving as a scout
for the New York Highlanders
in the early years of the American League
, Irwin left baseball entirely due to ill health. In July 1921, he was a passenger on the ocean-going vessel Calvin Austin as it steamed from New York City
to Boston when he mysteriously disappeared. Irwin, 63, was presumed lost overboard, and drowned. Within days of his apparent suicide, it was discovered that Irwin had led a "double life" for 30 years, with a wife and child in Boston and a common-law wife and three offspring in New York. He was apparently successful in keeping these arrangements secret; they only came to light after his death.
According to one report, Irwin had learned that he had an incurable disease just before his ill-fated steamer trip. Said his legal wife, in Boston, upon hearing of Irwin's double life: "I feel confident and happy in the belief that, although he had this other woman in New York, he was on his way to me when he died … He turned to me as the woman he loved at the last. He wanted to die in my arms."
Canadian-American
A Canadian American is someone who was born or someone who grew up in Canada then moved to the United States. The term is particularly apt when applied or self-applied to people with strong ties to Canada, such as those who have lived a significant portion of their lives in, or were educated in,...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
during the late nineteenth century. The fame earned by Irwin during a 13-year (1880–91; 1894) playing career and eight years as a manager would be eclipsed by the circumstances of his death – an apparent suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
– more than two decades after his last major league game.
Born in Toronto, United Canada, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Irwin played for the Worcester Ruby Legs (1880–82), Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
(1883–85), Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1886–89, 1894), and Washington Nationals (1889) of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
and for the Boston Reds in the Players' League (1890) and American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
(1891). A left-handed hitter, Irwin appeared in 1,010 games and batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.241.
Irwin was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museums commemorates great players, teams, and accomplishments of baseball in Canada.-History:...
, and his plaque notes that he is "best known for popularizing the fielder's glove. Not wanting to miss any games after he broke two fingers on his left hand in a game, Irwin improvised and made a glove from a large driving glove, adding padding, a button at the back, and sewed the third and fourth fingers together. The glove was soon adopted by other players and became known as the 'Irwin Glove.'"
He managed Washington (1889, 1892, 1898–99), the Phillies (1894–95), and the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1896) of the National League, and Boston of the American Association in 1891. He led Boston to the 1891 AA pennant – the last year the Association was classified as a major league – and compiled a winning record (149–110) with the Phillies. But in his other five seasons as a pilot, his clubs posted losing records and over his managing career he won 416 and lost 427 (.493). In 1897, he returned to his hometown to manage the Toronto team in the Eastern League, leading the team for two seasons.
After serving as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for the New York Highlanders
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the early years of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, Irwin left baseball entirely due to ill health. In July 1921, he was a passenger on the ocean-going vessel Calvin Austin as it steamed from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Boston when he mysteriously disappeared. Irwin, 63, was presumed lost overboard, and drowned. Within days of his apparent suicide, it was discovered that Irwin had led a "double life" for 30 years, with a wife and child in Boston and a common-law wife and three offspring in New York. He was apparently successful in keeping these arrangements secret; they only came to light after his death.
According to one report, Irwin had learned that he had an incurable disease just before his ill-fated steamer trip. Said his legal wife, in Boston, upon hearing of Irwin's double life: "I feel confident and happy in the belief that, although he had this other woman in New York, he was on his way to me when he died … He turned to me as the woman he loved at the last. He wanted to die in my arms."
External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career playing statistics and managing record
- http://www.thedeadballera.com