Bill Watkins
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Wattie" Watkins (May 5, 1858 - June 9, 1937) was a Canadian
baseball
player and manager
. In 1887, he led the Detroit Wolverines
to the first professional sports championship for Detroit, Michigan
. The Wolverines won the 1887 National League
championship and went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns in a 15-game World Series.
Watkins was born in Brantford, Ontario
in 1858. In 1881, at age 23, he was the manager of the St. Thomas Athletics from St. Thomas, Ontario
. He led the Athletics to the Ontario provincial baseball championship in 1881. In 1882, he took over as the manager of the Port Huron, Michigan
team in the Michigan State League
and led the team to championships in both 1882 and 1883. In 1884, Watkins managed the Bay City, Michigan
team. In 1884 and 1885, he was a player-manager for the Indianapolis Hoosiers
. Watkins was a third baseman
in his days as a player. While playing for Indianapolis, Watkins was hit on the head by a pitch from Gus Shalix on August 26, 1884, at Cincinnati, Ohio
. Newspaper accounts indicate that he "hovered between life and death" for five days and his hair turned prematurely white at age 29 due to the injury.
When the Western Association folded before the end of the 1885 season, Watkins was hired by the Detroit Wolverines
. Watkins built the Detroit team from a sixth place finish in 1885 to second place in 1886 and to the National League
pennant in 1887. Watkins later served as the manager for the Kansas City Cowboys
, St. Louis Browns
and Pittsburgh Pirates
between and .
After retiring from baseball, Watkins was a justice of the peace in Marysville, Michigan
. He died at age 79 in Port Huron, Michigan
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player 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 1887, he led the Detroit Wolverines
1887 Detroit Wolverines season
The 1887 Detroit Wolverines season was a season in American baseball. The team won the 1887 National League pennant, then defeated the St. Louis Browns in the 1887 World Series. The season was the team's 7th since it entered the National League in 1881...
to the first professional sports championship for Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The Wolverines won the 1887 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...
championship and went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns in a 15-game World Series.
Watkins was born in Brantford, Ontario
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
in 1858. In 1881, at age 23, he was the manager of the St. Thomas Athletics from St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas is a city in southern , Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gained its city charter on March 4, 1881.-History:...
. He led the Athletics to the Ontario provincial baseball championship in 1881. In 1882, he took over as the manager of the Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
team in the Michigan State League
Michigan State League
Michigan State League was the name of six American professional baseball leagues. Five of them operated only one or two baseball seasons and the other four seasons...
and led the team to championships in both 1882 and 1883. In 1884, Watkins managed the Bay City, Michigan
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
team. In 1884 and 1885, he was a player-manager for the Indianapolis Hoosiers
Indianapolis Hoosiers (American Association)
The Indianapolis Hoosiers were a professional baseball team who played one season at the major league level. They played in the American Association in and finished in 12th place with a 29-78 record, 46 games behind the first-place New York Metropolitans. Their home games were played at Seventh...
. Watkins was a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in his days as a player. While playing for Indianapolis, Watkins was hit on the head by a pitch from Gus Shalix on August 26, 1884, at Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Newspaper accounts indicate that he "hovered between life and death" for five days and his hair turned prematurely white at age 29 due to the injury.
When the Western Association folded before the end of the 1885 season, Watkins was hired by the Detroit Wolverines
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
. Watkins built the Detroit team from a sixth place finish in 1885 to second place in 1886 and to 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...
pennant in 1887. Watkins later served as the manager for the Kansas City Cowboys
Kansas City Cowboys (American Association)
The Kansas City Cowboys were a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri for two seasons from to in the American Association. They were the third, and last incarnation of this franchise name, following the Kansas City Cowboys of the Union Association in and the Kansas City...
, St. Louis Browns
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
between and .
After retiring from baseball, Watkins was a justice of the peace in Marysville, Michigan
Marysville, Michigan
Marysville is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,684 at the 2000 census.-Geography:* According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.* It is considered to be part of the Thumb of...
. He died at age 79 in Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
.
External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career managing record and playing statistics