Charlie Pabor
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry "Charlie" Pabor (September 24, 1846 – April 23, 1913), also spelled Charley, nicknamed "The Old Woman in the Red Cap", was an American
Major League Baseball
left fielder
and manager
throughout the existence of the National Association
, –.
area until he joined the Cleveland Forest Citys
of the National Association as a left fielder and manager
. On May 4, 1871, Charlie managed and played while batting 0-4 for in the first game of the season, which is considered the first all professional game ever played, a game between his Forest Citys and the Fort Wayne Kekiongas
. Cleveland finished 8th that season, and Charlie was replaced as manager in . He had also batted well in 1871, with a .296 batting average
, but it dropped to .207 in 1872.
The Cleveland team folded after the season, and Charlie got a fresh start with the Brooklyn Atlantics
. He had his best season that year, hitting .360 and driving in 42 runs batted in
. After a short season in with the Philadelphia White Stockings
in which he only played in 17 games
, he returned to the Atlantics for the season as the player-manager. The season was a disaster, the Atlantics only won two games for the season. Charlie did not finish the season in Brooklyn, as he signed with the New Haven Elm Citys
toward the end of the 1875 season, playing and managing six games, winning only one. Although his record of 13-64 as manager is not prolific, he is credited as starting the careers of both King Kelly
and Fred Goldsmith.
, and joined their police department, where he enjoyed a long career and retired from. Charlie died in New Haven of pneumonia
at the age of 66, and is interred at Mapledale Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
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...
throughout the existence of the National Association
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
, –.
Early life and career
Born in Brooklyn, New York, he played his early baseball in and around the New York CityNew 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...
area until he joined the Cleveland Forest Citys
Cleveland Forest Citys
The Forest Citys were a short lived professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1870s. The actual name of the team, as shown in standings, was Forest City, not "Cleveland". The name "Forest Citys" was used in the same generic style of the day in which the team from Chicago,...
of the National Association as a left fielder 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...
. On May 4, 1871, Charlie managed and played while batting 0-4 for in the first game of the season, which is considered the first all professional game ever played, a game between his Forest Citys and the Fort Wayne Kekiongas
Fort Wayne Kekiongas
The Fort Wayne Kekiongas were a professional baseball team, notable for winning the first professional league game on May 4, 1871. Kekionga - pronounced KEY-key-awn-guh - is the name of Chief Little Turtle's Miami Indian settlement where the St. Joseph River and the St. Mary's River join to form...
. Cleveland finished 8th that season, and Charlie was replaced as manager in . He had also batted well in 1871, with a .296 batting average
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 :...
, but it dropped to .207 in 1872.
The Cleveland team folded after the season, and Charlie got a fresh start with the Brooklyn Atlantics
Brooklyn Atlantics
The Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was baseball's first champion and its first dynasty.Established in 1855, Atlantic was a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857. In 1859, with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, Atlantic emerged as the recognized champions of...
. He had his best season that year, hitting .360 and driving in 42 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. After a short season in with the Philadelphia White Stockings
Philadelphia White Stockings
The Philadelphia White Stockings were an early professional baseball team. They were a member of the National Association from 1873 to 1875. Their home games were played at the Jefferson Street Grounds...
in which he only played in 17 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, he returned to the Atlantics for the season as the player-manager. The season was a disaster, the Atlantics only won two games for the season. Charlie did not finish the season in Brooklyn, as he signed with the New Haven Elm Citys
New Haven Elm Citys
The New Haven Elm Citys was a professional baseball team based in New Haven, Connecticut. The existed for one season, in the National Association in . The Elm City played 47 games during their existence, and had a win–loss record of 7–40. They played their home games at the Howard Avenue Grounds...
toward the end of the 1875 season, playing and managing six games, winning only one. Although his record of 13-64 as manager is not prolific, he is credited as starting the careers of both King Kelly
King Kelly
Michael Joseph "King" Kelly was an American right fielder, catcher, and manager in various professional American baseball leagues including the National League, International Association, Players' League, and the American Association. He spent the majority of his 16-season playing career with the...
and Fred Goldsmith.
Post-career
After the 1875 season ended, and the demise of the National Association, he quit baseball all together and stayed in New Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, and joined their police department, where he enjoyed a long career and retired from. Charlie died in New Haven of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 66, and is interred at Mapledale Cemetery.