Freddie Maguire
Encyclopedia
Frederick Edward Maguire (May 10, 1899 — November 3, 1961) was an American
professional baseball
player and scout
.
He played six years as a second baseman
in Major League Baseball
: 1922-23 with the New York Giants
, 1928 with the Chicago Cubs
, and 1929-31 with the Boston Braves
,
native, Maguire attended the College of the Holy Cross
. He made his professional debut in the major leagues for the Giants at the end of the 1922 season
, playing in five games for them that year. He spent the entire 1923 season
riding the bench in New York behind Frankie Frisch
, appearing in 41 games but coming to the plate just 34 times all season. He was let go at the end of the year.
, playing for the Toledo Mud Hens
. He was Toledo's starting second baseman for four seasons, finishing up with a .326 average in . This earned him another shot at the majors with the Cubs.
, Sparky Adams
, to the Pittsburgh Pirates
along with outfielder
Pete Scott
for outfielder Kiki Cuyler
. They shifted second baseman Clyde Beck
over to third and installed Maguire as their starter at second. Things started off with a bang, as Maguire hit his first major league home run
on Opening Day
off Cincinnati Reds
pitcher
Dolf Luque
. It was the only run the Cubs scored that day in a 5-1 loss.
Although he did not hit another home run—and indeed would not hit another during the rest of his major league career—Maguire did have an excellent year with the glove. He led the league in putout
s and assist
s and second in fielding percentage
among second basemen while batting .279 for the third-place Cubs. That offseason, though, Maguire was one of five players traded to the Braves for superstar Rogers Hornsby
.
loser", finishing last among qualifiers for the batting title in all three Triple Crown statistics (batting average, home runs, runs batted in).
Things did not improve much from there. Although Maguire had an uptick in average and RBI in , in he finished last in all three categories again, the only player in MLB history to have done so more than once. He was let go after the season.
.
from 1950 until his death at Brighton, Massachusetts, at the age of 62.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player and 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...
.
He played six years as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
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...
: 1922-23 with 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....
, 1928 with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and 1929-31 with the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
,
New York Giants
A Roxbury, MassachusettsRoxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
native, Maguire attended the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
. He made his professional debut in the major leagues for the Giants at the end of the 1922 season
1922 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: New York Giants over New York Yankees -Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Negro National League final standings:-East final standings:...
, playing in five games for them that year. He spent the entire 1923 season
1923 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*League Award**Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, OF-Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:...
riding the bench in New York behind Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch
Francis “Frankie” Frisch , nicknamed the "Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was a German American Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century....
, appearing in 41 games but coming to the plate just 34 times all season. He was let go at the end of the year.
Toledo Mud Hens
In , Maguire got his first taste of minor league baseballMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, playing for the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
. He was Toledo's starting second baseman for four seasons, finishing up with a .326 average in . This earned him another shot at the majors with the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs
During the previous offseason, Chicago had traded their starting third basemanThird 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...
, Sparky Adams
Sparky Adams
Earl John "Sparky" Adams was a professional Major League Baseball player who played with the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.-Chicago Cubs:...
, to the 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...
along with outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Pete Scott
Pete Scott
Floyd John "Pete" Scott was an outfielder in Major League Baseball.-External links:...
for outfielder Kiki Cuyler
Kiki Cuyler
Hazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler was a Major League Baseball right fielder from 1921 until 1938. He was born in Harrisville, Michigan.Cuyler broke into the big leagues in 1921 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a fixture in the lineup in 1924...
. They shifted second baseman Clyde Beck
Clyde Beck
Clyde Eugene "Jersey" Beck was a right-handed infielder in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds from 1926 to 1931.Beck spent the first five seasons of his career with the Cubs...
over to third and installed Maguire as their starter at second. Things started off with a bang, as Maguire hit his first major league home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
off Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Dolf Luque
Dolf Luque
Adolfo Domingo De Guzmán "Dolf" Luque , was an early 20th century Cuban starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.Luque was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1967....
. It was the only run the Cubs scored that day in a 5-1 loss.
Although he did not hit another home run—and indeed would not hit another during the rest of his major league career—Maguire did have an excellent year with the glove. He led the league in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s and assist
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
s and second in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
among second basemen while batting .279 for the third-place Cubs. That offseason, though, Maguire was one of five players traded to the Braves for superstar Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
.
Boston Braves
Replacing Hornsby was a difficult task, and Maguire slumped in for the cellar-dwelling Braves, as his numbers slipped both offensively and defensively. His offensive numbers were so poor, he was what has occasionally been called a "Triple CrownTriple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
loser", finishing last among qualifiers for the batting title in all three Triple Crown statistics (batting average, home runs, runs batted in).
Things did not improve much from there. Although Maguire had an uptick in average and RBI in , in he finished last in all three categories again, the only player in MLB history to have done so more than once. He was let go after the season.
Return to the minor leagues
In , Maguire signed with the Louisville Colonels, splitting the season between that team and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He continued to play in the minor leagues until , finishing his career in the class-D Cape Breton Colliery League.Overview
In six major league seasons, Maguire played in 618 games with a .257 batting average, .322 slugging average, and a .289 on base percentageOn base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
.
Later life
Maguire also served as a scout for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
from 1950 until his death at Brighton, Massachusetts, at the age of 62.