For the U.S. Senator, see George W. McBride

George W. McBride

George Wycliffe McBride was a politician and businessman from the U.S. state of Oregon. An Oregon native, he served in the Oregon Legislative Assembly as Speaker of the House and as Oregon Secretary of State for two terms before election as United States Senator from Oregon. A Republican, he was...

George Florian "Pinch" McBride (November 20, 1880 - July 2, 1973) is a former 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...

 for the Milwaukee Brewers

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

, 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...

, St. Louis Cardinals

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 the Washington Senators

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 from 1901

1901 in baseball

-Major League Baseball:* American League: Chicago White Stockings* National League: Pittsburgh PiratesWorld Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-Other champions:* Minor leagues** California League: San Francisco Wasps...

 to 1920

1920 in baseball

-Champions:*World Series: Cleveland Indians over Brooklyn Robins -MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Negro National League final standings:-East final standings:...

. He started off with the short-lived Milwaukee Brewers

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 (they moved to St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

 after the 1901 season

1901 in baseball

-Major League Baseball:* American League: Chicago White Stockings* National League: Pittsburgh PiratesWorld Series: Not played due to AL-NL war over player contracts.-Other champions:* Minor leagues** California League: San Francisco Wasps...

 and became the Browns

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

), but he only had 12 at-bats in three games. After stints in semi-pro ball, he joined the Pirates in 1905

1905 in baseball

-Champions:*World Series: New York Giants over Philadelphia Athletics -MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-Events:...

 but was traded mid-season to the Cardinals. He did not become a regular starter until the 1908

1908 in baseball

-Statistical leaders:-American League final standings:-National League final standings:-January-March:*February 27 - The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball...

 season, when he joined the Senators and became their everyday shortstop. He never hit for a high average (his best season was in 1911

1911 in baseball

-Champions:*World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Ty Cobb, Detroit Tigers, OF**Wildfire Schulte, Chicago Cubs, OF-MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:...

 when he hit .235 with 11 doubles

Double (baseball)

In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....

 and 4 triples

Triple (baseball)

In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....

), but was very talented with the glove, leading 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...

 in fielding for four straight seasons (1912

1912 in baseball

-Champions:*World Series: Boston Red Sox over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Tris Speaker, Boston Red Sox, OF** Larry Doyle, New York Giants, 2B-MLB statistical leaders:-American League final standings:...

 - 1915

1915 in baseball

-Champions:*World Series: Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies Inter-league playoff: Boston declined challenge by Chicago Inter-league playoff: Philadelphia declined challenge by Chicago -Statistical leaders:...

). He was given the nickname "Pinch" for his ability to hit in the clutch.

In 1921

1921 in baseball

-Headline Events of the Year:*First radio broadcast of the World Series.*Babe Ruth breaks Roger Connor's All-Time Home Run record of 138.-Champions:*World Series: New York Giants over New York Yankees -MLB statistical leaders:...

, he was named manager of the Senators, succeeding Clark Griffith

Clark Griffith

Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...

, and led the team to a 80-73 record (.523 winning percentage). At the end of the 1921 season, he was hit in the face with a ball during batting practice, paralyzing one side of his face. He was forced to retire from the Senators, but later joined the Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

.

McBride died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...

 at age 92.

Trivia

• McBride has the lowest batting average in major league history of anyone who qualifies (.218)

Sources