John Allen (baseball)
Encyclopedia
John Marshall Allen was a professional baseball
player whose career spanned three seasons, including one in Major League Baseball
with the Baltimore Terrapins
(1914). He played the pitcher
position. Allen played one game in the majors and gave-up four runs
, all earned
. Allen also played in the minor leagues
with the Class-C Lynchburg Shoemakers (1912) and the Class-D Hagerstown Terriers (1917). In the minors, Allen compiled a record of 6–8 in 16 games. He also managed one season in 1945 with the Greensboro Patriots. Allen served in World War I
.
career in 1912 with the Class-C Lynchburg Shoemakers of the Virginia League
. With the Shoemakers, Allen compiled a record 2–3 in 44 innings pitched
. In 1914, Allen joined the Baltimore Terrapins
. On June 2, 1914, Allen played his only Major League Baseball
game. He pitched two innings and gave-up two hits
, four runs
(all earned
) and two walks
. Allen also struck out
two. In Robert Peyton Wiggins's book The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, he states that Allen "deserted" the Terrapins to play with the minor league Montreal Royals
of the International League
. However, the move backfired when Allen was not signed by the Royals. According to the Society for American Baseball Research
, Allen served in Europe
during World War I
. Allen joined the Class-D Hagerstown Terriers of the Blue Ridge League
in 1917. He went 4–5 in 10 games. Allen also batted
.135 with five hits, one double
and one home run
in 37 at-bats. In 1945, Allen became the manager
of the minor league Greensboro Patriots. It was Allen's only season as a manager.
and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hagerstown.
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 whose career spanned three seasons, including one 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...
with the Baltimore Terrapins
Baltimore Terrapins
The Baltimore Terrapins were one of the most successful teams in the short-lived Federal League of professional baseball from to , but their brief existence led to litigation that led to an important legal precedent in baseball...
(1914). He played the 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...
position. Allen played one game in the majors and gave-up four runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, all earned
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
. Allen also played in the minor leagues
Minor 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...
with the Class-C Lynchburg Shoemakers (1912) and the Class-D Hagerstown Terriers (1917). In the minors, Allen compiled a record of 6–8 in 16 games. He also managed one season in 1945 with the Greensboro Patriots. Allen served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Professional career
Allen began his professional baseballProfessional 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....
career in 1912 with the Class-C Lynchburg Shoemakers of the Virginia League
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928....
. With the Shoemakers, Allen compiled a record 2–3 in 44 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. In 1914, Allen joined the Baltimore Terrapins
Baltimore Terrapins
The Baltimore Terrapins were one of the most successful teams in the short-lived Federal League of professional baseball from to , but their brief existence led to litigation that led to an important legal precedent in baseball...
. On June 2, 1914, Allen played his only 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...
game. He pitched two innings and gave-up two hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, four runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(all earned
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
) and two walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. Allen also struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
two. In Robert Peyton Wiggins's book The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, he states that Allen "deserted" the Terrapins to play with the minor league Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. However, the move backfired when Allen was not signed by the Royals. According to the Society for American Baseball Research
Society for American Baseball Research
The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
, Allen served in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Allen joined the Class-D Hagerstown Terriers of the Blue Ridge League
Blue Ridge League
The Blue Ridge League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of sixteen years, from 1915 through 1918, and 1920 to 1930....
in 1917. He went 4–5 in 10 games. Allen also 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 :...
.135 with five hits, one double
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 one 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...
in 37 at-bats. In 1945, Allen became the 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...
of the minor league Greensboro Patriots. It was Allen's only season as a manager.
Personal
Allen was born on October 27, 1890 in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. He died on September 24, 1967 in Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hagerstown.