Peaches Graham
Encyclopedia
George Frederick "Peaches" Graham (March 23, 1877 - July 25, 1939) was a baseball catcher
for the Cleveland Bronchos
, Chicago Cubs
, Boston Doves/Rustlers
, and Philadelphia Phillies
.
Born in Aledo, Illinois
, Graham played seven seasons of Major League Baseball
over the span of eleven years. He debuted in with the Bronchos as a second baseman, and came back in with the Cubs as a pitcher
, but only pitched in one game, a loss. After a five year hiatus, Graham returned in 1908 as a utility player with the Braves. He started games as a catcher
, second baseman
, outfielder
, third baseman
, and shortstop
, but was predominantly a catcher. Graham was traded mid-season to the Cubs, but only played there for three months before being traded for Dick Cotter to Philadelphia, where he would finish his major league career after the season at the age of thirty-five.
He had a son, Jack
, born in 1916, who would go on to play professional baseball. Graham died in Long Beach, California
at the age of sixty-two.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
for the Cleveland Bronchos
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, 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...
, Boston Doves/Rustlers
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....
, and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Born in Aledo, Illinois
Aledo, Illinois
Aledo is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,613 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mercer County.-Geography:Aledo is located at ....
, Graham played seven seasons of 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...
over the span of eleven years. He debuted in with the Bronchos as a second baseman, and came back in with the Cubs as a 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...
, but only pitched in one game, a loss. After a five year hiatus, Graham returned in 1908 as a utility player with the Braves. He started games as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, and 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...
, but was predominantly a catcher. Graham was traded mid-season to the Cubs, but only played there for three months before being traded for Dick Cotter to Philadelphia, where he would finish his major league career after the season at the age of thirty-five.
He had a son, Jack
Jack Graham (baseball)
John Bernard Graham was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he played in 1946 and 1949 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants and St. Louis Browns. He died at age 82 in Los Alamitos, California.His father, Peaches Graham, also played in the...
, born in 1916, who would go on to play professional baseball. Graham died in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
at the age of sixty-two.