Chub Sullivan
John Frank "Chub" Sullivan (January 12, 1856 – September 12, 1881), was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who played for three seasons; two with the Cincinnati Reds (1877-1878) and one with the Worcester Ruby Legs (1880).[1] He was nicknamed "Chub", but was 6 feet tall and weighed a mere 164 pounds.[1] During his career, he was a popular player, sometimes known as a clown for his antics, and an early pioneer of the slide.[2]
Chub Sullivan | |||
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First baseman | |||
Born: Boston, Massachusetts | January 12, 1856|||
Died: September 12, 1881 25) Boston, Massachusetts | (aged|||
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MLB debut | |||
September 24, 1877, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
July 17, 1880, for the Worcester Ruby Legs | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .258 | ||
Runs scored | 55 | ||
RBIs | 24 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Career
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Sullivan, as a 21-year-old rookie in 1877, was the tenth-youngest player to appear in a National League game during that season,[3] replacing Charlie Gould at first base.[4] Joining the team late in the season, he played in only eight games, and batted .250.[1] He stayed on with the Reds for the 1878 season, leading the league in games played, assists by a first baseman, and fielding percentage (.975).[1] A tough hitter to strike out, Chub also finished seventh in at bat to strikeout ratio (27.1 to 1).[3]
Sullivan joined the Worcester minor league club for the 1879 season,[2] and the team did very well in a championship tournament following the season, and decided to apply as a replacement team in the National League, when the Syracuse Stars folded following the 1879 season. The team was accepted, and joined the League for the 1880 season.[5] Sullivan played in 43 games, the last season of his career, and batted .259, and is credited with zero RBIs.[1] Sullivan's career totals include 112 games played, 114 hits, 24 RBIs, 55 runs scored, and a batting average of .258.[1]
Post-career
Sullivan became ill before the next season began, and eventually died on September 12 in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts at the age of 25[1] of consumption, later known as tuberculosis.[6] His Worcester teammates wore a black crêpe on their jersey sleeves in his memory, for the 1881 season.[7]
References
- "Chub Sullivan's Stats". retrosheet.org. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- Foulds (2005). Boston's Ballparks & Arenas. p. 146.
- "Chub Sullivan's Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- Allen (2006). The Cincinnati Reds. p. 17.
- Foulds (2005). Boston's Ballparks & Arenas. p. 150.
- "The Dead Ball Era: Too Young To Die". thedeadballera.com. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- "Dressed To The Nines: Patches and Armbands". baseballhalloffame.org. Archived from the original on 2008-03-24. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)