Jimmy Wolf

William Van Winkle "Jimmy" Wolf (May 12, 1862 – May 16, 1903), also known as Chicken Wolf, was an American professional baseball player from Louisville, Kentucky. He played all or part of eleven seasons in Major League Baseball. He was primarily a right fielder, but occasionally played other positions in the infield.[1]

Jimmy Wolf
Right fielder
Born: (1862-05-12)May 12, 1862
Louisville, Kentucky
Died: May 16, 1903(1903-05-16) (aged 41)
Louisville, Kentucky
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 2, 1882, for the Louisville Eclipse
Last MLB appearance
August 21, 1892, for the St. Louis Browns
MLB statistics
Batting average.290
Home runs18
Runs batted in592
Teams
As player
As manager
Career highlights and awards

Wolf played for his hometown team, the Louisville Colonels of the American Association, from 1882, when they were called the Eclipse, to 1891. When the American Association folded, he then played for the St. Louis Browns of the National League in 1892, his last season in the majors. He played in just three games for the Browns before being let go. He played in the minor leagues until 1894 before retiring.

In 1889, with the team 2–8 after ten games under player-manager Dude Esterbrook, the managerial reins were handed over to Wolf, who won only 14 of the 65 games he managed. The other two managers to follow, Dan Shannon and Jack Chapman, didn't fare any better, as Louisville won only 27 games that year with 111 losses. In 1890, he led the American Association in batting with .363.

Wolf died in 1903 at the age of 41, from the effects of brain trauma he suffered a few years before in a fire-fighting accident, and is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.[2] This cemetery is where other Louisville ballplayers have been buried as well, including childhood friend and teammate Pete Browning.[3]

See also

References
  1. Baseball-Reference player page
  2. The Dead Ball Era
  3. Pete Browning Bio
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