William Kerr (baseball)
William Kerr (9 September 1847 – 18 February 1917) was a controlling owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team of the National League from 1893 through 1900 with Phil Auten. Prior to their connection with the Pirates, Kerr and Auten were stockholders of the Pittsburgh Burghers of the Players' League in that league's only season in 1890.[1] In early 1893, the two men gained a controlling interest in Pittsburgh's NL club (which had absorbed and merged ownership with the defunct PL club) when they and manager Al Buckenberger bought out the stock of William Chase Temple.[2] Kerr and Auten sold their majority share of the Pirates to Barney Dreyfuss prior to the 1901 season.[3]
Kerr was known throughout the organization for his short temper. He changed managers frequently during his tenure with the Pirates. It was reported that after the 1896 Pirates season, in which the team posted a 66–63 record, team manager, Connie Mack, left the Pirates due to Kerr's frequent outbursts.
References
- "It Looks Brighter". The Pittsburg Dispatch. 11 November 1890. p. 6.
- "That Mysterious Deal". The Pittsburgh Post. 24 January 1893. p. 6.
- "Barney Dreyfuss Now in Control". The Pittsburg Post. 19 February 1901. p. 6.
- Finoli, David (2003). The Pittsburgh pirates Encyclopedia. Sports Publishing L.L.C. ISBN 1-58261-416-4.