Deacon White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deacon White |
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White in 1888
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| Third baseman / Catcher | |||
| Born: December 2, 1847 Caton, New York, U.S. |
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| Died: July 7, 1939 (aged 91) St. Charles Township, Illinois, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 4, 1871, for the Cleveland Forest Citys | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1890, for the Buffalo Bisons | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .312 | ||
| Hits | 2,067 | ||
| Runs batted in | 988 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2013 | ||
| Vote | 87.5% | ||
| Election Method | Pre-Integration Era Committee | ||
James Laurie "Deacon" White (born December 2, 1847 – died July 7, 1939) was an American baseball player. He was one of the biggest stars during the first 20 years of professional baseball. He was known as an amazing catcher in the 1870s, a time when players caught the ball with their bare hands!
Deacon White played on five championship teams in a row from 1873 to 1877. He was part of the first professional baseball league, the National Association (NA). Later, he joined the National League (NL), which became the first official major league in 1876. Even though he was 28 when the NL started, White played for 15 seasons in the major leagues. His whole career at the top levels of baseball lasted 23 years.
In 1871, White was the very first batter in the National Association. He was a great hitter, with a .347 batting average in the NA. When the NL began, he led the league in runs batted in (RBI) for its first two seasons. In 1877, he also led the league in batting average (.387), slugging average, hits, triples, and total bases while playing first base.
Later in his career, when catching became too hard on his body, he became a strong third baseman. He helped the Detroit Wolverines win a championship in 1887, hitting .303 even at age 39. By the end of his 20-year career, White had a .312 batting average. He also had more RBIs (988) than almost any other player of his time. He was one of baseball's all-time leaders in games played, hits, and total bases when he retired. In 2013, Deacon White was chosen for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Deacon White was born in Caton, New York. He learned how to play baseball from a soldier who came home after the American Civil War in 1865. His professional baseball journey began in 1868 with the Cleveland Forest Citys team. Back then, not all players on a team were professionals.
On May 4, 1871, White made history. He got the first hit in the National Association, which was baseball's first fully professional league. It was a double in the very first game! He also made the first catch in that game.
Playing Career Highlights
Deacon White played with many famous baseball players from the 1800s. He was on the great Boston Red Stockings teams in the early 1870s. He also played with stars like Cap Anson and Al Spalding in Chicago, King Kelly in Cincinnati, and Dan Brouthers in Buffalo.
White led his league in batting average twice and in RBIs three times. He was the best barehanded catcher of his time. He was also one of the best third basemen later in his career. On May 16, 1884, White set a major league record with 11 assists at third base in a nine-inning game. This record still stands today!
In the rough-and-tumble world of 19th-century baseball, Deacon White stood out. He was known for being a non-smoker, carrying a Bible, and going to church regularly. That's how he got the nickname "Deacon."
In 1889, White and his teammate Jack Rowe were sold to another team. But they refused to play unless they got more money. This led to a big argument. White said, "No man is going to sell my carcass unless I get half." This kind of problem helped lead to the creation of the Players' League in 1890, which gave players more rights.
Deacon White had some interesting beliefs. He thought the Earth was flat! He tried to convince his teammates that they were living on a flat surface, not a globe. They often made fun of him for it.
White's playing career ended after the 1890 season. Over 20 years, he had a .312 batting average and 988 RBIs. He was one of the top players in baseball history for games played, hits, and total bases.
Later Life and Hall of Fame
After his baseball career, Deacon White lived a quiet life. He married Marium Van Arsdale in 1871, and they had one daughter, Grace. They lived on a farm in New York and later moved to Buffalo. After 1900, he ran a successful business that rented out horses and carriages.
The White family became involved with Aurora College in Illinois. Deacon and Marium even worked there for a few years. After Marium passed away, Deacon remarried a woman named Alice.
Deacon White died at age 91 on July 7, 1939. He was supposed to be the main guest at Aurora College's celebration of baseball's 100th birthday the next day. Instead, the event became a tribute to him. White was very sad that he had not been invited to the opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame that summer. He had been overlooked in the early voting.
However, in 2008, White was considered for the Hall of Fame again. In 2010, a group of baseball historians named him the "Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend." Finally, on December 3, 2012, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced that Deacon White had been elected! He was inducted on July 28, 2013. His great-grandson, Jerry Watkins, gave the acceptance speech for him. Deacon White is the "oldest" person ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, meaning the most time passed between his birth and his induction.
Images for kids
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White (bottom right) on the 1869 Forest City Club of Cleveland.
