Jack O'Neill (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack O'Neill |
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: 10 January 1873 Maum, County Galway, Ireland |
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| Died: 29 June 1935 (aged 64) Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 21, 1902, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1906, for the Boston Beaneaters | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .196 | ||
| Home runs | 1 | ||
| Runs batted in | 74 | ||
| Teams | |||
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John Joseph O'Neill (born January 10, 1873 – died June 29, 1935) was a baseball player from Ireland. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Jack, as he was known, played for three different teams. These were the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Beaneaters. He was a right-handed batter and thrower.
Jack was born in a small place called Tawnaleen. This area is near Maum in County Galway, Ireland. His parents were Michael O'Neill and Mary Joyce. Michael was a farmer in Maum.
Jack's Baseball Family
Jack O'Neill was part of a special baseball family. He had three brothers who also played in Major League Baseball. His brother Steve was also a catcher and later a manager.
Another brother, Jim, played as a shortstop. Their brother Mike was born in Ireland too. Mike was a pitcher. He and Jack even played together for the St. Louis Cardinals. They formed a "battery," which means a pitcher and catcher working together.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Jack played in the MLB for five years. He shared the catching duties for his teams. These teams included the Cardinals, Cubs, and Beaneaters. Jack was known for being a smart and fast runner. Because of his speed, he was often used as a pinch-runner. A pinch-runner is a player who runs the bases for another player.
His best season was in 1903. That year, he had his highest batting average of .236. He also scored 23 runs and got 58 hits. Jack hit nine doubles and had 21 runs batted in (RBI). He also stole 11 stolen bases and played in 75 games played that season.
Career Stats and Later Life
In his entire MLB career, Jack O'Neill played in 303 games. His batting average was .196. He had 20 stolen bases and 74 RBIs. He also got 185 hits, including 24 doubles, five triples, and one home run. He had 945 at-bats in total.
Jack O'Neill passed away in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was 62 years old when he died.
See also
- List of players from Ireland in Major League Baseball
