Mike Walsh (umpire) facts for kids

Michael John Walsh (born April 29, 1850 – died February 2, 1929) was an important person in early Major League Baseball. He was an umpire and a manager. He was born in Ireland and moved to America.

Walsh umpired 304 games. He worked from 1875 to 1888. He was part of three different leagues. These were the National Association, the National League, and the American Association.

Mike Walsh's Umpiring Career

In Mike Walsh's time, only one umpire worked each baseball game. He started umpiring in September 1875. He was one of the first umpires in the National League. This was in 1876. He also umpired in the American Association. This league started in 1882.

Calling No-Hitters

A big highlight of his career was umpiring three no-hitter games. A no-hitter is when a pitcher plays a whole game. No batter on the other team gets a hit.

The first no-hitter he called was on September 11, 1882. Tony Mullane pitched this game. Just eight days later, on September 19, Guy Hecker pitched another one. These were the first two no-hitters in the American Association.

The third no-hitter happened on July 24, 1886. Adonis Terry pitched this game. It was the first of two no-hitters for Terry.

A Close Call in a No-Hitter

Tony Mullane's no-hitter almost didn't happen. It was the ninth inning. With two outs, a player hit a fly ball. The fielder dropped it. The player then complained to Walsh. He said Mullane was pitching unfairly. Walsh decided the pitching was fine. Mullane then got the last out. This finished the no-hitter.

There was another interesting moment in that game. A player named Pete Browning was hurt. He had a pulled leg muscle. The rules allowed a substitute runner. But Browning forgot and ran to first base himself. Walsh ruled him out. This play affected Browning's career batting average.

Tough Times for Umpires

Umpiring in the late 1800s was sometimes difficult. On July 13, 1882, Walsh made a call. Angry fans surrounded him. He had to hide in the team's clubhouse for 15 minutes. Later, on September 14, young fans attacked him. Luckily, he was not seriously hurt.

Mike Walsh's Managerial Career

Mike Walsh also managed a baseball team. He managed the Louisville Eclipse for one season. This was in 1884. His team had a good record of 68 wins and 40 losses. They finished third in the American Association standings.

There has been some discussion about whether Walsh was truly the manager for the whole 1884 season. Some historians believe another person, Joe Gerhardt, managed the team for part of that year. However, most records now show Walsh as the manager for the entire 1884 season.

Life After Baseball

Mike Walsh passed away in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 78 years old. He is buried in St. Louis Cemetery in Louisville.