Thomas McCreery was one of the first
Beaver County natives to play major league baseball – and he did it
nearly 100 years ago. Tom was born in 1874 and played professionally
from 1895 to 1903. From 1895 to 1897, he was with Louisville before
going to New York. In 1898, he was traded to Pittsburgh, where he
stayed through 1900. From 1901 to 1903, Tom played for the Brooklyn
Dodgers before being traded to Boston, where he finished his career. In nine years, he maintained a career batting average of
.290 with 26 home runs and 387 RBIs and also showed good
speed on the bases with 116 career stolen bases. The 5’-11” 180 pound Tom had his best
single season average in 1896 with Louisville, batting .351
with 155 hits in 441 at bats. In 1899, while in Pittsburgh, he
stroked a .323 average. Although primarily an outfielder, Tom
showed his versatility by playing all four infield positions plus
pitching ten games, compiling a 3-2 record. He played with and
against some of the all time greats of the game at the turn of the
century, such as Honus Wagner and Wee Willie Keeler at a time
when Major League Baseball was just starting to catch hold as the
national pastime. Tom died on
July 3, 1941.
Thomas McCreery was one of the first
Beaver County natives to play major league baseball – and he did it
nearly 100 years ago. Tom was born in 1874 and played professionally
from 1895 to 1903. From 1895 to 1897, he was with Louisville before
going to New York. In 1898, he was traded to Pittsburgh, where he
stayed through 1900. From 1901 to 1903, Tom played for the Brooklyn
Dodgers before being traded to Boston, where he finished his career. In nine years, he maintained a career batting average of
.290 with 26 home runs and 387 RBIs and also showed good
speed on the bases with 116 career stolen bases. The 5’-11” 180 pound Tom had his best
single season average in 1896 with Louisville, batting .351
with 155 hits in 441 at bats. In 1899, while in Pittsburgh, he
stroked a .323 average. Although primarily an outfielder, Tom
showed his versatility by playing all four infield positions plus
pitching ten games, compiling a 3-2 record. He played with and
against some of the all time greats of the game at the turn of the
century, such as Honus Wagner and Wee Willie Keeler at a time
when Major League Baseball was just starting to catch hold as the
national pastime. Tom died on
July 3, 1941.