| Ed Sweeney | |
|---|---|
 Sweeney in 1915 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born:(1888-07-19)July 19, 1888 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Died: July 4, 1947(1947-07-04) (aged 58) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 16, 1908, for the New York Highlanders | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 1, 1919, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .232 |
| Home runs | 3 |
| Runs batted in | 151 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Edward Francis Sweeney (July 19, 1888 – July 4, 1947), often referred to as "Big Ed Sweeney",[1] was an American professionalbaseballcatcher. He played inMajor League Baseball for theNew York Highlanders / Yankees of theAmerican League from 1908 to 1915 and thePittsburgh Pirates of theNational League in 1919.
Sweeney attendedSt. Ignatius College Prep inChicago, Illinois, and played for their baseball team as acatcher.[1][2] He also played baseball as asemi-professional.[1][3] Sweeney made hisprofessional baseball debut with theColumbia Gamecocks of theClass CSouth Atlantic League in 1905. He also played for Columbia during the 1906 season.[4] TheAtlanta Crackers of theClass ASouthern Associationdrafted him from Columbia after the 1906 season.[5] Playing for Atlanta in the 1907 season, Sweeney split time at catcher withSyd Smith.[6]
One day in 1907, while warming uppitcherRuss Ford, a ball hit a concrete pillar, scuffing it. When Ford threw the ball again, it moved wildly. Ford began to experiment with this effect in secret, not telling Sweeney about it.[7]
In 1908, Sweeney made his major league debut for theNew York Highlanders of theAmerican League on May 16. At the age of 19, he was the fourth-youngest player in the American League that season.[8] WhenKid Elberfeld became the Highlander's manager during the season, he increased Sweeney's playing time.[9] Sweeney had a .146batting average in 32games played for the Highlanders in the 1908 season.[10] In 1909, Sweeney batted .267 in 67 games.[11] He led all American League catchers with 20errors committed.[12]
Ford joined the Highlanders in 1910, and told Sweeney about how he had learned to throw theemery ball following the initial discovery in 1907. Ford taught Sweeney how to catch it and requested that the Highlanders have Sweeney serve as his personalbatterymate.[7] That year, Sweeney batted .200 in 78 games played.[13]
Sweeney batted .231 in 83 games during the 1911 season.[14] He missed the beginning of the 1912 season due to a contract dispute with the team.[15] He still caught 110 games that year, and batted .268.[16] Sweeney led all American League catchers with 114caught stealings (114). He also led American League catchers with 34 errors.[17][18] After the 1912 season,Dave Fultz formed aunion for baseball players, called the Players Fraternity, with Sweeney,Ty Cobb,Christy Mathewson, andRed Dooin serving as vice presidents.[19] In 1913, Sweeney batted .265 in 117 games, and also hit his first two major leaguehome runs.[20] Sweeney again led the league in caught stealings that year, with 133, but also allowed the moststolen bases (205) andpassed balls (19).[21]
Before the 1914 season, Sweeney came to terms with theBuffalo Buffeds of the outlawFederal League.[22]Ban Johnson, the president of the American League, intervened in the negotiations. Claimed by both leagues,[23] Sweeney signed with the Yankees for $9,000 ($282,528 in current dollar terms), the largest salary for a catcher to date.[24][25] Ford jumped to the Federal League before the 1914 season, and Sweeney taught the emery ball toRay Keating, aspitball pitcher.[26]
On September 12, 1914, Sweeney caught Keating during a game against thePhiladelphia Athletics.Eddie Collins became suspicious afterstriking out, and askedTom Connolly, thehome plate umpire, to inspect the ball. Connolly saw that the ball was scuffed, and investigated Keating's glove, findingemery paper.[27] Following the discovery, the emery ball was outlawed, punishable with a 30-day suspension and a $100 fine ($3,139 in current dollar terms).[28] Sweeney batted .213 with one home run in 87 games played in 1914.[29]
Sweeney's playing time decreased in 1915;[30] he played 53 games for the Yankees and batted .190.[31] The Yankees demoted him to theRichmond Climbers of the Class AAInternational League in August.[32] The Yankees did not bring Sweeney with them to spring training in 1916,[33] and attempted to buy out the remainder of his contract before the 1916 season.[34] They struggled to find a team that would acquire him,[35] as his salary was tied for the 12th-highest in the league.[36] Sweeney eventually signed with theToledo Iron Men of theClass AAAmerican Association.[37] The Yankees sold Sweeney and Keating outright to Toledo before the 1917 season.[30] With Toledo, Sweeney was reunited with Ford.[25]
Following theUnited States' entry into World War I, Sweeney enlisted in theUnited States Army after the 1917 season.[38][39] Commissioned as asergeant, he managed U.S. Army baseball teams in 1918,[40] before serving on the front lines in France with the 161st Artillery Brigade. Sweeney returned to the United States in January 1919.[41] The Yankees traded Sweeney to thePittsburgh Pirates of theNational League forGus Getz andHooks Warner before the 1919 season.[42] He had fourhits in 42at bats (.095 batting average) for the Pirates,[43] before he was released in July.[44]
Sweeney signed with theSeattle Rainiers of the Class AAPacific Coast League for the remainder of the 1919 season.[45] TheKansas City Blues of the American Association purchased Sweeney from Seattle before the 1920 season.[46] He was released to theSan Antonio Bears of theClass ATexas League after the season.[47] Sweeney returned to Chicago and played semi-professional baseball in 1921,[48] and he signed with theRacine, Wisconsin, franchise of theMidwest League, anindependent baseball league, in 1923.[49]
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Sweeney was born inChicago, Illinois, on July 19, 1888. His father was a battalion chief in theChicago Fire Department[1] and a contractor who built a garage for his sons, Ed and Gene, that they turned into a taxi business. Sweeney stood at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and weighed approximately 200 pounds (91 kg), giving him the nickname "Big Ed Sweeney".[50]
Sweeney died in Chicago on July 4, 1947. He was buried atMount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.[51]
· Baseball Almanac