| Denny McKnight | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Denny McKnight in 1900 | |
| Owner / Executive /Manager | |
| Born:(1848-04-29)April 29, 1848 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Died: May 5, 1900(1900-05-05) (aged 52) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Unknown Threw: Unknown | |
| MLB debut | |
| 1884, for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| 1884, for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Games managed | 12 |
| Win–loss record | 4–8 |
| Winning % | .333 |
| Teams | |
As president
As owner As manager | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Harmar Denny McKnight (April 29, 1848 – May 5, 1900) was an earlybaseball manager and executive. On October 15,1881 he founded the Allegheny Base Ball Club of Pittsburgh in anticipation of playing in the newAmerican Association.[1] The club then became known as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys (now known as thePittsburgh Pirates).
Denny was born inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the son ofRobert McKnight, aRepublicancongressional legislator representingPennsylvania's 22nd congressional district. His brother Woodruff, was an early baseball catcher for the Enterprise Base Ball Club in Pittsburgh.[2] Denny graduated fromLafayette College in 1869. He then became director of an iron manufacturing company in 1876.[3]
McKnight's career in baseball began in 1876, when he and several local organizers formed the Allegheny Base Ball Club. The founding occurred just twenty days after Pittsburgh lost its bid to join the newly-formedNational League. The club was namedPittsburgh Allegheny, aminor league baseball club which is unaffiliated with the modern day Pittsburgh Pirates. The team played their first game at Union Park on April 15, 1876, defeating the Xanthas 7-3, atUnion Park.[4][5]
In 1877, McKnight was named the manager of the Pittsburgh Allegheny as the club became one of the firstminor league baseball clubs as member of theInternational Association for Professional Base Ball Players. He also later served as the International Association's president afterCandy Cummings resigned from the post. The team and the league would however fold in 1878.[3]
On November 2, 1881, McKnight served as Allegheny's representative at theGibson House inCincinnati, Ohio during the founding meeting of theAmerican Association. At the meeting, McKnight was made temporary chairman andJimmy Williams was chosen temporary secretary of the Association.[3] McKnight was the principal owner of thePittsburgh Alleghenys in the American Association and even served as the club's manager at the beginning oftheir 1884 season. In 1884,Edmund C. Converse, of the National Tube Company, succeeded McKnight as president of the club, which remained in the American Association for the next five years.[5]
McKnight served as president of the American Association until he was ousted in1886. His ouster was result of a controversy surroundingSt. Louis Browns playerSam Barkley. In March 1886, Browns ownerChris von der Ahe offered Barkley for $1000 to Allegheny, the first team to pay the money.Billy Barnie, the manager of theBaltimore Orioles, was able to have Barkley sign an undated contract with his team and wired the $1000 asking price to Von der Ahe. However Von der Ahe had already secured a deal with McKnight, who was still the Alleghenys' owner. Barkley was convinced by Von der Ahe to play for the Allegheny club instead of Baltimore. However the Orioles appealed the decision by McKnight, who used his position as the president of American Association to decide where Barkley would play. It was later decided that the American Association would suspend and fine Barkley for signing with Allegheny. However McKnight refused Barkley's punishment and did not tell Barkley he would be suspended for the year. Barkley sued the Association, but they settled out of court with the suspension being lifted although the fine stayed in place. Baltimore was offered and acceptedMilt Scott as payment. For his role in the controversy, McKnight was ousted as American Association president. This then led Allegheny presidentWilliam A. Nimick to move the team from the American Association to theNational League.[6]
McKnight left baseball in 1886. He worked for several years inNew Mexico as a cattle company executive before returning to Pittsburgh and retiring from business. He died inAllegheny City on May 5, 1900, from what was termed "congestion of the brain".[7][8]
| Preceded by First | Pittsburgh Alleghenys Owner 1881–1886 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by First | American Association President 1882–1886 | Succeeded by |