Cap Anson

Full Name: Adrian Constantine Anson	Primary Position: 1B
Height/Weight: 6' 0"/227	First Game: May 6, 1871
Birthdate: April 17, 1852	Final Game: October 3, 1897
Birthplace: Marshalltown, Iowa	MLB Experience: 27 years
Died: April 14, 1922
Deathplace: Chicago, Illinois
Bat/Throw: Right/Right

Biography[]

Adrian Constantine "Cap" Anson (April 11 1852, Marshalltown, Iowa - April 14 1922, Chicago, Illinois) was a professional baseball player in the National Association and Major League Baseball for the Rockford Forest Citys, Philadelphia Athletics, and Chicago White Stockings.

Anson spent a year at the University of Notre Dame before he started playing professionally in 1871 in the National Association. His best years in the NA were 1872 and 1873, when he finished in the top 5 in batting, OBP (leading the league in 1872), and OPS both years. He fell off a little after that, but was still good enough that he was sought by White Stockings Secretary-turned-President William Hulbert as he strove to improve his club for the 1876 season. Hulbert broke league rules by negotiating with Anson and several other stars while the 1875 season was still in progress, ultimately founding the new National League to forestall any disciplinary action. Anson, who had married a Philadelphia native in the meantime, had second thoughts about going west, but Hulbert held Anson to his contract and he eventually warmed to the Windy City.

Template:MLB HoF The White Stockings won the first league title, but fell off the pace the following two seasons. During this time, Anson was a solid hitter, but not quite a superstar. Both his fortunes and those of his team would change after Anson was named captain-manager of the club in 1879. With Anson pacing the way, the White Stockings won five pennants between 1880 and 1886. They were helped to the titles using new managerial tactics, including the rotation of two star pitchers. After the expression first became popular, in the 1890s, he retroactively claimed to used some of the first "hit and run" plays, and, especially aided by clever base runner Mike Kelly in the first half of the 1880s, had his players run the bases in a way that forced the opposition into making errors. In a modern sense of going South right before a season, he shares credit as an innovator of spring training along with then-Chicago President Albert Spalding. An aggressive captain and manager, he regularly helped players play better, and his contributions helped make baseball a higher-quality sport, while at the same time making it more popular with fans. On the field, Anson was the team's best hitter and run producer. In the 1880s, he won two batting titles (1881, 1888) and finished second four times (1880, 1882, 1886-87). During the same period, he led the league in RBIs an incredible seven times (1880–82, 1884-86, 1888). His best season was in 1881, when he led the league in batting (.399), OBP (.442), OPS (.952), hits (137), total bases (175), and RBIs (82). He also became the first player to hit three consecutive home runs, five homers in two games, and four doubles in a game, as well as being the first to perform two unassisted double plays in a game. He is one of only a few players to score six runs in a game, a feat he accomplished on August 24, 1886.

Unfortunately, Anson was well known to be a racist. While baseball would have become segregated without him, his regular refusal to play in exhibition games versus dark-skinned players helped to usher in segregation. Despite this, Anson remained very popular in Chicago while playing for the White Stockings, which were increasingly known as the Colts starting with an influx of new players in the mid-1880s. Anson signed a ten year contract in 1888 to manage the White Stockings (which, because of a typographical error he failed to spot, ended after the 1897 season instead of the 1898 one), but his best years were behind him. He led the league in walks in 1890 and garnered his eighth and final RBI crown in 1891, but declined precipitously thereafter. On the managerial front, he failed to win another pennant. He also mellowed enough that his nicknames became "Uncle" and "Grandpa." When he was fired as manager after the 1897 season, it also marked the end of his 27-year playing career. The following season, the Colts were called the Orphans to reflect Anson's departure.

There is much controversy as to whether he became the first player ever to make 3,000 hits in a major league career; for many years, recognized statistics credited him with precisely that total. Researchers in the 1990s argued that he was incorrectly credited with extra hits in 1887, when bases on balls were counted as hits. Eliminating the 60 walks Anson received that year would drop his hit total to 2,995 according to statistics officially recognized by Major League Baseball. However, if one counts his 423 earlier hits in the NA, the major leagues' predecessor (which Major League Baseball does not), he is well over the mark. He was, by any standard, the first player to make 3,000 hits in his professional career.

Anson briefly made a return to baseball managing the New York Giants in June and July of 1898, but fully retired afterward. He was later named president of a new American Association, but he scuttled the venture at the first sign of trouble, leaving him a laughingstock. He was later elected city clerk of Chicago in 1905, and failed in the Democratic primary to become sheriff in 1907. After going bankrupt, he toured in vaudeville and as late as 1920 had delusions of becoming commissioner of baseball. Anson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, one of the first 19th-century players selected. Over 100 years after his retirement, he still holds several Cubs franchise records, including most career hits and runs. In addition, the White Sox owe their name to the team he made famous, the White Stockings of the 19th century and Anson, in part motivated by his dislike for the current management of the Chicago National League club, played an unorthodox role in helping Charles Comiskey place the White Sox in Chicago for the 1900 season.

Cap Anson died in 1922 and was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago.

Statistics[]

Batting Stats[]

Year	Team		G	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	SLG	2B	3B	BB	SO	HBP	SH	SB	GDP
1871	ROK	n	25	120	29	39	0	16	.325	.336	.467	11	3	2	1	0	0	6	0
1872	ATH	n	46	217	60	90	0	50	.415	.455	.525	10	7	16	3	0	0	6	2
1873	ATH	n	52	254	53	101	0	36	.398	.409	.449	9	2	5	1	0	0	0	0
1874	ATH	n	55	260	51	87	0	37	.335	.345	.388	8	3	4	1	0	0	6	0
1875	ATH	n	69	326	84	106	0	58	.325	.333	.390	15	3	4	2	0	0	0	0
1876	CHI	N	66	309	63	110	2	59	.356	.380	.450	9	7	12	8	0	0	0	0
1877	CHI	N	59	255	52	86	0	32	.337	.360	.420	19	1	9	3	0	0	0	0
1878	CHI	N	60	261	55	89	0	40	.341	.372	.402	12	2	13	1	0	0	0	0
1879	CHI	N	51	227	40	72	0	34	.317	.323	.414	20	1	2	2	0	0	0	0
1880	CHI	N	86	356	54	120	1	74	.337	.362	.419	24	1	14	12	0	0	0	0
1881	CHI	N	84	343	67	137	1	82	.399	.442	.510	21	7	26	4	0	0	0	0
1882	CHI	N	82	348	69	126	1	83	.362	.397	.500	29	8	20	7	0	0	0	0
1883	CHI	N	98	413	70	127	0	68	.308	.336	.419	36	5	18	9	0	0	0	0
1884	CHI	N	112	475	108	159	21	102	.335	.373	.543	30	3	29	13	0	0	0	0
1885	CHI	N	112	464	100	144	7	108	.310	.357	.461	35	7	34	13	0	0	0	0
1886	CHI	N	125	504	117	187	10	147	.371	.433	.544	35	11	55	19	0	0	29	0
1887	CHI	N	122	472	107	164	7	102	.347	.422	.517	33	13	60	18	1	0	27	0
1888	CHI	N	134	515	101	177	12	84	.344	.400	.499	20	12	47	24	1	0	28	0
1889	CHI	N	134	518	100	161	7	117	.311	.414	.440	32	7	86	19	5	0	27	0
1890	CHI	N	139	504	95	157	7	107	.312	.443	.401	14	5	113	23	6	0	29	0
1891	CHI	N	136	540	81	157	8	120	.291	.378	.409	24	8	75	29	1	0	17	0
1892	CHI	N	146	559	62	152	1	74	.272	.354	.354	25	9	67	30	4	0	13	0
1893	CHI	N	103	398	70	125	0	91	.314	.415	.384	24	2	68	12	1	0	13	0
1894	CHI	N	83	340	82	132	5	99	.388	.457	.538	28	4	40	15	3	7	17	0
1895	CHI	N	122	474	87	159	2	91	.335	.408	.422	23	6	55	23	3	13	12	0
1896	CHI	N	108	402	72	133	2	90	.331	.407	.400	18	2	49	10	3	5	24	0
1897	CHI	N	114	424	67	121	3	75	.285	.379	.361	17	3	60	0	4	9	11	0
Total	NL		2276	9101	1719	2995	97	1879	.329	.395	.446	528	124	952	294	32	34	247	0
Total	NA		247	1177	277	423	0	197	.359	.376	.435	53	18	31	8	0	0	18	2
Total			2523	10278	1996	3418	97	2076	.333	.393	.445	581	142	983	302	32	34	265	2

Fielding Stats[]

Year	Team		POS	G	GS	INN	PO	A	ERR	DP	PB	AVG
1871	ROK	n	C	5	0	0	10	0	8	0	0	.556
1871	ROK	n	1B	1	0	0	7	0	0	0	0	1.000
1871	ROK	n	2B	2	0	0	3	4	1	0	0	.875
1871	ROK	n	3B	20	0	0	38	52	28	2	0	.763
1871	ROK	n	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1872	ATH	n	3B	46	46	410.1	89	84	57	5	0	.752
1873	ATH	n	3B	11	0	0	27	16	10	1	0	.811
1873	ATH	n	OF	3	0	0	6	1	1	0	0	.875
1873	ATH	n	C	3	0	0	7	1	1	0	0	.889
1873	ATH	n	1B	36	0	0	396	9	34	19	0	.923
1873	ATH	n	2B	3	0	0	4	5	7	1	0	.563
1874	ATH	n	3B	20	20	168	38	33	21	2	0	.772
1874	ATH	n	SS	6	4	36	5	18	8	0	0	.742
1874	ATH	n	OF	8	0	0	11	1	4	0	0	.750
1874	ATH	n	C	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1874	ATH	n	1B	24	23	178	229	5	16	9	0	.936
1874	ATH	n	RF	8	8	61	11	1	4	0	0	.750
1875	ATH	n	OF	25	0	0	40	13	12	5	0	.815
1875	ATH	n	C	13	0	0	41	14	15	1	0	.786
1875	ATH	n	1B	32	0	0	269	14	24	13	0	.922
1875	ATH	n	3B	5	0	0	2	8	3	1	0	.769
1876	CHI	N	3B	66	0	0	135	147	50	8	0	.849
1876	CHI	N	C	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	1.000
1877	CHI	N	C	31	0	0	103	41	22	5	26	.867
1877	CHI	N	3B	40	0	0	74	77	20	9	0	.883
1878	CHI	N	C	3	0	0	13	5	1	3	11	.947
1878	CHI	N	OF	48	0	0	60	6	14	0	0	.825
1878	CHI	N	3B	3	0	0	0	5	3	0	0	.625
1878	CHI	N	2B	9	0	0	22	26	7	4	0	.873
1879	CHI	N	1B	51	0	0	620	8	16	26	0	.975
1880	CHI	N	1B	81	0	0	866	15	20	28	0	.978
1880	CHI	N	SS	1	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	.750
1880	CHI	N	3B	9	0	0	14	14	4	1	0	.875
1880	CHI	N	2B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1881	CHI	N	SS	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1881	CHI	N	1B	84	0	0	892	43	24	48	0	.975
1881	CHI	N	C	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	1.000
1882	CHI	N	1B	82	0	0	810	27	45	42	0	.949
1882	CHI	N	C	1	0	0	3	0	1	0	0	.750
1883	CHI	N	1B	98	0	0	1031	41	40	59	0	.964
1883	CHI	N	OF	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1.000
1883	CHI	N	P	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1.000
1883	CHI	N	C	1	0	0	2	0	2	0	1	.500
1884	CHI	N	C	3	0	0	4	4	3	0	2	.727
1884	CHI	N	P	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1.000
1884	CHI	N	1B	112	0	0	1211	40	58	86	0	.956
1884	CHI	N	SS	1	0	0	1	3	1	0	0	.800
1885	CHI	N	1B	112	0	0	1253	39	57	62	0	.958
1885	CHI	N	C	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	1.000
1886	CHI	N	C	12	0	0	32	18	5	1	9	.909
1886	CHI	N	1B	125	0	0	1188	66	48	69	0	.963
1887	CHI	N	1B	122	0	0	1232	70	36	75	0	.973
1887	CHI	N	C	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	.500
1888	CHI	N	1B	134	0	0	1314	65	20	85	0	.986
1889	CHI	N	1B	134	0	0	1409	79	27	73	0	.982
1890	CHI	N	C	3	0	0	9	2	0	0	4	1.000
1890	CHI	N	2B	2	0	0	7	5	1	0	0	.923
1890	CHI	N	1B	135	0	0	1345	49	31	61	0	.978
1891	CHI	N	C	2	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	1.000
1891	CHI	N	1B	136	0	0	1407	79	29	86	0	.981
1892	CHI	N	1B	146	0	0	1491	67	44	62	0	.973
1893	CHI	N	1B	101	0	0	997	44	20	59	0	.981
1894	CHI	N	1B	82	0	0	739	47	8	52	0	.990
1894	CHI	N	2B	1	0	0	4	1	0	0	0	1.000
1895	CHI	N	1B	122	0	0	1176	60	19	82	0	.985
1896	CHI	N	1B	98	0	0	880	54	16	67	0	.983
1896	CHI	N	C	10	0	0	21	8	4	0	0	.879
1897	CHI	N	C	11	0	0	36	13	2	2	6	.961
1897	CHI	N	1B	103	0	0	933	62	25	67	0	.975
Total			SS	9	4	36	8	22	10	0	0	.750
Total			3B	220	66	578.1	417	436	196	29	0	.813
Total			P	3	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1.000
Total			1B	2151	23	178	21695	983	657	1230	0	.972
Total			C	105	0	0	290	107	65	12	63	.859
Total			RF	8	8	61	11	1	4	0	0	.750
Total			2B	18	0	0	40	41	16	5	0	.835
Total			OF	86	0	0	118	21	31	5	0	.818

Pitching Stats[]

Year	Team		G	L	ERA	K	R	ER	SV	IP	H	HR	BB
1883	CHI	N	2	0	.00	0	1	0	1	3	1	0	1
1884	CHI	N	1	1	18.00	1	4	2	0	1	3	2	1
Total			3	1	4.50	1	5	2	1	4	4	2	2

Transactions[]

Signed by Chicago White Stockings (1876).

Cap Anson

Contents

Biography[]

Statistics[]

Batting Stats[]

Fielding Stats[]

Pitching Stats[]

Transactions[]

Trivia[]

See also[]

Fan Feed