Ben Conroy
From BR Bullpen
Bernard Patrick Conroy
- Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
- Weight 160 lb.
- Debut April 21, 1890
- Final Game October 4, 1890
- Born March 14, 1871 in Philadelphia, PA USA
- Died November 25, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Nineteen-year-old Ben Conroy led his team in games played in 1890, the only season he played in the majors. He was the most-used shortstop on the 1890 Philadelphia Athletics, and also appeared in 42 games at second base (Taylor Shafer appeared in 69).
He was not the youngest player on the team, as two younger ones appeared briefly, but he was the youngest who appeared in ten games or more.
According to The Baseball Rookies Encyclopedia, he has the lowest batting average of any rookie who had at least 400 at-bats, followed by Eddie Zimmerman and John Gochnauer.
Conroy got his chance because the chosen shortstop, Dennis Fitzgerald, broke an ankle very early in the 1890 season.
The Athletics went bankrupt in early September, and all the players were released, with some getting re-signed and others agreeing to play for a percentage of gate receipts. The revised team lost all of its 21 games (the original team had gone 51-50 through August), and was voted out of the American Association after the season ended.
Main source: 1890 Athletics
