Piggy Ward
From BR Bullpen
Frank Gray Ward
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Weight 196 lb.
- Debut June 12, 1883
- Final Game September 30, 1894
- Born April 16, 1867 in Chambersburg, PA USA
- Died October 24, 1912 in Altoona, PA USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Frank "Piggy" Ward reached the majors as a 16 year old, playing one game with the 1883 Philadelphia Quakers. It would be another six years before he returned to the big leagues.
Ward holds the record for most consecutive times reaching base, accomplished in 1893. Remarkably, he was traded in the middle of the streak, as it began on June 16 with Ward a member of the Baltimore Orioles, and continued on June 18-19 as he played for the Cincinnati Reds. In his first game with the Reds, he reached base a record 8 times in a 9-inning game, thanks to 2 hits, 5 walks and 1 hit-by-pitch. These are Ward's two major accomplishments in an otherwise undistinguished career.
The three-game streak was only uncovered recently; until then, Ted Williams, with 16 consecutive times on base in 1957, was considered the record holder.
Ward was seriously injured in a fall in 1909 and died three years later at age 45.
[edit] Records Held
- Times reaching base, nine inning game, 8 (6/18/1893)
- Times reaching base, consecutive, 17 (6/16/1893 to 6/19/1893)
[edit] Further Reading
- Trent McCotter: "Consecutive Times Reaching Base: Ted Williams Dethroned by an Unlikely Record Holder", in The Baseball Research Journal, Society for American Baseball Research, Cleveland, OH, #35 (2007), pp. 43-45.
