Willie McGill
From BR Bullpen
William Vaness McGill (Kid)
- Bats Unknown, Throws Left
- Weight 170 lb.
- Debut May 8, 1890
- Final Game June 12, 1896
- Born November 10, 1873 in Atlanta, GA USA
- Died August 29, 1944 in Indianapolis, IN USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Willie "Kid" McGill, in spite of being only 16, made his major league debut in the Players League in 1890 and went 11-9 as a pitcher. His strike-outs per nine innings were fourth-best in the league.
The following year, split between two American Association teams, his ERA was 10th best in the league. He won 21 games in the last season that the AA existed.
He spent the rest of his major league career in the National League primarily during a lively ball era, and ended up with a career win-loss record of 72-74. His last season was at age 22.
Bill James once listed McGill as one of the Drinking Men (players noted for drinking) of the 1890's.
Johnny Evers, in Touching Second: The Science of Baseball, wrote that McGill was skillful at the art of "shadowing the ball", wherein a pitcher stepped to the side so that the pitched ball had no background except the pitcher's uniform, making it difficult for the hitter to see the ball.
After his major league days he played for a decade in the minors, several times for St. Paul.
