Denny McKnight
Denny McKnight | |
---|---|
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , U.S. | |
Died: May 5, 1900 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 52)|
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 early
American Association.[1] The club then became known as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys (now known as the Pittsburgh Pirates
).
Biography
Personal life
Denny was born in
congressional legislator representing Pennsylvania's 22nd congressional district. His brother Woodruff, was an early baseball catcher for the Enterprise Base Ball Club in Pittsburgh.[2] Denny graduated from Lafayette College in 1869. He then became director of an iron manufacturing company in 1876.[3]
Pittsburgh Allegheny and the International Association
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-formed
minor 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, at Union Park.[4][5]
In 1877, McKnight was named the manager of the Pittsburgh Allegheny as the club became one of the first
minor league baseball clubs as member of the International Association for Professional Base Ball Players. He also later served as the International Association's president after Candy Cummings resigned from the post. The team and the league would however fold in 1878.[3]
Founding of the American Association
On November 2, 1881, McKnight served as Allegheny's representative at the
Pittsburgh Alleghenys in the American Association and even served as the club's manager at the beginning of their 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]
Move to the National League
McKnight served as president of the American Association until he was ousted in
Baltimore 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 accepted Milt Scott as payment. For his role in the controversy, McKnight was ousted as American Association president. This then led Allegheny president William A. Nimick to move the team from the American Association to the National League.[6]
After baseball
McKnight left baseball in 1886. He worked for several years in
References
Notes
- ISBN 0-02-523971-6.
- ^ Britcher, Craig (18 September 2015). "A 'Great Base Ball Tournament'". Making History: The Heinz History Center Blog.
- ^ SABR. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ISBN 9780313083068.
- ^ a b Benswanger, William E. "Professional Baseball in Pittsburgh" (PDF). The Pirates Reader. University of Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
- ISBN 9780198020004. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
- ^ "Harmar Denny McKnight". Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette. May 7, 1900. p. 4.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-9977-9.