(Boston, July 2, 1999) 96 years ago today, outfielder Big Ed Delahanty, had a real bad day. One of the biggest stars of the 90s and the eldest of five brothers who all made the majors, Big Ed (perhaps not so big by today's standard) thrice hit over .400 and owned a .346 lifetime average, good for 4th all-time. He led the league in batting twice and slugging 5 times. He had 521 career doubles, leading the league 5 times.
In 1903, following a league-leading .376 season, he was suspended by Washington in Detroit and boarded a train to New York. He was subsequently bounced from the train, drunk and disorderly... Now on foot, Big Ed ignored the bridge tender's warning and walked off an open drawbridge into the waters of the Niagara River and over Niagara Falls. His body was recovered a week later. Slowly I turn...
At the time this was considered too traumatic a tale for the kids and something of a coverup was deemed necessary. His death was shrouded in mystery, talk of foul play, etc., despite clear evidence of the truth: BIG ED had a REAL BAD DAY.
| YR | TM | L | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | Phi | N | 74 | 290 | 40 | 66 | 1 | 31 | .228 | .261 | .293 | |||||||||||||
| 1889 | Phi | N | 56 | 246 | 37 | 72 | 0 | 27 | .293 | .333 | .370 | |||||||||||||
| 1890 | Cle | P | 115 | 517 | 107 | 153 | 3 | 64 | .296 | .337 | .414 | |||||||||||||
| 1891 | Phi | N | 128 | 543 | 92 | 132 | 5 | 86 | .243 | .296 | .339 | |||||||||||||
| 1892 | Phi | N | 123 | 477 | 79 | 146 | 6 | 91 | .306 | .360 | .495 | |||||||||||||
| 1893 | Phi | N | 132 | 595 | 145 | 219 | 19 | 146 | .368 | .423 | .583 | |||||||||||||
| 1894 | Phi | N | 114 | 489 | 147 | 199 | 4 | 131 | .407 | .478 | .585 | |||||||||||||
| 1895 | Phi | N | 116 | 480 | 149 | 194 | 11 | 106 | .404 | .500 | .617 | |||||||||||||
| 1896 | Phi | N | 123 | 499 | 131 | 198 | 13 | 126 | .397 | .472 | .631 | |||||||||||||
| 1897 | Phi | N | 129 | 530 | 109 | 200 | 5 | 96 | .377 | .444 | .538 | |||||||||||||
| 1898 | Phi | N | 144 | 548 | 115 | 183 | 4 | 92 | .334 | .426 | .454 | |||||||||||||
| 1899 | Phi | N | 146 | 581 | 135 | 238 | 9 | 137 | .410 | .464 | .582 | |||||||||||||
| 1900 | Phi | N | 131 | 539 | 82 | 174 | 2 | 109 | .323 | .378 | .430 | |||||||||||||
| 1901 | Phi | N | 139 | 542 | 106 | 192 | 8 | 108 | .354 | .427 | .528 | |||||||||||||
| 1902 | Was | A | 123 | 473 | 103 | 178 | 10 | 93 | .376 | .453 | .590 | |||||||||||||
| 1903 | Was | A | 42 | 156 | 22 | 52 | 1 | 21 | .333 | .388 | .436 | |||||||||||||
| (16 seasons) | 1835 | 7505 | 1599 | 2596 | 101 | 1464 | .346 | .411 | .505| | | ||||||||||||||
