Bill Watkins
| Bill Watkins | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Third baseman / Manager | |
| Born: May 5, 1858 Brantford, Ontario |
|
| Died: June 9, 1937 (aged 79) Port Huron, Michigan |
|
| Batted: Right | Threw: Unknown |
| MLB debut | |
| August 1, 1884 for the Indianapolis Hoosiers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 13, 1884 for the Indianapolis Hoosiers | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .205 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs scored | 16 |
| Managerial record | 452-444 |
| Teams | |
|
As player
As manager
|
|
William Henry "Wattie" Watkins (May 5, 1858 – June 9, 1937) was a Canadian baseball player and manager. In 1887, he led the Detroit Wolverines to the first professional sports championship for Detroit, Michigan. The Wolverines won the 1887 National League championship and went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns in a 15-game World Series.
Watkins was born in Brantford, Ontario in 1858. In 1881, at age 23, he was the manager of the St. Thomas Athletics from St. Thomas, Ontario. He led the Athletics to the Ontario provincial baseball championship in 1881. In 1882, he took over as the manager of the Port Huron, Michigan team in the Michigan State League and led the team to championships in both 1882 and 1883. In 1884, Watkins managed the Bay City, Michigan team. In 1884 and 1885, he was a player-manager for the Indianapolis Hoosiers. Watkins was a third baseman in his days as a player. While playing for Indianapolis, Watkins was hit on the head by a pitch from Gus Shalix on August 26, 1884, at Cincinnati, Ohio. Newspaper accounts indicate that he "hovered between life and death" for five days and his hair turned prematurely white at age 29 due to the injury.[1]
When the Western Association folded before the end of the 1885 season, Watkins was hired by the Detroit Wolverines. Watkins built the Detroit team from a sixth place finish in 1885 to second place in 1886 and to the National League pennant in 1887. Watkins later served as the manager for the Kansas City Cowboys, St. Louis Browns and Pittsburgh Pirates between 1889 and 1899.
After retiring from baseball, Watkins was a justice of the peace in Marysville, Michigan. He died at age 79 in Port Huron, Michigan.[2][3]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Edgar Brands (July 8, 1937). "Beanball Turned Watkins' Hair White". The Sporting News. p. 4.
- ^ "Former area resident 'very worthy of honor'". Times Herald, Port Huron, Mich. October 24, 2008.
- ^ "Necrology: William H. (Wattie) Watkins". The Sporting New. June 17, 1937. p. 2.
External links [edit]
- Baseball-Reference.com - career managing record and playing statistics
| Preceded by Bob Caruthers |
St. Louis Browns Manager 1893 |
Succeeded by Doggie Miller |
| Preceded by Patsy Donovan |
Pittsburgh Pirates Managers 1898–1899 |
Succeeded by Patsy Donovan |
|
||||||||
|
|||||
- 1858 births
- 1937 deaths
- Baseball managers
- Major League Baseball player–managers
- Major League Baseball third basemen
- Detroit Wolverines managers
- St. Louis Browns (NL) managers
- Pittsburgh Pirates managers
- Major League Baseball players from Canada
- Indianapolis Hoosiers (AA) players
- People from Brantford
- 19th-century baseball players
- Baseball people from Ontario
- Kansas City Cowboys (AA) managers
- Minor league baseball managers
- Port Huron (minor league baseball) players
- Bay City (minor league baseball) players
- St. Paul Apostles players
- Rochester Flour Cities players
