Larry Corcoran

Larry Corcoran
Larry Corcoran
	Pitcher
	Born: August 10, 1859; Brooklyn, New York
	Died: October 14, 1891 (aged 32); Newark, New Jersey
	Batted: Left Threw: Switch
MLB debut
	May 1, 1880, for the Chicago White Stockings
Last MLB appearance
	May 20, 1887, for the Indianapolis Hoosiers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	177–89
Earned run average	2.36
Strikeout	1,103
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	Chicago White Stockings (1880–1885); New York Giants (1885–1886); Washington Senators (1886); Indianapolis Hoosiers (1887);
Career highlights and awards
	NL wins leader (1881); NL ERA leader (1882); NL strikeout leader (1880); Pitched three no-hitters (1880, 1882, 1884);

Lawrence J. Corcoran (August 10, 1859 – October 14, 1891) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was born in Brooklyn, New York.^[1]

Corcoran debuted in the 1880 season, where he won 43 games and led the Chicago team to the National League championship. Cap Anson alternated him with pitcher Fred Goldsmith, giving Chicago the first true pitching "rotation" in professional baseball.

In 1882, Corcoran became the first pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a career. Two seasons later, he became the first pitcher to throw three no-hitters, setting a record that would stand until 1965, when Sandy Koufax threw his fourth no-hitter. He is also famous for being one of baseball's very few switch-pitchers, and is one of only two players in MLB history whose batting-throwing combination was "bats left, throws both," the other being Pat Venditte. A natural righty, Corcoran pitched four innings alternating throwing arms on June 16, 1884, due to the inflammation of his right index finger.^[2] He is credited with creating the first method of signaling pitches to his catcher,^[2] which consisted of moving a wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth to indicate what pitch would be thrown.^[2]

White Stockings catcher Silver Flint, who caught bare-handed, credited Corcoran with being the toughest pitcher to catch and being responsible for several of his misshapen fingers.^[3]

Corcoran's arm was dead by 1885, and by 1887 he was out of the league.

Corcoran, afflicted with Bright's disease, died in Newark, New Jersey at the age of 32.^[1] He was interred in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in East Orange.^[1]

His brother, Mike, pitched in one major league game in 1884.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Larry Corcoran Stats". Baseball-Almanac.com. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
^ ^a ^b ^c Carroll, Bob. "Larry Corcoran". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
^ Morris, Peter (April 16, 2009). Catcher: How the Man Behind the Plate Became an American Folk Hero. Government Institutes. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-61578-003-7. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
^ "Mike Corcoran". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 15, 2006.

External links

Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
TheDeadballEra.com – obituary
Larry Corcoran at Find a Grave

Preceded by John Montgomery Ward Guy Hecker Frank Mountain	No-hitter pitcher August 19, 1880 September 20, 1882 June 27, 1884	Succeeded by Pud Galvin Charles Radbourn Pud Galvin

[baseball-almanac-1] "Larry Corcoran Stats". Baseball-Almanac.com. Retrieved November 15, 2006.

[baseballlibrary-2] Carroll, Bob. "Larry Corcoran". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved November 15, 2006.

[3] Morris, Peter (April 16, 2009). Catcher: How the Man Behind the Plate Became an American Folk Hero. Government Institutes. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-61578-003-7. Retrieved October 14, 2021.

[4] "Mike Corcoran". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 15, 2006.

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See also

References

External links