View source for Hugh Duffy

{{Short description|American baseball player and manager (1866–1954)}}
{{For|the rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, and 1960s|Hugh Duffy (rugby)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Hugh Duffy
|image=Hugh Duffy portrait.jpg
|position=[[Outfielder]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|birth_date={{Birth date|1866|11|26}}
|birth_place=[[Cranston, Rhode Island]], U.S.
|death_date={{Death date and age|1954|10|19|1866|11|26}}
|death_place=[[Boston]], Massachusetts, U.S.
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|debutleague=MLB
|debutdate=June 23
|debutyear=1888
|debutteam=Chicago White Stockings
|finalleague=MLB
|finaldate=April 13
|finalyear=1906
|finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies
|statleague=MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.326
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=2,293
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=106
|stat4label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=1,302
|stat5label=[[Stolen base]]s
|stat5value=574
|stat6label=Managerial record
|stat6value=535–671
|stat7label=Winning %
|stat7value={{Winning percentage|535|671}}
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Chicago White Stockings (1870–89)|Chicago White Stockings]] ({{mlby|1888}}–{{mlby|1889}})
* [[Chicago Pirates]] ({{mlby|1890}})
* [[Boston Reds (1890–91)|Boston Reds]] ({{mlby|1891}})
* [[Boston Beaneaters]] ({{mlby|1892}}–{{mlby|1900}})
* [[Milwaukee Brewers (1901)|Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1901}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1904}}–{{mlby|1906}})
'''As manager'''
* [[Milwaukee Brewers (1901)|Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1901}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1904}}–{{mlby|1906}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1910}}–{{mlby|1911}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|1921}}–{{mlby|1922}})
 | highlights=
* [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] (1894)
* [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions|NL batting champion]] (1894)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders|NL home run leader]] (1894, 1897)
* MLB record .440 batting average, single season 
* [[Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame|Braves Hall of Fame]]
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[1945 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1945]]
|hofmethod=Old-Timers Committee
}}

'''Hugh Duffy''' (November 26, 1866 – October 19, 1954) was an American [[outfielder]] and [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. He was a player or player-manager for the [[Chicago White Stockings (1870–89)|Chicago White Stockings]], [[Chicago Pirates]], [[Boston Reds (1890–91)|Boston Reds]], [[Boston Beaneaters]], [[Milwaukee Brewers (1901)|Milwaukee Brewers]] and [[Philadelphia Phillies]] between 1888 and 1906. He had his best years with the Beaneaters, including the 1894 season, when he set the National League single-season record for [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (.440), a record that has stood for over a century.

He also managed the [[Chicago White Sox]] and [[Boston Red Sox]] and spent several seasons coaching in collegiate baseball and in the minor leagues. Later in life, he spent many years as a scout for the Red Sox. In [[1945 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1945]], Duffy was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]]. He worked for Boston until 1953. He died of heart problems the next year.

==Early life==
[[File:Hugh_Duffy_Baseball.jpg|thumb|200px|Duffy in 1921]]
Duffy was born in [[Cranston, Rhode Island]] to Irish immigrant Michael Duffy and wife Margaret Duffy.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hubbard |first=Donald |date=2008 |title=The Heavenly Twins of Boston Baseball: A Dual Biography of Hugh Duffy and Tommy McCarthy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gyr-wiqCsJAC&q=%22Hugh+Duffy%22+father+mother |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786434558}}</ref> A right-handed batter and thrower, Duffy was listed as {{convert|5|ft|7|in}} tall and {{convert|168|lb}}. He was a textile mill worker who had taken up baseball as a semipro for weekend diversion.<ref>Bill Ferber (2007) ''A Game of Baseball: The Orioles, The Beaneaters and The Battle For The 1897 Pennant'', University of Nebraska Press, {{ISBN|978-0-8032-1136-0}}, pg. 36</ref> He played a couple years of minor league ball in the [[New England League]] before jumping to the majors, starting up in the league's initial season of 1886, and playing on clubs in Hartford, Springfield and Salem, as well as the Lowell, Massachusetts team in 1887.<ref>George V. Tuohey (1897) ''A History of the Boston Base Ball Club'', M.F. Quinn & Co, [https://books.google.com/books?id=lNSlQHMV5c0C&pg=PA131&sig=Ks2oDwEsopQyu3SoA07JAQ6Pl3M&dq=hugh+duffy+%221891%22+%22Oliver+Tebeau+tells+this+interesting+story+about+Hugh+Duffy:++The+most+remarkable+play+I+ever+witnessed+was+a+steal+from+second+base+home+on+a+sacrifice+fly+to+the+outfield+by+Hugh+Duffy+in+a+game+against+St.+Louis+in+1891.+%22#PPA130,M1  Excerpt, pg. 130]</ref>

==Playing career==
Duffy entered the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] with [[Cap Anson]]'s [[Chicago White Stockings (1870–89)|Chicago White Stockings]] in {{Baseball year|1888}} after receiving an offer of $2,000 from the club. Anson initially was unimpressed with the {{height|ft=5|in=7}}, 150 pound Duffy, telling him, "We already have a batboy."<ref>Bill Ferber (2007) ''A Game of Baseball: The Orioles, The Beaneaters and The Battle For The 1897 Pennant'', University of Nebraska Press, {{ISBN|978-0-8032-1136-0}}, pg. 37</ref> He shortly thereafter earned the reputation of an outstanding outfielder and powerful hitter. Duffy ended up replacing [[Billy Sunday]] as the team's regular right fielder. He switched leagues, joining the [[American Association (19th century)|American Association's]] [[Boston Reds (1890–91)|Boston Reds]] in {{Baseball year|1891}}; he then returned to the NL with the [[Boston Beaneaters]] in {{Baseball year|1892}}, where he enjoyed his best seasons.

From 1891 through {{Baseball year|1900}}, Duffy knocked in 100 runs or more eight times. In {{Baseball year|1894}} Duffy had one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, leading the league with 18 [[home run]]s, with 145 [[runs batted in|RBI]] and a .440 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (see [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown]]). Duffy's .440 average is the MLB single-season batting average record.<ref>''Baseball's Top 100: The Game's Greatest Records'', p.26, Kerry Banks, 2010, Greystone Books, Vancouver, BC, {{ISBN|978-1-55365-507-7}}</ref> At one point during the season, Duffy had a 26-game hitting streak. During his time with Boston, Duffy and [[Tommy McCarthy (baseball)|Tommy McCarthy]] forged a reputation as the celebrated “Heavenly Twins” outfield of the early 1890s. Both Heavenly Twins were named to the Hall of Fame.<ref name=TMJ/>

He was player-manager for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901. During the 1902 and 1903 seasons, Duffy was player-manager for the [[Western League (1900–1958)|Western League]]'s [[Milwaukee Creams]] franchise.<ref>Louis P. Masur (2003) ''Autumn Glory: Baseball's First World Series'', Hill and Wang, {{ISBN|0-8090-2763-1}}, pg. 98</ref>

Duffy was a player-manager for the Phillies from 1904 to 1906. He finished his career in {{Baseball year|1906}} with 106 home runs which was, at the time, one of the highest career totals.

==Post-playing career==
[[File:Hugh Duffy HOF plaque.jpg|thumb|upright|110px|Duffy's plaque at the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]]]]
Duffy spent three years (1907–1909) as manager of the [[Providence_Grays_(minor_league)|Providence Grays]]. He made $2,000 in his last season as the Providence manager and ''The Evening News'' in Providence wrote that Duffy was paid hundreds of dollars less than any other manager in the [[Eastern League (baseball, 1884–1912)|Eastern League]]. During Duffy's three seasons, Providence finished in third place, second place and third place, respectively.<ref name=Providence>{{cite news|title=Hugh Duffy has signed to manage "White Sox"|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1982&dat=19091020&id=SABhAAAAIBAJ&pg=1016,3820217|access-date=November 23, 2014|work=[[The Evening News (Providence, Rhode Island)]]|date=October 20, 1909}}</ref>

Duffy agreed to manage the [[Chicago White Sox]] in 1910.<ref name=Providence/> He stayed with the team in 1911. He moved to the [[Milwaukee Brewers (American Association)|Milwaukee Brewers]] of the American Association in 1912, but he was fired after a season in which the team struggled.<ref name=Felsch>{{cite news|title=Timely homer took heat off Felsch sale|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19490206&id=aVQaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6375,2658330|access-date=November 23, 2014|work=[[Milwaukee Journal]]|date=February 6, 1949}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He turned down an offer to manage the 1913 [[St. Paul Saints (1901–60)|St. Paul Saints]], saying that he was hoping to work in the east.<ref name=Vaughan>{{cite news|last1=Vaughan|first1=Manning|title=Hugh Duffy turns down St. Paul job|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19121113&id=w0FQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6999,6524831|access-date=November 23, 2014|work=[[Milwaukee Sentinel]]|date=November 13, 1912}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He wound up in [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], [[Maine]], where he founded and managed a minor league club that became known as the [[Portland Duffs]] in his honor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |title=Hugh Duffy – Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/hugh-duffy/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |language=en-US}}</ref> He coached the [[Harvard University|Harvard]] [[Harvard Crimson baseball|varsity and freshman baseball squads]] from 1917 through 1919.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/298390512.html?dids=298390512:298390512&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Feb+14%2C+1919&author=Special+to+The+Christian+Science+Monitor&pub=Christian+Science+Monitor&desc=BATTERY+MEN+AT+HARVARD+REPORT&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525045852/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/298390512.html?dids=298390512:298390512&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Feb+14,+1919&author=Special+to+The+Christian+Science+Monitor&pub=Christian+Science+Monitor&desc=BATTERY+MEN+AT+HARVARD+REPORT&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 25, 2011|title=Battery men at Harvard report|date=February 14, 1919|publisher=The Christian Science Monitor}}</ref> He also managed the 1920 [[Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)|Toronto Maple Leafs]] of the [[International League]] to a .701 winning percentage—the best in the team's 83-year history, but only good enough for second place in the league.

In 1921, Duffy was hired as full-time manager of the Red Sox, guiding them for two seasons. Duffy then became a scout for the Red Sox in {{Baseball year|1924}}. From 1928 to 1930, Duffy was the head baseball coach at [[Boston College]].

==Managerial record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Games!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
|-
![[1901 Milwaukee Brewers season|MIL]]|| [[1901 Major League Baseball season|1901]]
||137||48||89||{{Winning percentage|49|68}}|| 8th in AL || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|MIL total || 137 || 48 || 89 || {{Winning percentage|49|68}} || || 0 || 0 || – ||
|-
![[1904 Philadelphia Phillies season|PHI]]|| [[1904 Major League Baseball season|1904]]
||152||52||100||{{Winning percentage|52|100}}|| 8th in NL || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1905 Philadelphia Phillies season|PHI]]|| [[1905 Major League Baseball season|1905]]
||152||83||69||{{Winning percentage|83|69}}|| 4th in NL || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1906 Philadelphia Phillies season|PHI]]|| [[1906 Major League Baseball season|1906]]
||153||71||82||{{Winning percentage|71|82}}|| 4th in NL || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|PHI total || 457 || 206 || 251 || {{Winning percentage|206|251}} || || 0 || 0 || – ||
|-
![[1910 Chicago White Sox season|CWS]]|| [[1910 Major League Baseball season|1910]]
||153||68||85||{{Winning percentage|68|85}}|| 6th in AL || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1911 Chicago White Sox season|CWS]]|| [[1911 Major League Baseball season|1911]]
||151||77||74||{{Winning percentage|77|74}}|| 5th in AL || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|CWS total || 304 || 145 || 159 || {{Winning percentage|145|159}} || || 0 || 0 || – ||
|-
![[1921 Boston Red Sox season|BOS]]|| [[1921 Major League Baseball season|1921]]
||154||75||79||{{Winning percentage|75|79}}|| 5th in AL || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1922 Boston Red Sox season|BOS]]|| [[1922 Major League Baseball season|1922]]
||154||61||93||{{Winning percentage|61|93}}|| 8th in AL || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|BOS total || 308 || 136 || 172 || {{Winning percentage|136|172}} || || 0 || 0 || – ||
|-
! colspan="2"|Total || 1206 || 535 || 671 || {{Winning percentage|535|671}} || || 0 || 0 || – || 
|}

==Later life==
Duffy was elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1945.

Duffy remained on the Red Sox' scouting staff nearly to the end of his life, retiring in {{Baseball year|1953}}. He died in Boston on October 19, 1954.<ref name=TMJ>{{cite news|title=Hugh Duffy left unequaled mark, was mighty mite|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19541020&id=PD4oAAAAIBAJ&pg=7171,2484030|access-date=November 9, 2014|work=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]|date=October 20, 1954}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He had been suffering from heart problems.<ref name=ERG>{{cite news|title=Hugh Duffy dies|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19541020&id=DQBWAAAAIBAJ&pg=5069,5120877|access-date=November 9, 2014|work=[[Eugene Register-Guard]]|date=October 20, 1954}}</ref> Duffy's wife Nora died the previous year; they did not have children.<ref name=Banner>{{cite news|title=Baseball's Hugh Duffy dies at home at 87|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19541020&id=DWBIAAAAIBAJ&pg=3725,2506368|access-date=November 9, 2014|work=[[Ocala Star-Banner]]|date=October 20, 1954}}</ref>

==Posthumously==
In 2019, Duffy was inducted into the [[Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame]], along with [[Terry Pendleton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/terry-pendleton-hugh-duffy-make-braves-hof/c-302019104|title=Terry Pendleton, Hugh Duffy make Braves HOF|website=MLB.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Major League Baseball Triple Crown]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball player-managers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Hugh Duffy}}
*{{bbhof|duffy-hugh}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=|espn=|br=d/duffyhu01|fangraphs=1003533|brm=duffy-001hug|retro=D/Pduffh101}}
*{{baseball-reference manager|duffyhu01}}
*{{find a Grave}}
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{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|title=[[Boston Red Sox]] [[Boston Red Sox coaches|first-base coach]]|years=1939|before=N/A|after=[[Moe Berg]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{1891 Boston Reds}}
{{1892 Boston Beaneaters}}
{{1893 Boston Beaneaters}}
{{1897 Boston Beaneaters}}
{{1898 Boston Beaneaters}}
{{NL batting title}}
{{NL home run champions}}
{{MLB Triple Crowns (batters)}}
{{St. Louis Browns managers}}
{{Philadelphia Phillies managers}}
{{Chicago White Sox managers}}
{{HarvardBaseballCoach}}
{{Boston Red Sox managers}}
{{Boston College Eagles baseball coach navbox}}
{{1945 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}
{{Braves Hall of Fame}}
{{Atlanta Braves HOF}}
{{Philadelphia Phillies HOF}}
{{Major League Baseball players who have batted .400}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duffy, Hugh}}
[[Category:1866 births]]
[[Category:1954 deaths]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Boston Beaneaters players]]
[[Category:Boston Braves scouts]]
[[Category:Boston College Eagles baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Boston Reds (AA) players]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox coaches]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox managers]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox scouts]]
[[Category:Chicago Pirates players]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox managers]]
[[Category:Chicago White Stockings players]]
[[Category:Hartford Dark Blues (minor league) players]]
[[Category:Harvard Crimson baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Lowell Magicians players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball outfielders]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball player-managers]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers (1901) managers]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers (1901) players]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) managers]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Creams players]]
[[Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:National League batting champions]]
[[Category:National League home run champions]]
[[Category:National League RBI champions]]
[[Category:National League hitting Triple Crown winners]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies managers]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies players]]
[[Category:Providence Grays (minor league) players]]
[[Category:Salem Fairies players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Cranston, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Providence County, Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Springfield Horsemen players]]
[[Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) managers]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Boston]]