View source for Jack Doyle (baseball)

{{Short description|Irish baseball player (1869–1958)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Jack Doyle
|image=Jackdoyle.jpg
|position=[[First baseman]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|birth_date={{Birth date|1869|10|25}}
|birth_place=[[Killorglin]], [[Ireland]]
|death_date={{death date and age|1958|12|31|1869|8|9}}
|death_place=[[Holyoke, Massachusetts]], U.S.
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=August 20
|debutyear=1889
|debutteam=Columbus Solons
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=July 13
|finalyear=1905
|finalteam=New York Highlanders
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.299
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=25
|stat3label=[[Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=971
|stat4label=[[Stolen base]]s
|stat4value=518
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Columbus Solons]] ({{mlby|1889}}–{{mlby|1890}})
* [[Cleveland Spiders]] ({{mlby|1891}}–{{mlby|1892}})
* [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] ({{mlby|1892}}–{{mlby|1895}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles (19th century)|Baltimore Orioles (NL)]] ({{mlby|1896}}–{{mlby|1897}})
* [[Washington Senators (1891–99)|Washington Senators (NL)]] ({{mlby|1898}})
* [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] ({{mlby|1898}}–{{mlby|1900}})
* [[Chicago Orphans]] ({{mlby|1901}})
* [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] ({{mlby|1902}})
* [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1902}})
* [[Brooklyn Superbas]] ({{mlby|1903}}–{{mlby|1904}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1904}})
* [[New York Highlanders]] ({{mlby|1905}})
'''As manager'''
* [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] ({{mlby|1895}})
* [[Washington Senators (1891–99)|Washington Senators (NL)]] ({{mlby|1898}})
|highlights=
}}
'''John Joseph Doyle''' (October 25, 1869 &ndash; December 31, 1958) was an [[Ireland|Irish]] born [[first baseman]] in [[Major League Baseball]] whose career spanned 17 seasons, mainly in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]].<ref name="baseball-Reference">{{cite web| title = Jack Doyle Stats | work = Baseball-Reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/d/doyleja01.shtml | access-date = 2007-07-20 }}</ref>
He was born in [[Killorglin]], Ireland, and [[immigration to the United States|emigrated]] to the U.S. when he was a child, his family settling in [[Holyoke, Massachusetts]].<ref name="sabr">{{cite web | title = Jack Doyle Biography | work = SABR.org | url = http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=3763&bid=640 | access-date = 2007-07-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070612005908/http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=3763&bid=640 | archive-date = 2007-06-12 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

==Playing career==
After attending [[Fordham University]], he embarked on a baseball career that would last 70 years.  He made his first appearance at the [[major league baseball|major league]] level by signing and playing two years for the [[Columbus Solons]] of the [[American Association (19th century)|American Association]]. Doyle would play for ten clubs from {{Baseball year|1889}} to {{Baseball year|1905}}, [[batting average (baseball)|batting]] .299 in 1,569 games with 518 [[stolen base]]s. He began as a [[catcher]]&ndash;[[outfielder]] and became a first baseman in {{Baseball year|1894}}. His best years were in 1894, when he batted .367 for the [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]], and in {{Baseball year|1897}}, when he hit .354 with 62 stolen bases for the [[Baltimore Orioles (19th century)|Baltimore Orioles]].<ref name="baseball-Reference"/> He is credited with being the first [[pinch-hitter]] in pro ball, with [[Cleveland Spiders|Cleveland]] at [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn]] on June 7, {{Baseball year|1892}}. [[Patsy Tebeau]] was the [[manager (baseball)|manager]] and Doyle came through with a game-winning [[single (baseball)|single]].<ref name="sabr"/>

For the {{Baseball year|1894}} season, he took over the everyday duties at first base and became [[captain (baseball)|team captain]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Doyle Signed by New York: Famous Baseball Player to Captain the Team and Play First Base—Pleased with the Club's Outlook | newspaper=The New York Times | date=February 27, 1902 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1902/02/27/101939155.pdf }}</ref> Manager [[John Montgomery Ward]] not only made the decision to replace his former teammate and friend [[Roger Connor]], but released him as well. Connor was a very popular player, and this decision drew the ire and scrutiny from the fans and media alike. Ward defended his decision and claimed the move came down to the fact that he liked Doyle's playing style, describing him as a [[Con man|hustler]].<ref>''A Clever Base-Ballist: The Life and Times of John Montgomery Ward'', pg. 352, by Bryan Di Salvatore</ref> Replacing Connor at first base proved worth the risk, as Jack batted .367 that season, and he totaled 100&nbsp;[[runs batted in]] and stole 42 bases.<ref name="baseball-Reference"/>

==Dirty Jack==
Because of his aggressive playing style, Doyle was known as "Dirty Jack", often feuding with [[umpire (baseball)|umpires]], [[fan (person)|fans]], opposing players, and even, at times, his own teammates.<ref name="minorleaguebaseball">{{cite web| title = Top 100 Teams | work = minorleaguebaseball.com | url=http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=63 | access-date = 2007-07-20 }}</ref> On one occasion, in Cincinnati on July 4, {{Baseball year|1900}}, while in the 3rd inning of the second game of a [[Doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]], Doyle slugged umpire [[Bob Emslie]] after being [[Out (baseball)|called out]] on a steal attempt. Fans jumped from the stands as the two fought before being chased back by policemen. After players finally separated Doyle from Emslie, he was arrested and fined.<ref name="sabr"/> On July 1, {{Baseball year|1901}}, when he was being harassed by a [[Polo Grounds]] fan, he jumped into the stands and hit him once with his left hand, reinjuring it after having broken it several weeks earlier.<ref name="Baseballbiography">{{cite web | title = Jack Doyle | work = Baseballbiography.com | url = https://baseballbiography.com/jack-doyle-1869 | access-date = 2007-07-20 }}</ref>

He carried on a lengthy feud with [[John McGraw]] that started when they were teammates at Baltimore. McGraw, of course, had to have the last word. In {{Baseball year|1902}}, McGraw was appointed manager of the Giants, and his first act was to release Doyle, even though he was batting .301 and [[fielding percentage|fielding]] .991 at the time. Even with these seemingly out-of-control traits, Doyle was deemed a natural leader and was selected as team captain in New York, Brooklyn and [[Chicago Cubs|Chicago]], and served as an interim manager for the Giants in {{Baseball year|1895}} and [[Washington Senators (1891–99)|Washington Senators]] in {{Baseball year|1898}}.<ref name="sabr"/>

==Minor league success==
In 1905, after playing one game with the [[New York Highlanders]], Doyle became manager of Toledo of the [[Western Association]]. One year later, in {{Baseball year|1906}}, he was named the manager of the Des Moines Champions, so named because they won the league championship the previous year, and won it again under Doyle's helm. Following his championship season at Des Moines, he managed Milwaukee in {{Baseball year|1907}}.<ref name="minorleaguebaseball"/>

==Other career capacities==
In 1908–09, the only years of his adult life spent outside of baseball, he served as [[police commissioner]] of his hometown of Holyoke.<ref name="sabr"/> Doyle returned to the game as an umpire and worked in the National League for 42 games in {{Baseball year|1911}}.<ref name="retrosheet">{{cite web| title = Jack Doyle | work = Retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/D/Pdoylj103.htm | access-date = 2007-02-17 }}</ref> Later on he would join the [[Chicago Cubs]] as a [[scout (sport)|scout]] in {{Baseball year|1920}}. In his many years with the Cubs, Doyle was credited with signing or recommending the acquisition of such stars as [[Gabby Hartnett]], [[Hack Wilson]], [[Billy Herman]], [[Stan Hack]], [[Bill Jurges]], [[Charlie Root]], [[Bill Lee (right-handed pitcher)|Bill Lee]], [[Augie Galan]], [[Riggs Stephenson]] and [[Phil Cavarretta]].<ref name="minorleaguebaseball"/> He remained in that capacity until his death on New Year's Eve 1958 at the age of 89. He was buried at St. Jerome Cemetery in Holyoke.<ref name="retrosheet"/>

==Honors==
In the [[Irish Baseball League#Other awards|Irish Baseball League]], the annual award for best slugger is named "The 'Dirty' Jack Doyle" Silver Slugger Award.
<ref name="irishbaseball">{{cite web|url=http://baseballireland.com/awards.htm|title=Baseball Ireland Award Winners|work=baseballireland.com|access-date=22 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003230118/http://www.baseballireland.com/awards.htm|archive-date=3 October 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]
* [[List of players from Ireland in Major League Baseball]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball player-managers]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats | br=d/doyleja01|brm=doyle-002joh}}
{{baseball-reference manager|doyleja01|Jack Doyle}}

{{1894 New York Giants}}
{{1896 Baltimore Orioles}}
{{San Francisco Giants managers}}
{{Washington Senators (1891–99) managers}}
{{Manhattan Jaspers baseball coach navbox}}
{{Fordham Rams baseball coach navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyle, Jack}}
[[Category:1869 births]]
[[Category:1958 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century baseball players]]
[[Category:American police chiefs]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles (NL) players]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Superbas players]]
[[Category:Chicago Orphans players]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs scouts]]
[[Category:Irish emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Holyoke, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from County Kerry]]
[[Category:Cleveland Spiders players]]
[[Category:Columbus Solons players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Ireland]]
[[Category:Irish baseball players]]
[[Category:People from Killorglin]]
[[Category:Law enforcement officials from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball first basemen]]
[[Category:New York Giants (baseball) players]]
[[Category:New York Giants (baseball) managers]]
[[Category:New York Highlanders players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies players]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (NL) managers]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1891–1899) players]]
[[Category:Haverhill (minor league baseball) players]]
[[Category:Manchester Maroons players]]
[[Category:Lynn Shoemakers players]]
[[Category:Canton Nadjys players]]
[[Category:Toledo Mud Hens players]]
[[Category:Des Moines Champs players]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) managers]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) players]]
[[Category:Fordham Rams baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Fordham Rams baseball players]]
[[Category:Manhattan Jaspers baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1891–1899) managers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball player-managers]]
[[Category:Police officers from County Kerry]]