Tom Barlow (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=Tom Barlow
position=Catcher/Shortstop


bgcolor1=#263473
bgcolor2=#A50024
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
bats=Unknown
throws=Unknown
birthdate=1852
New York
deathdate=Unknown
debutdate= May 2
debutyear= by|1872
debutteam= Brooklyn Atlantics
finaldate=July 30
finalyear=by|1875
finalteam= Brooklyn Atlantics
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.288
stat2label=Runs scored
stat2value=120
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=34
teams=
* Brooklyn Atlantics (by|1872-by|1873), (by|1875)
* Hartford Dark Blues (by|1874)
* New Haven Elm Citys (by|1875)
highlights=

Thomas H. Barlow (born 1852 in New York) was an American Major League Baseball player who played catcher and shortstop for three different team in his four year career, a career that was comprised entirely in the National Association.cite web| title = Tom Barlow's Stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B/Pbarlt101.htm | accessdate = 2008-05-21 ] Barlow is credited as the pioneer of the bunt.cite book|last=Burns|title=Baseball| year=1994| pages=p.20]

Career

Tom began his career with the Brooklyn Atlantics in by|1872, and played 37 games, most of them as catcher, but did play four games at shortstop as well. He hit well that season, hitting .310, and scored 34 runs. In by|1873, he caught all 53 of his team's games, a feat that has only been equalled seven times, the latest being Mike Tresh in by|1945.cite web| title = Iron Man Catchers | work = members.tripod.com | url=http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/ironmen.htm | accessdate = 2008-05-20 ]

It was during the by|1874 season while playing for the Hartford Dark Blues that sustained an injury to his side while catching pitcher Cherokee Fisher. When he was taken back to the hotel, the physician administered a morphine injection, which began his addiction to the drug, later causing him to lose his career. This incident was written in a letter by Barlow, and read by a voice actor in Ken Burns's 1994 documentary, Baseball. In the letter Barlow explains how it started, and how the addiction took over. He lamented on how he was the catcher the Mutuals, and the Atlantics, "but no one would know it by looking at me now." He also said "I'd had rather died behind the bat, than have had that first dose." Tom played two games in by|1875, one for the New Haven Elm Citys, and another for his old team, the Atlantics. Currently, there is no information of his life after baseball, to include where he lived, or where he died.

References

External links

*baseball-reference|id=/b/barloto01

Persondata
NAME = Barlow, Tom
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Barlow, Thomas; Barlow, Thomas H.
SHORT DESCRIPTION = 19th century Major League Baseball player
DATE OF BIRTH = 1852
PLACE OF BIRTH = New York
DATE OF DEATH = Unknown
PLACE OF DEATH = Unknown