- Al Atkinson (baseball)
Infobox MLB retired
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name=Al Atkinson
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=March 9 1861
city-state|Clinton|Illinois
deathdate=death date and age|1952|6|17|1861|3|9
city-state|McDonald County|Missouri
debutdate=May 1
debutyear=by|1884
debutteam=Philadelphia Athletics
finaldate=August 13
finalyear=by|1887
finalteam=Philadelphia Athletics
stat1label=Record
stat1value=51-51
stat2label=ERA
stat2value=3.96
stat3label=K
stat3value=435
teams=
*Philadelphia Athletics (by|1884), (by|1886-by|1887)
*Chicago Browns (by|1884)
*Baltimore Monumentals (by|1884)
highlights=
*May 24 ,1884 : Pitchedno-hitter against the Pittsburgh Alleghenys
*May 1 ,1886 : Pitched no-hitter against theNew York Metropolitans Albert Wright Atkinson (
March 9 1861 –June 17 1952 ) was an AmericanMajor League Baseball pitcher who played three seasons; one in theUnion Association and parts of three seasons in the American Association. He became the first player to desert his existing contract to jump over to the Union Association. He is one of the few pitchers in Major League history to throw twono-hitter s.Career
Atkinson was born in
Clinton, Illinois cite web| title = Al Atkinson's Stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/A/Patkia101.htm | accessdate = 2008-02-27 ] , and he began his Major League career with the Philadelphia Athletics in by|1884, pitching in 22 games, winning 11 and losing 11. Later in the season, Al jumped to the newUnion Association , remaining there until season's end. With that move, Al became the first player to desert his existing contract and join the Union Association.cite web| title = 1884 Chronology | work = baseballlibrary.com | url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/byyear.php?year=1884 | accessdate = 2008-02-27 ] He played for two teams during his time in the Union Association, a league that folded following the season. He began play with the Chicago Browns and later played for theBaltimore Monumentals and had a combined record of 20 wins and 26 losses during the 1884 season. OnMay 24 ,1884 , he pitched his first no-hitter. He tossed his gem against thePittsburgh Alleghenys in a 10-1 victory. This no-hitter is also notable for the fact that Al allowed the first batter of the game on base with ahit by pitch and then retired the next 27 batters in a row.cite web| title = Beyond the Box Score: Almost Perfect | work = By Bill Arnold / Special to MLB.com | url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060713&content_id=1554921&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb | accessdate = 2008-02-27 ] The only run scored whenEd Swartwood , the player hit by the pitch, stolesecond base ‚ tookthird base on aputout ‚ and then scored on apassed ball .He played for an independent minor league team, the Chicago Blues, during the by|1885 season,cite web| title = Ted Kennedy Biography Project Profile | work = sabr.org | url=http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=7432&bid=873 | accessdate = 2008-02-27 ] but returned the Athletics for the by|1886 season. He pitched his second no-hitter on
May 1 ,1886 against theNew York Metropolitans in a 3-2 victory.cite web| title = List of No-hitter and Perfect Games | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/nohit_chrono.htm | accessdate = 2008-02-27 ]Post-career
After his career, he became a
farmer . Al died at the age of 91 inMcDonald County, Missouri , and is interred at the Macedonia Cemetery inStella, Missouri .cite web| title = Albert Atkinson's Find-A-Grave profile | work = findagrave.com | url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GScid=29941&GRid=24012694& | accessdate = 2008-02-27 ]ee also
*
List of Major League Baseball no-hitters References
External links
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Persondata
NAME = Atkinson, Al
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Atkinson, Albert; Atkinson, Albert Wright
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Major League Baseball player
DATE OF BIRTH = March 9, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH = Clinton, Illinois
DATE OF DEATH = June 17, 1952
PLACE OF DEATH = McDonald County, Missouri
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