Blondie Purcell

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#b22222
bgcolor2=#000080
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Blondie Purcell


position=Outfielder
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=March 16, 1854
city-state|Paterson|New Jersey
deathdate= Unknown
debutdate=May 1
debutyear=by|1879
debutteam=Syracuse Stars
finaldate=September 16
finalyear=by|1890
finalteam=Philadelphia Athletics
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.267
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=1,217
stat3label=Runs
stat3value=767
teams=As Player
*Syracuse Stars (by|1879)
*Cincinnati Reds (by|1879–by|1880)
*Cleveland Blues (by|1881)
*Buffalo Bisons (by|1881–by|1882)
*Philadelphia Quakers (by|1883–by|1884)
*Philadelphia Athletics (by|1885, by|1888–by|1890)
*Boston Beaneaters (by|1885)
*Baltimore Orioles (by|1886–by|1888)As Manager
*Philadelphia Quakers (by|1883)
highlights=

William Aloysius "Blondie'" Purcell (March 16 1854 – ?), was an American Major League Baseball player born in Paterson, New Jersey. He played for total of 12 seasons while playing for eight different teams in two leagues. He played in 1097 games, mainly in the outfield, but did pitch in 79 games throughout his career, as well as other infield positions.

On June 6, by|1882, while playing for the Buffalo Bisons, he was fined $10 for slicing open a soggy baseball. He did this to compel the umpire to put a fresh ball in play so his pitcher, Pud Galvin, would be able to throw his curveball. [ [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Pud_Galvin_1856 The Baseball Library] ]

In by|1883 he was the player-manager for the Philadelphia Quakers. He took the reins of the team after just 14 games, when they were only 4–13 under player-manager Bob Ferguson, and finished the season with an equally dismall 17–81 record. The 8th place Quakers finished 23 games behind the 7th place Detroit Wolverines. Blondie never managed another major league game. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1883.shtml Baseball Reference - Managerial record] ]

Purcell is one of the few players in major league history whose death is not documented by SABR (the Society for American Baseball Research), although according to Find A Grave he has a death date of February 20, 1912, and is buried in Greenmount Cemetery located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

References

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/purcebl01.shtml Baseball Reference] - Career Statistics
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10331108 Find-a-Grave profile]

Persondata
NAME = Purcell, Blondie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Purcell, William Aloysius
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Major League Baseball player
DATE OF BIRTH = March 16, 1854
PLACE OF BIRTH = Paterson, New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =