Foghorn Bradley

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#ba0021
bgcolor2=#0f437c
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white


name=Foghorn Bradley
position=Pitcher/Umpire
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=July 1 1855
city-state|Medford|Massachusetts
deathdate=death date and age|1900|3|31|1855|7|1
city-state|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania
debutdate=August 23
debutyear=by|1876
debutteam=Boston Red Caps
finaldate=October 21
finalyear=by|1876
finalteam=Boston Red Caps
stat1label=Record
stat1value=9-10
stat2label=Complete games
stat2value=16
stat3label=ERA
stat3value=2.49
stat4label=Strikeouts
stat4value=16
teams=
*Boston Red Caps by|1876
highlights=
*Umpired six full seasons in the major leagues
*Called two no-hitters, including John Lee Richmond's perfect game

George H. "Foghorn" Bradley (July 1 1855 – March 31 1900) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball for six full seasons who was born in Medford, Massachusetts. He also played played one season in the National League.cite web| title = Foghorn Bradley's Stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B/Pbradf101.htm | accessdate = 2008-03-21 ]

Playing career

He played his only season in the major leagues in by|1876 for the Boston Red Caps, after having been a late-season signing by Harry Wright. He started 21 of the team's last 22 games that season, becoming the team's ace.cite web| title = The Baseball Rookies Encyclopedia | work = by David Nemec, Dave Zeman | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5gm9KgshyAAC&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=%22Foghorn+Bradley%22&source=web&ots=w5npAzSuuQ&sig=yPixQPrN6e-Op82ldAPArlX-LX4&hl=en | accessdate = 2008-03-21 ] His totals for the season included nine wins and 10 losses in 22 games pitched. He started 21 games, completing 16 of them including one shutout. After the season, Wright signed Tommy Bond, and Bradley suspected that he would be the team's new ace, so he signed a lucrative minor league contract and left the National League, never to return as a player.

Umpiring career

The following season he did not continue to play, but instead served as a replacement umpire, as he had in by|1875 in the National Association. He did not get promoted to full-time umpire until by|1879, when he officiated games in the National League until by|1883. He would again umpire in the majors in the American Association in by|1886. During that era umpires generally worked games single-handedly, and Bradley was no exception, as he worked as the lone umpire in every game of his career.

Although his career as an umpire was short, he was involved a couple of historic games. On June 12, by|1880 he was the umpire when John Lee Richmond pitched the first perfect game in major league history, which was also the second no-hitter ever tossed. Later, in that same season, on August 20, he was the umpire for another no-hitter, this time by future Hall of Famer Pud Galvin, throwing the fifth no-hitter in major league history.cite web| title = No Hitters Chronologically | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/nohit_chrono.htm | accessdate = 2008-03-21 ]

In total, he officially umpired in 344 games, during an era in which more than one umpire was rarely used in games. Foghorn died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of 44, and was buried in the Philadelphia Cemetery; he was later re-buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania.

References

External links

*findagrave|13421109

Persondata
NAME = Bradley, Foghorn
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Bradley, George H.
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Major League Baseball player, Umpire
DATE OF BIRTH = July 1 1855
PLACE OF BIRTH = Medford Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH = March 31 1900
PLACE OF DEATH = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania