Jim O'Rourke

The batter who slashed the National League’s first hit, Jim O’Rourke played the game professionally past the age of 50 before continuing his baseball life as a manager, umpire and minor league president. Explaining his longevity, O’Rourke said, “I lived a clean life. I never touched liquor in any form, nor did I ever use tobacco. I always took care of myself. That’s the reason I’m playing ball today, and that is the reason why I can enjoy the game.”

Jim O'Rourke was born on Sunday, September 1, 1850, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. O'Rourke was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 22, 1876, with the Boston Red Caps. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Jim O'Rourke baseball stats page.

During a playing career that spanned a remarkable six decades, Jim O’Rourke did much to advance baseball as our national pastime. A key member of championship teams in both the National Association and the National League, O’Rourke was a versatile performer in the field and a reliable .300 hitter at the plate. Thereafter, as his playing days wound down, O’Rourke assumed the role of baseball executive, particularly in his native Connecticut, where he established a thriving minor league.

Career: 0 HR, .000 BA, 0 RBI, PH, Cardinals 1959, b:R/t:R, born in WA 1937

Major League Baseball Umpire. Between 1894 and 1890, he pitched in the American Association and the National League which later hired him in 1895. He worked the First World Series in 1903 and would work nine more in his tenure. He was the senior umpire behind home plate at the Polo Grounds in which Fred Merkle committed his boner which cost the New York Giants the League pennant to the Chicago Cubs in 1908. He would go on to umpire over 2,700 games in over a thirty year career ending in 1927. (bio by: Robert)

James Henry O'Rourke (September 1, 1850 – January 8, 1919), nicknamed "Orator Jim", was an American professional baseball player in the National Association and Major League Baseball who played primarily as a left fielder. For the period 1876–1892, he ranks behind only Cap Anson in career major league games played (1644), hits (2146), at-bats (6884), doubles (392) and total bases (2936), and behind only Harry Stovey in runs scored (1370). (Stovey was a younger player. Anson played five seasons and O'Rourke four prior to 1876.)