Roger Bresnahan

His mark on the game is seen in every contest at every level, whenever a catcher dons shin guards. Roger Bresnahan, however, did more than revolutionize how catchers dressed. He changed the way the position was played. Born June 11, 1879 in Toledo, Ohio, Bresnahan – known as “The Duke of Tralee” due to his Irish roots – began his big league career as a pitcher in 1897 with the National League’s Washington Senators. By 1901, Bresnahan found himself with the Baltimore Orioles of the new American League. The Orioles catcher, future Hall of Fame manager Wilbert Robinson, was sidelined with an injury.

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Roger Bresnahan was the first catcher to be enshrined in Cooperstown. Find out more about this baseball Hall of Famer and see his statistics.

Roger Bresnahan career batting statistics for Major League, Minor League, and postseason baseball

Roger Bresnahan played all nine positions for a variety of teams during his 17-year career. It was his skillful defensive play and his leadership skills in the dugout, however, that led John McGraw and Branch Rickey to describe him as among the best catchers they had ever seen. Bresnahan was also an innovator, introducing early shin-guard equipment and experimenting with a protective helmet. The Duke of Tralee was the second catcher to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

During his playing career of 1897-1915, most baseball people and fans thought Roger Bresnahan was a native of Ireland, and his nickname – The Duke of Tralee – spoke to that. It was a golden age for the Irish in baseball, and he would have been the only one who was truly born there. Alas, while his parents came from County Kerry, Roger was born in Toledo, Ohio.

Roger Bresnahan baseball stats with batting stats, pitching stats and fielding stats, along with uniform numbers, salaries, quotes, career stats and biographical data presented by Baseball Almanac.

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A versatile athlete who played all nine positions at the major-league level, Roger Bresnahan is generally regarded today as the Deadball Era's most famous catcher, as well known for his innovations in protective equipment as for his unusual skill package that made him one of the first catchers ever used continuously at the top of the batting order. Catchers almost always batted eighth in the Deadball Era, but Bresnahan was adept at reaching base (he had a .419 on-base percentage in 1906) and possessed surprising speed despite his 5'9", 200-pound frame. Like his close friend and mentor, John McGraw, the .279 lifetime hitter had a quick temper and was inherently tactless. One reporter described him as "highly strung and almost abnormally emotional," but he also had a soft heart. During his five years as a big-league manager, Bresnahan reportedly fined more players and took less money than any of his peers.

There is a lot of controversy around what players get selected to the Hall of Fame each year. There are barstool debates all over the country around the third week of January when results are announced. We had no short of it this year with the selections of Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez. Both players have been tied to steroid use in their careers.

Career: 26 HR, .279 BA, 530 RBI, C/CF, HOF in 1945, Giants/Cardinals/... 1897-1915, b:R/t:R, 1x BB Leader, born in OH 1879, died 1944, The Duke Of Tralee

Roger Philip Bresnahan (June 11, 1879 – December 4, 1944), nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee", was an American player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Bresnahan competed in MLB for the Washington Senators (1897), Chicago Orphans (1900), Baltimore Orioles (1901–02), New York Giants (1902–08), St. Louis Cardinals (1909–12) and Chicago Cubs (1913–15). Bresnahan also managed the Cardinals (1909–12) and Cubs (1915). He was a member of the 1905 World Series champions.