Tommy McCarthy
| Birthdate | 7/24/1863 |
| Death Date | 8/5/1922 |
| Debut Year | 1885 |
| Year of Induction | 1946 |
| Teams | Beaneaters |
| Position | Right Field |
In his 2000 Historical Abstract, noted SABRmetrician Bill James called Tommy McCarthy the worst player in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
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In the late 1800s Tommy McCarthy and Hugh Duffy formed Boston's Heavenly Twins
In the late 1800s Tommy McCarthy and Hugh Duffy formed Boston's Heavenly Twins
Born in the middle of the US Civil War, Tommy McCarthy broke into big league ball with the Union Association in 1884. The short-lived league lasted just the one season. McCarthy moved on to Boston’s NL counterpart the following year.
It took the 5’7″ 170 pounder until 1888 to become an everyday player. That year McCarthy roamed the outfield for the St. Louis Browns of the American Association.
His four years with the Brown featured 270 stolen bases, a .306 batting average and a .371 on-base percentage.
McCarthy returned to Boston in 1892 with the NL’s Beaneaters. From ’92-’95 he teamed with fellow Cooperstown man Hugh Duffy to form Boston’s “Heavenly Twins”.
With Duffy in centerfield and McCarthy in right, the held down the Beaneaters’ outfield for four years. In addition to being teammates, they were the best of friends, business partners.
When Duffy was inducted into Cooperstown in 1945, many believed his “twin” McCarthy was also deserving. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame the following year.
McCarthy’s selection is viewed by many as a mistake. The only player from the Union Association in Cooperstown, McCarthy played in just 1,273 games. His 1,493 hits, 44 homers, and 732 RBI don’t scream greatness. McCarthy’s 102 OPS+ puts him at 2% above the league average.
SABR guru Bill James calls McCarthy the worst player in the Hall of Fame.
McCarthy played 13 seasons in the majors. He passed away in 1922, more than a full decade before the Hall of Fame existed.
