Bill Craver

William H. Craver (June 1844 – June 17, 1901) was an American Major League Baseball player from Troy, New York who played mainly as a middle infielder, but did play many games at catcher as well during his seven-year career. He played for seven different teams, in two leagues. He was later expelled from the Major Leagues in the infamous Louisville gambling scandal in .

Early life Before his baseball career, Craver had served in the military during the Civil War with the 13th Heavy Artillery Regiment out of New York. He enlisted on January 21, 1864, as a Private in Company K, and mustered out on June 28 in Norfolk, Virginia.

When the war, and his military career were over, he began his organized baseball career as a catcher in 1866 with the Union Baseball Club of Rensselaer County, which became the Unions of Lansingburgh. The Unions gained the nickname of Haymakers in August of that year after a visit to the Capitoline Grounds and the Elysian Fields. Later, in 1870, while playing for a Chicago team, he was accused of breaking his contract with the team.

Major League Baseball career In , Craver joined the Troy Haymakers, who entered the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in the league's first season. He played second base, and after just four games, he replaced Lip Pike as manager.

The National Association folded following the season, and Craver joined the New York Mutuals, a team that he also managed. He began to receive military disability on July 1, 1892, as a result of time as a soldier, which would continue on to his widow, Catherine C. Craver. Craver died at the age of 57 of heart disease in his hometown of Troy, and is interred at Oakwood Cemetery.