George Pinkney

George Burton Pinkney (January 11, 1859 – November 10, 1926) born in Orange Prairie, Peoria, Illinois, was an American third baseman for the Cleveland Blues, Brooklyn Grays/Bridegrooms/Grooms(1885–91), St. Louis Browns (1892), and Louisville Colonels (1893).

He helped the Bridegrooms win the 1889 American Association pennant and the 1890 National League pennant.

Pinkney led the American Association in games (141), at bats (597), and walks (70) in 1886.

He led the American Association in games (143), runs (134), times on base (234), and outs (419) in 1888.

In 10 seasons Pinkney played in 1,163 games and had 4,610 at-bats, 874 runs, 1,212 hits, 170 doubles, 56 triples, 21 home runs, 539 RBI, 526 walks.263 batting average.345 on-base percentage.338 slugging percentage, and 1,557 total bases. When he retired, he held Major League Baseball's all-time record for most consecutive games played (577) and innings played (5,152). Both records have since been surpassed, the innings played mark standing for 95 years until it was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. He remained the only player to play in more than 500 consecutive games until Fred Luderus played in 533 games.

Following his release from NL Louisville, in 1894, he briefly played for the Grand Rapids Rustlers in the new, Ban Johnson-constituted Western League. Illness and injury leading to poor play in the field, Pinkney was cut from the Rustlers by July of that year. He left baseball, returned to Peoria with his wife, Cora, and spent the remainder of his working life as a clerk and chief auditor on the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway, and was an occasional scout.

He died in Peoria, Illinois, at the age of 67 and was interred at Springdale Cemetery.