Jack Doyle

John Joseph Doyle (October 25, 1869 – December 31, 1958) was an Irish born first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned 17 seasons, mainly in the National League. He was born in Killorglin, Ireland, and emigrated to the U.S. when he was a child, his family settling in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Playing career After attending Fordham University, he embarked on a baseball career that would last 70 years. He made his first appearance at the major league level by signing and playing two years for the Columbus Solons of the American Association. Doyle would play for ten clubs from to , batting .299 in 1,569 games with 518 stolen bases. He began as a catcher–outfielder and became a first baseman in . His best years were in 1894, when he batted .367 for the New York Giants, and in , when he hit .354 with 62 stolen bases for the Baltimore Orioles. Manager John Montgomery Ward not only made the decision to replace his former teammate and friend Roger Connor, but released him as well. Connor was a very popular player, and this decision drew the ire and scrutiny from the fans and media alike. Ward defended his decision and claimed the move came down to the fact that he liked Doyle's playing style, describing him as a hustler. Replacing Connor at first base proved worth the risk, as Jack batted .367 that season, and he totaled 100 runs batted in and stole 42 bases. On one occasion, in Cincinnati on July 4, , while in the 3rd inning of the second game of a doubleheader, Doyle slugged umpire Bob Emslie after being called out on a steal attempt. Fans jumped from the stands as the two fought before being chased back by policemen. After players finally separated Doyle from Emslie, he was arrested and fined.

He carried on a lengthy feud with John McGraw that started when they were teammates at Baltimore. McGraw, of course, had to have the last word. In , McGraw was appointed manager of the Giants, and his first act was to release Doyle, even though he was batting .301 and fielding .991 at the time. Even with these seemingly out-of-control traits, Doyle was deemed a natural leader and was selected as team captain in New York, Brooklyn and Chicago, and served as an interim manager for the Giants in and Washington Senators in . Later on he would join the Chicago Cubs as a scout in . In his many years with the Cubs, Doyle was credited with signing or recommending the acquisition of such stars as Gabby Hartnett, Hack Wilson, Billy Herman, Stan Hack, Bill Jurges, Charlie Root, Bill Lee, Augie Galan, Riggs Stephenson and Phil Cavarretta.