Jim Mahady

James Bernard Mahady (April 22, 1901 – August 9, 1936) was an American professional baseball player who primarily played as a second baseman and pitcher. His career spanned seven seasons, including one in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Giants. However, Mahady's time in the majors was limited to just one game, during which he did not have any plate appearances. The majority of his career was spent in the minor leagues as a pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed. In the minors, he compiled a 69–50 record. During his playing career, Mahady stood at and weighed .

In 1930, two years after he last played in professional baseball, Mahady was charged with second degree manslaughter after killing a woman while at the command of his vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Three years later, the Governor of New York, Herbert H. Lehman, commuted Mahady's sentence. Mahady died on August 9, 1936, at the age of 35.

Early life Mahady was born on April 22, 1901, in Cortland, New York, to Michael and Mary Mahady of Pennsylvania and Scotland, respectively. At the age of 18, Jim Mahady was working as a laborer. In 1922, Mahady played with the Athletics of Unadilla, New York, a semi-professional team. A season later, Mahady would re-join the professional baseball circuit with the Class-B Williamsport Billies of the New York–Pennsylvania League. With Williamsport, he was used as a pitcher, unlike his one game in the major leagues, where he was used as a second baseman. He compiled an 8–5 record in 106 innings pitched. At the plate, he batted .200 with nine hits, one double and one triple in 45 at-bats.

In 1924, Williamsport changed their name from the Billies to the Grays. Mahady played with the Grays that season until he joined the Harrisburg Senators, also of the New York–Pennsylvania League. Between the two clubs, he had a combined record of 19–11 in 243 innings pitched. He also had 100 at-bats that season, hitting for a .210 average with 21 hits, five doubles and two home runs. During the 1925 season, Mahady played with four teams; the Harrisburg Senators, Wilkes-Barre Barons and York White Roses of the New York–Pennsylvania League; and the Salisbury Indians of the Eastern Shore League. Between the three teams he played with in the New York–Pennsylvania League that year, he went 6–8 with a 4.27 earned run average (ERA) in 116 innings pitched. With Salisbury, he went 6–5 in 102 innings pitched. His combined batting average that season between all four clubs was .225 with 20 hits, two doubles and two home runs in 89 at-bats. Between the two teams that year, he batted .296 with 20 hits, four doubles and one home run in 68 at-bats. In 1927, Mahady re-joined the Class-D Salisbury Indians of the Eastern Shore League. On the season, he went 15–9 in 199 innings pitched. At the plate, he batted .199 with 29 hits, six doubles, one triple and seven home runs in 146 at-bats.

Later life While incarcerated for second degree manslaughter, Mahady (standing row, fourth from right) was the pitcher and captain of a baseball team featuring fellow prisoners. In 1930, Mahady was convicted of second degree manslaughter after he struck and killed a woman with his car while he was intoxicated. He was sentenced to serve six to 12 years in prison. His team faced the D. & H. Generals, a team which featured future hall of fame member Johnny Evers. Just before Christmas in 1933, the Governor of New York, Herbert H. Lehman, commuted Mahady's sentence. On August 9, 1936, at the age of 35, Mahady died in his hometown of Cortland, New York. He was buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Cortland.