Micheal E. Urell

Micheal Emmet Urell (November 8, 1844 – September 6, 1910) was an Irish-born soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his service with the 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry.

Biography Urell was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary on November 8, 1844. He earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at Bristoe Station whilst fighting as a Private with the 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to Brevet Major later in the war. Urell served as a Major of the First Battalion of the District of Columbia National Guard throughout of the Spanish-American War. Upon the end of that war he was made Colonel of the Columbia National Guards Second Infantry.

Medal of Honor citation

For gallantry in action on 14 October 1863, while serving with Company E, 82d New York Infantry, in action at Bristoe Station, Virginia. While detailed as Color Bearer; Private Urell was severely wounded.

Date Issued: 6 June 1870

Baseball Marshall D. Wright's book, The National Association of Base Ball Players, 1857-1870, lists an "M. E. Urell" as having played top-level (for the time) baseball after the war. Urell played for the National and Union clubs in Washington, D.C. in 1866, for the Union club again in 1868, then with the Olympic club of Washington -- by then a professional side -- in 1869. He is listed as having played the outfield, third base and first base. Records are sketchy, but he appears to have been a mediocre batsman, with 108 hands lost (a player was given a "hand lost" every time he made an out at bat or on the bases) against 83 runs scored in 32 career games (in general, a good hitter would have more runs scored than hands lost).