Nixey Callahan

James Joseph Callahan (March 18, 1874 – October 4, 1934) was an American pitcher and left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Colts/Orphans, and Chicago White Sox. He also managed the White Sox, as well as the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1902, he pitched the first no-hitter in American League history.

Though best known today by his childhood nickname "Nixey", in reality, he was seldom ever referred to by that name in contemporary sources during his playing days, as he instead preferred to go by Jimmy (or James) Callahan.

Early life Callahan was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on March 18, 1874. He played amateur baseball throughout Massachusetts.

On September 20, 1902, Callahan pitched the first no-hitter in American League history. Remarkably, only two years earlier, in the other extreme of his career, he had given up 48 hits in two consecutive starts in 1900, yielding 23 on September 11 and 25 in the game before.

Callahan is also the only pitcher to have collected five hits in a game three times: June 29, 1897; May 18, 1902; and May 18, 1903.

Callahan finished his major league career with 901 hits and 99 wins. Since then, no player has matched both these numbers, although Babe Ruth came close. Three nineteenth-century pitcher/infielders beat these numbers: John Montgomery Ward, Kid Gleason and Dave Foutz.

As a manager Callahan managed the Chicago White Sox on two separate occasions and also managed the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Team Year Regular season PostseasonGamesWonLostWin %Finish Won Lost Win % ResultCWS 137 7th in AL – – – –CWS 41 fired* – – – –CWS 154 4th in AL – – – –CWS 152 5th in AL – – – –CWS 154 7th in AL – – – –CWS total 638 PIT 154 6th in NL – – – –PIT 60 fired – – – –PIT total 214 Total 852

Callahan was "asked" to step down as manager, he remained as a player only.

As an owner Callahan took a five-year break from playing in the American League to run his own semi-pro team, "Callahan's Logan Squares". He said that he did this for financial reasons, but he returned when his team's attendances fell.

Later life Callahan died at age 60 in Boston on October 4, 1934.