Pete Hotaling

Peter James Hotaling (December 16, 1856 – July 2, 1928), nicknamed "Monkey", was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball from to . He has been described as one of the earliest journeymen in professional baseball. When he played catcher in the minor leagues in 1877, he was one of the first men to wear a catcher's mask.

Early life Hotaling was born in Mohawk, New York.

He suffered an eye injury while catching a minor league baseball game. When he came back weeks later with a catcher's mask on, his teammates gave him the nickname "Monkey".

Career

Hotaling was promoted to the major leagues in 1879, playing 81 games for the Cincinnati Reds, mostly in the outfield. He changed teams every year through 1882, playing for the Cleveland Blues, Worcester Ruby Legs and Boston Red Caps in that span, before returning to the Blues for 1883 and 1884.

After spending almost all of the preceding decade in the major leagues, Hotaling played his last professional season in 1889, appearing with the St. Joseph Clay Eaters of the Western Association and the Chattanooga team in the Southern League.

After baseball Hotaling had graduated from Eastman Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and he worked as a grocer and then as a machinist for White Motor Company.

He died of lobar pneumonia in Cleveland at the age of 71. He is interred at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland.