Roscoe Coughlin

William Edward "Roscoe" Coughlin (February 23, 1865 – March 20, 1951) was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher for two seasons in the National League (NL). In he pitched for the Chicago Colts and in he played for the New York Giants. Prior to his Major League Baseball career, he began his minor league career in 1887, and continued afterward until 1897.

Career

Minor leagues Coughlin was born on February 23, 1865, in Dedham, Massachusetts, and at the age of 19, he began his minor league career in 1887 with the Lynn, Massachusetts based Lynn Lions of the New England League (NEL). In 1888, he played for several minor league teams, including the Chicago Maroons of the newly founded Western Association, which covered many of the same locations as the American Association. Later into the season, he moved to the West Coast and played for the Oakland Greenhood & Morans, and the San Francisco Pioneers, both members of the California League (CL). In 1889, Coughlin returned to Oakland and the CL, with which he played the entire season with the Colonels, won 30 games.

Major leagues Coughlin began the 1890 season in the CL; however, it was for a different team, the San Francisco Haverlys. In his short time with the Colts, he had a 4–6 win–loss record, with his last decision occurring on June 11, in a 7–1 victory over the Cleveland Spiders in the first game of a doubleheader. From 1893 until into the 1897 season, he continued in EL, playing for the Springfield Ponies/Maroons. Later in 1897, he switched over to the Brockton, Massachusetts based Brockton Shoemakers of the NEL, and pitched in five games and had a 1–3 win–loss record in 39 innings pitched. He completed the season with the Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons of EL. There is no record of him playing professional baseball following the 1897 season.

Coughlin was a veteran of the Spanish–American War, died at the age of 83 on March 20, 1951, while living in the Old Soldiers Home in Chelsea, Massachusetts; he is interred at St. Patrick Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts.