About Snake Deal
Lived 1879 – 1944 (aged 65). Snake Deal was an American baseball player.
John Wesley "Snake" Deal (January 21, 1879 – May 9, 1944) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman and professional basketball player. He played half of one season for the Cincinnati Reds in .
He also played professional basketball as a guard from 1899 to 1919 for various Pennsylvania teams in different leagues. Deal was considered one of the first and best players in the National Basketball League (NBL), the first professional basketball league ever formed. In 1904, he played for the Germantown Pros in matchups against teams like Allentown YMCA; during this period, he was also noted as the captain of the famous Camden team. He is the earliest recorded player to make use of the jump shot.
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Important facts
People in Snake Deal's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Snake Deal?
American baseball player (1879–1944)
When was Snake Deal born?
Snake Deal was born on 21 January 1879 in Lancaster.
When did Snake Deal die?
Snake Deal died on 9 May 1944 in Harrisburg.
What was Snake Deal's occupation?
Snake Deal was a baseball player.
What nationality was Snake Deal?
Snake Deal was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Snake Deal. https://biography.guide/snake-deal/
MLA: "Snake Deal." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/snake-deal/.
Chicago: "Snake Deal." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/snake-deal/.
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