Amby McConnell

Ambrose Moses McConnell

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 150 lb.
• School Beloit College
• Debut April 17, 1908
• Final Game October 8, 1911
• Born April 29, 1883 in North Pownal, VT USA
• Died May 20, 1942 in Utica, NY USA

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Biographical Information

On July 19, 1909 Amby McConnell hit into the first definite unassisted triple play in Major League Baseball history, turned by Neal Ball of the Cleveland Naps. In 1911 he had the best fielding percentage of second basemen in the American League. He held the Boston Red Sox rookie record for steals (31) for almost 100 years - until Jacoby Ellsbury broke it in 2008. After his major league career ended, he managed in the minor leagues and in 1919 won the batting title as the player-manager of the pennant-winning Petersburg Goobers of the Virginia League. In 1939 he owned and managed the Utica Braves of the Canadian-American League but got into legal trouble when he signed SS Leo Schoppmyer to two contracts, putting the team over the salary cap. McConnell was fined $250 and resigned as manager on June 26th. He died of a heart attack in 1942. His widow sold her share in the team the next year.

McConnell managed the Utica Utes in 1916-1917 and in 1924 until being replaced by Ben Egan on July 17th.

Source: "Baseball's Canadian-American League" by David Pietrusza

His Wikipedia article (retrieved 12-22-19, citing a newspaper article) stated that he was superstitious when in a slump, and would pick up any pins he found (especially hairpins) in the belief that they would bring him good luck.

Related Sites

• Amby McConnell at the SABR Bio Project