Billy Riley
From BR Bullpen
William James Riley
(Pigtail Billy)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 160 lb.
- Debut May 4, 1875
- Born 1855 in Cincinnati, OH USA
- Died November 9, 1887 in Cincinnati, OH USA
Biographical Information[edit]
"Pigtail" Billy Riley is remembered for getting the only walk received by the Keokuk Westerns in 1875, a team that went 1-12.
Riley also played 43 games for the Cleveland Blues in 1879, for whom he was the most-used left fielder.
David Nemec's The Beer and Whisky League has a photo of the 1879 Indianapolis Hoosiers, in which Riley is included. Nemec says that Riley was an early American Association umpire, and that he got the nickname because he looked somewhat Asian. He umpired 8 games in the National League in 1880 and 10 games in the American Association in 1882 and 1885.
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