Buttercup Dickerson

Lewis Pessano Dickerson

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 6", Weight 140 lb.

• Debut July 15, 1878
• Final Game June 1, 1885
• Born October 11, 1858 in Tyaskin, MD USA
• Died July 23, 1920 in Baltimore, MD USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"Lew Dickerson (is) the famous old-timer who has played with half the clubs in the country, and is one of the best batsmen in the business. He has overcome his great weakness..." - Sporting Life, Feb. 24, 1886

The name Buttercup Dickerson doesn't make it obvious, but Lewis "Buttercup" Pessano Dickerson is remembered as the first Italian-American player in the major leagues. He was an above-average batter during his seven years in the majors.

A 5' 6" outfielder who never played more than 85 games in any one season, he led the league in triples in 1879, when he played on the Cincinnati Reds along with Cal McVey, Deacon White, Ross Barnes, King Kelly, and pitcher Will White, who had a record of 43-31.

He was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1979.

Buttercup Dickerson was added to the "blacklist" at a 1881 National League meeting, barring him from playing for or against any NL team. He was reinstated in 1883.

One fan commemorated Dickerson's time on the 1883 Pittsburgh Alleghenys by manufacturing a line of T-shirts remembering Dickerson, The Only Nolan, and the Alleghenies as "The Hardest Drinking Team of All Time".

When the Sporting News did an article in 2001 on the best baseball nicknames of all time, Buttercup made the list of the top 30 (Pickles Dillhoefer was chosen # 1). In fact, though, the press usually called him Lew Dickerson.

"Lew Dickerson is playing good ball for Portland and behaving himself." - Sporting Life, May 25, 1887

"There are a number of pretty fair 'young bloods', and re-developed and rehabilitated Lew Dickerson in town. Bear in mind the fact that this is not the old Lew, but a steady man and prime player in every respect." - Sporting Life's Baltimore correspondent, December 28, 1887

Notable Achievements

• NL Triples Leader (1879)

Related Sites

• Buttercup Dickerson at the SABR Bio Project