Dan Casey

Daniel Maurice Casey

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.
• High School Maine High School (Endwell)
• Debut August 18, 1884
• Final Game October 4, 1890
• Born November 20, 1862 in Binghamton, NY USA
• Died February 8, 1943 in Washington, DC USA

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Biographical Information

"Casey is the highest-salaried man on the Star team. His salary is $300 a month." - Sporting Life, Aug 16, 1890

Pitcher Dan Casey had a brief but successful big league career.

Casey got his first taste of major league ball in 1884, appearing in 2 games for the Wilmington Quicksteps of the Union Association. After going 10-2 with a tight 0.50 ERA in 12 starts for the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the Western League the following year, his contract was purchased by the Detroit Wolverines of the National League in June. In 12 starts for Detroit, he went 4-8 with a 3.29 ERA. Casey was acquired by the Philadelphia Quakers in 1886 and won 24 games. The following summer, he recorded 28 games, while leading the NL with a 2.86 ERA and 4 shutouts. His win totals dropped to 14 in 1888 and 6 in 1889, and he was released by the team. He went 19-22 for the Syracuse Stars of the American Association in 1890, his last major league season. He went on to play several more years in the minors, primarily with the Binghamton Bingoes.

After his playing days, Casey was a minor league umpire and worked as a conductor. He had worked as a fill-in umpire for one game in the National League in 1888. In 1900, it was reported that he was "scalped" when he was struck by an electric wire which supposedly tore the scalp from the top of his head.

Casey was the brother of Dennis Casey. In the 1930s, he claimed that his brother was the basis for the Casey figure in Casey at the Bat. When this did not fly, he claimed it was in fact himself who was the basis (despite the fact that he was only a .162 career hitter). An article in the 1980s concluded that he could have been, or might have been, part of the inspiration. By then, he had been dead nearly forty years, unable to reply.

Notable Achievements

• NL ERA Leader (1887)
• NL Shutouts Leader (1887)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 2 (1886 & 1887)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 4 (1886-1888 & 1890)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 3 (1886, 1887 & 1890)

Related Sites

• Dan Casey at the SABR Bio Project