Candy LaChance

George Joseph LaChance

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 183 lb.

• Debut August 15, 1893
• Final Game April 28, 1905
• Born February 14, 1870 in Putnam, CT USA
• Died August 18, 1932 in Waterville, CT USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"Candy LaChance was perhaps the league's best-fielding first baseman. . . Possessed of a sour disposition . . . LaChance once challenged (Rube) Waddell to a wrestling match, which lasted an hour. Waddell finally pinned the exhausted LaChance . . ." - from the book 27 Men Out: Baseball's Perfect Games

"George LaChance . . . was the receiving end of the famous Klobedanz-LaChance battery that was first heard of in a game against the Boston Players League team . . . in 1890 . . . he is a wonder in fielding bad throws and in handling balls where a long reach is required, and is sure on fly balls." - from the Reach Guide for 1902

George "Candy" LaChance played 12 years in the big leagues. He was a regular on the Boston Americans of 1903 who won the first World Series.

Although he is remembered by the name Candy LaChance, it appears that references to him in the press of his time typically referred to him as George LaChance.

LaChance was born in Putnam, CT and played in the Connecticut State League at age 21. After a couple more years in the minors, he came up to the majors on August 15, 1893, with the Brooklyn Grooms. He had been a minor league catcher. During the lively ball era of the 1890s he played six seasons with Brooklyn, mostly playing first base (which was a key defensive position at the time) but not usually finishing among the league leaders in offensive categories.

After his years with Brooklyn he came to the Baltimore Orioles in 1899, who were managed by third baseman John McGraw, who was 26 at the time.

In 1900 he played for the American League during the only year that it was a minor league, and then stayed with the Cleveland Blues in 1901 as the American League became a major league in direct competition with the National League.

From 1902 to 1905 he stayed in the American League, playing for the Boston Americans. His batting average gradually declined and for most of 1905 he was in the minors with the Montreal Royals. He continued to play in the minors through 1908 but his average also gradually declined in the minors as he aged. In 1907 and 1908 he was back in the Connecticut State League with the Waterbury Authors, where he had previously played in 1891.

In later life he was a watchman in a factory.

Notable Achievements

• 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1895)
• Won a World Series with the Boston Americans in 1903

Related Sites

• Candy LaChance at the SABR Bio Project