Harry Staley

Henry Eli Staley

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut June 23, 1888
• Final Game July 30, 1895
• Born November 3, 1866 in Jacksonville, IL USA
• Died January 12, 1910 in Battle Creek, MI USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Harry Staley pitched eight seasons in the big leagues, winning 136 games. He was second in the league in ERA in 1890.

Staley began professionally in 1885 with Decatur. In the majors, he was with clubs in Pittsburgh from 1888-90 and part of 1891 before coming to the 1891 Boston Beaneaters, with whom he went 20-8 and helped to win the pennant. He repeated the feat in 1892, going 22-10 as the Beaneaters again won the pennant. He was 18-10 in 1893 as the Boston team did a three-peat. In his last season with the team, he went 12-10 while the team was 83-49, finishing third.

He finished his major league career with St. Louis in 1895 (he had previously played for a minor league St. Louis team in 1888), and then played some more years in the minors. He umpired two National League games, one in 1892 and the other in 1895.

Sporting Life of June 7, 1890, featured a large sketch of his face on p. 5, with the caption "Harry Staley, The Noted Pitcher of the Pittsburg Players' League Club". When he died in 1910, Sporting Life said he was "a genial and sunny chap who made a lot of friends while a member of the Boston Club."

In 1895 he declared himself insulted when a newspaper called him "Anheuser Busch". Staley said that he was lighter than he had been in years, and didn't care if anyone knew he drank a beer now and then.

"Harry Staley does not look in such bad shape, for all that he has put in the winter about this city with a lot of good fellows." - Sporting Life, Feb. 17, 1894

"When Jack Stivetts heard that Harry Staley had trained down to 170 pounds he remarked: 'Well, if he's reached that figure he either has consumption or had a leg cut off.' " - Sporting Life, June 1, 1895

Notable Achievements

• 20 Wins Seasons: 4 (1889-1892)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 7 (1888-1894)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 3 (1889-1891)
• 400 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1889)