Jack Burdock

John Joseph Burdock
(Black Jack)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9½", Weight 158 lb.

• Debut May 2, 1872
• Final Game July 23, 1891
• Born April 1, 1852 in Brooklyn, NY USA
• Died November 27, 1931 in Brooklyn, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

“The fielding of Burdock in this match was a model display of second base playing. One throw out of his in the fifth inning, when he fielded Croft’s apparently safe grounder to Start in time, was one of the best plays of the kind ever seen on the field.” - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 18, 1877

Jack Burdock had an 18-year career in the major leagues as a second baseman. Not usually a strong hitter, he had a career year in 1883 when he hit .330 with 80 runs scored and was player-manager part of the year for the Boston Beaneaters, who won the pennant. In September of 1887, he was hit in the head by a fastball thrown by Tim Keefe of the New York Giants; it almost ended his career, but he came back to play a full season the next year, and a handful of games in 1891. He was more renowned for his glove, regarded as the premier glove man at second in the 19th century. All told, he batted .250 in 1,187 games primarily with the Beaneaters.

Burdock had been a young player for four years in the National Association and then was part of the National League's inaugural year in 1876, playing for the Hartford Dark Blues. Early in his career, he played for several years with Bob "Death to Flying Things" Ferguson, and, at the end of his career, he played with John Ward. Burdock managed the 1889 New Haven team in the Atlantic Association, the 1890 Jersey City team in the same league, the 1890 Harrisburg Ponies and 1891 Salem entry in the New England League. He umpired a total of 22 major league games, starting in the National Association from 1872 to 1874, when he worked regularly, but also one National League game in 1881 and one in the American Association in 1887.

Preceded by John Morrill

Boston Beaneaters Manager 1883

Succeeded by John Morrill

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1883	Boston Beaneaters	National League	30-24	--	Boston Beaneaters		replaced by John Morrill on July 21
1889	New Haven	Atlantic Association		4th	none	none	replaced Harry Spence June 18 (replaced by ?)
1890	Jersey City / Harrisburg	Atlantic Association		--	none		replaced Steve Brady replaced by James Harrington
1891	Salem	New England League		5th	none		replaced James Hopkins on June 17 (Original manager was Niehaus)
1896	New Haven Texas Steers	Atlantic League		NA	none		replaced by Ted Sullivan Team disbanded July 12

Related Sites

• Jack Burdock at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Manager page