Jim McGarr

James Vincent McGarr
(Reds)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9½", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut May 18, 1912
• Final Game May 18, 1912
• Born November 9, 1888 in Philadelphia, PA USA
• Died July 21, 1981 in Miami, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Jim McGarr was the second baseman for the team of amateur ballplayers put together hastily by the Detroit Tigers to play a game in Philadelphia, PA on May 18, 1912 when their regular players went on strike to protest against the suspension of the team's star, Ty Cobb. In his one game, he went 0 for 4 at the plate and committed one error in the field as the amateurs were trounced by the Philadelphia Athletics, 24-2.

McGarr was employed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia and played on its baseball team, the Baldwin Amateur Association. The team's manager was Dan McGarvey, who was also recruited for the May 18th game, and played left field.

Further Reading

• Kevin W. Barwin: "Paper Tigers: How a Player Strike Put a Team of 'Misfits' on a Major League Field for a Day", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 52 Number 1 (Spring 2023), pp. 5-13.