John Galvin

John A. Galvin

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 7", Weight 178 lb.

• Debut May 7, 1872
• Final Game May 7, 1872
• Born August, 1842 in New York USA
• Died April 20, 1904 in Brooklyn, NY USA

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Biographical Information

John Galvin was in only one game in the National Association, but was a top player long before that. The book When Johnny Came Sliding Home, about the years before the NA existed, shows that Galvin was playing with the amateur Brooklyn Atlantics in 1865 and 1866, a time when they were quite good. His teammates included Dickey Pearce and Joe Start.

He was close to 30 when he played in the NA, and was the oldest player on the Atlantics in 1872 (of those players whose ages are known).

The book A Brooklyn Dodgers Reader states that Galvin goes back even before 1865 - in 1861 he was part of the Exercise Club, a team which also featured Joe Sprague.

In 1887 it was reported that he was superintending the laying of the foundation for an elevated railroad in Brooklyn.