John Glenn (glennjo01)

John W. Glenn

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 169 lb.

• Debut May 13, 1871
• Final Game September 28, 1877
• Born January 1850 in Rochester, NY USA
• Died November 10, 1888 in Sandy Hill, NY USA

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Biographical Information

John Glenn played during the five-year existence of the National Association and then in the inaugural years of the National League in 1876 and 1877.

Prior to the founding of the National Association, he was on the 1870 Washington Nationals team.

He was on the Washington Olympics in 1871, a team which featured several members of the famous 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. His .308 batting average was respectable. He played the outfield.

The Washington Olympics of 1872 lost those famous players, and disbanded after playing 9 games. Glenn appeared in all 9. He then appeared in 1 game with the Washington Nationals that same year, a team that lost all 11 games which it played.

Staying in the same city, Glenn played for yet another Washington team in 1873, the Washington Blue Legs. He switched to first base on a team that won only 8 games. His .265 batting average was slightly above the team average.

In 1874, he moved to the Chicago White Stockings, where he rejoined Davy Force. Glenn's .283 batting average was slightly above the team average. He remained with the team in 1875, but his .244 average dropped below the team average of .262.

He stayed in Chicago when the National League was formed, and played outfield on the White Stockings in 1876, a team which won the pennant. His .304 average was below the team average of .337. The team was full of major stars of the time, including Cap Anson, Deacon White, Cal McVey, Ross Barnes, Paul Hines, and Al Spalding. The team stayed largely intact in 1877, but didn't do nearly as well. Glenn, again in the outfield, hit only .228.

In addition to his playing career, he umpired 2 games in the National Association in 1874 and 5 in the NL in 1880.

On November 8, 1888, he was arrested in Sandy Hill, NY for assaulting a nine-year-old girl. While attempting to protect him from a lynch mob, a policeman accidentally shot Glenn in the head. (Nov. 10, 1888 Philadelphia North American)

Related Sites

• John Glenn at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page