Mike Hines

Michael P. Hines

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 176 lb.

• Debut May 1, 1883
• Final Game August 18, 1888
• Born September, 1862 in Ireland
• Died March 14, 1910 in Taunton, MA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"One of the later generation of base ball goers wanted to know if there ever had been a left-handed catcher. There were three of considerable note, Mike Hines, Sam Trott and John Clements. Hines in the early 80's caught Jim Whitney, a pitcher of great speed." - Sporting Life, April 29, 1911

Catcher-outfielder Mike Hines played four years in the majors. As a rookie in 1883, he was the # 1 catcher on the Boston Beaneaters team that won the National League pennant.

Hines spent all of his major league career, except for four games, with Boston. He also umpired one National League game in 1884.

Mike continued to play in the minors, mostly in the Northeast and the South, as late as 1895.

In August 1883 Hines started a triple play under unusual circumstances: the pitcher tried to catch a pop-up but dropped it, with Hines catching it before it hit the ground. The runners apparently thought it had hit the ground, and a triple play resulted.

He caused a controversy in August 1884 when, with the bases loaded, as catcher he (apparently intentionally) dropped a called third strike, stepped on home plate to force out the runner from third, and then threw out the batter at first to get a double play to end the inning. Detroit, the opposing team, was incensed and refused to continue the game. The rules have since been changed to disallow a double play of that sort. Source: SABR biography of Frank Cox.

Hines was a left-handed catcher. Born in Ireland, he came to the majors at a time when Irish-born players were breaking in at the rate of one or two each year.