Monk Cline

John P. Cline

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 4", Weight 150 lb.

• Debut July 4, 1882
• Final Game October 4, 1891
• Born March 3, 1858 in Louisville, KY USA
• Died September 23, 1916 in Louisville, KY USA

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Biographical Information

"Monk Cline, of Memphis, June 3, secured a run by a new trick. He was on first, and Lynch, of Birmingham, holding the ball. Cline snatched the ball, threw it out in the field and went to second, scoring on a hit. Umpire Hengle refused to call Cline out for throwing the ball." - Sporting Life, June 13, 1888

"Monk Cline is said to be endeavoring to excel Tug Arundel as the champion kicker of the Southern League." - Sporting Life, September 2, 1885

"Monk Cline, of the Atlanta team... when he got through kicking at the Charleston team and the umpire, started to kick at the grass growing in right field because it did not grow fast enough." - Sporting Life's Charleston correspondent, June 4, 1892, recalling an episode of Monk Cline complaining

Louisville's Monk Cline patrolled the outfield in five seasons in the American Association, three of which came with the Louisville squads. His best year came in 1884 with the Louisville Eclipse, when he hit .290/.342/.381 in a career high 94 games. While playing for Louisville, he was one of the earliest players to use a bat that would grow to be called the Louisville Slugger. Source: "Louisville Slugger" entry in The Encyclopedia of Louisville. See also 1887 baseball card

Monk played for a variety of minor league teams, including Spokane, Memphis, Atlanta, Lincoln, Sioux City and St. Paul. In the 1891-92 offseason, he served as a fireman for a while and then worked as a jailer. One article referred to him as an "ex-umpire". Cline and Harry Wheeler were both born on the same day, March 3, 1858, about 90 miles away from each other.