Patsy Tebeau

From BR Bullpen

Patsy Tebeau.jpg

Oliver Wendell Tebeau

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 5' 8", Weight 163 lb.

BR page

Biographical Information[edit]

Tebeau circa 1907

"Tebeau and McGraw enjoyed almost interchangeable reputations as revolutionary cutthroats of baseball, the Robespierre and Danton of baseball. Innovators of the new rowdy game . . ." - from the book Field of Screams: the Dark Underside of America's National Pastime

Brother of George Tebeau but probably not Pussy Tebeau and cousin of minor leaguer Al Tebeau, Patsy Tebeau played thirteen years in the major leagues and managed twelve. As player-manager, he took his pennant-winning 1892 Cleveland Spiders to post-season play.

He started out in the majors as a third baseman, but became a first baseman in mid-career and eventually played more games at first than at third. He also played some second and shortstop toward the end of his major league career.

Tebeau was playing in the minors as early as 1885. He was born and died in St. Louis, MO, and while most of his major league career was spent with Cleveland, he finished up with St. Louis.

The book Field of Screams says Tebeau was a childhood friend of Bill Joyce in St. Louis. He began in the minors in 1885 and was playing major league ball in 1887 when an injury wiped out the rest of his season. He was a top fielder and an aggressive baserunner, but an ordinary hitter. The book chronicles any number of blood-and-gore type stories, including one in which, in post-season play, McGraw slammed a ball into Tebeau's face, splitting his lip. Tebeau ran a successful saloon in the financial district after his baseball days, but, saddened when his wife left him, committed suicide in 1918.

Notable Achievements[edit]

  • 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1893)


Preceded by
Tim Hurst
St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals Manager
1899-1900
Succeeded by
Louie Heilbroner

Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1890 Cleveland Infants Players League 21-30 7th Cleveland Infants replaced Henry Larkin (34-45) on August 2
1891 Cleveland Spiders National League 31-40 5th Cleveland Spiders replaced Bob Leadley (34-34) on July 11
1892 Cleveland Spiders National League 93-56 2nd Cleveland Spiders Lost League Finals
1893 Cleveland Spiders National League 73-55 3rd Cleveland Spiders
1894 Cleveland Spiders National League 68-61 6th Cleveland Spiders
1895 Cleveland Spiders National League 84-46 2nd Cleveland Spiders
1896 Cleveland Spiders National League 80-48 2nd Cleveland Spiders
1897 Cleveland Spiders National League 69-62 5th Cleveland Spiders
1898 Cleveland Spiders National League 81-68 5th Cleveland Spiders
1899 St. Louis Perfectos National League 84-67 5th St. Louis Perfectos
1900 St. Louis Cardinals National League 42-50 -- St. Louis Cardinals replaced by Louie Heilbroner on August 20

Further Reading[edit]

  • David L. Fleitz: Rowdy Patsy Tebeau and the Cleveland Spiders: Fighting to the Bottom of Baseball, 1887–1899, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2017. ISBN 978-0-7864-9947-2

Related Sites[edit]