Pop Schriver

William Frederick Schriver

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9½", Weight 172 lb.

• Debut April 29, 1886
• Final Game October 6, 1901
• Born July 11, 1865 in Brooklyn, NY USA
• Died December 27, 1932 in New York, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Pop Schriver is best remembered as the first catcher to catch a ball dropped from the Washington Monument, but when he was on an actual baseball field, he played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including games at five positions other than catcher.

Schriver, as pictured in a photo on some sheet music of the "The Giant's Mascot March", dedicated to the New York Baseball Team, was relatively short and husky but not fat. Pitcher Amos Rusie, also in the photo, towers over him.

Schriver was born in Brooklyn, NY and came up originally at the age of 20 with the Brooklyn Grays of the American Association in 1886. Two years later, he spent the first of three years with the Philadelphia team in the National League, first known as the Quakers and then the Phillies.

His performance in 1889 and 1890 may not seem impressive, but most catchers took a beating behind the plate in those days, so it was not all that common to hit well. In 1889, when he hit .265, the team hit .266.

He spent four years with the Chicago Colts from 1891 to 1894, the longest he stayed with any one team. His .275 average in 1894 seems respectable till one realizes that the team as a whole hit .314 that year. In 1895 and 1897, in fairly limited play with the New York Giants and the Cincinnati Reds, he hit over .300 both years.

From 1898 to 1900, he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and hence was already on the team when Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke came over from the Louisville Colonels. He closed out his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1901.

He umpired 7 National League games in 1901.