Scott Hastings

Winfield Scott Hastings

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 161 lb.

• Debut May 6, 1871
• Final Game September 1, 1877
• Born August 10, 1847 in Hillsboro, OH USA
• Died August 14, 1907 in Los Angeles, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Catcher-outfielder Scott Hastings played for seven teams in seven years in the National Association and a young National League.

Researchers have done quite a bit of work on Hastings. It is said he was the first catcher to use signals for pitch-calling. There is speculation he may have been playing amateur ball as early as 1863 (although no details are given). He was listed as a hotel clerk in the 1870 census.

In the winter of 1870-71 he played for a team in New Orleans, and the Rockford Forest Citys violated National Association rules when they signed him to a new contract before a mandated waiting period was up. Thus, they had to forfeit a number of wins in which he played before June 16, 1871 - the date he was eligible to sign. Two of these wins were against the Philadelphia Athletics and they were the difference in their winning the league's first championship over the Boston Red Stockings.

In addition to his playing and managerial career, he umpired a total of 10 games in the National Association between 1871 and 1874, and 3 more in the National League in 1877.

In 1887 he was player-manager for a Santa Cruz team in a local league; the 1900 census says he was working at a powder mill in Santa Cruz, CA.

Main source for the items above: Hastings research

He was a Civil War veteran. He enlisted as a private on April 28, 1864; he enlisted in Company B, 145th Infantry Regiment (Illinois) on June 9 1864 and mustered out on September 23, 1864 at Camp Butler, in Springfield, IL.

Related Sites

• BR Manager page
• BR Minors page

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