Scrappy Carroll

John E. Carroll

• Bats Right, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 7", Weight 160 lb.

• Debut September 27, 1884
• Final Game October 3, 1887
• Born August 27, 1860 in Buffalo, NY USA
• Died November 14, 1942 in Buffalo, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Scrappy Carroll played three years in the majors for three different teams in three different leagues. In a very odd statistical quirk, he is listed as a regular outfielder for the 1885 Buffalo Bisons although he played only 13 games for them: most of the players with more outfield games than Scrappy were also regulars at other positions and, thus, could not be listed twice. Carroll is mentioned in the article about the 1884 Union Association in the New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. He had the most hits in a group of 72 UA players that Bill put together to analyze whether players without much major league playing time outside of the league had success.

Carroll was born and died in Buffalo, and played for several teams there in the majors and minors. He also played for several other teams, including time in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Utica. He was remembered when Dustin Pedroia won the MVP award, as the term "scrappy" was analyzed by at least a couple writers, and Carroll was identified as perhaps the first to have the moniker. In fact, he and Scrappy Moore are the only major leaguers (through 2019) with that "first name", while "Scrappy" Bill Joyce informally had the nickname.