Skip Dowd

James Joseph Dowd
previously thought to be Kip Dowd

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 160 lb.
• School College of the Holy Cross
• Debut July 5, 1910
• Final Game July 5, 1910
• Born February 16, 1889 in Holyoke, MA USA
• Died December 20, 1960 in Holyoke, MA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

James "Skip" Dowd was at College of the Holy Cross in 1907-10, coming to the majors in July, 1910 to pitch one game for the 1910 Pittsburgh Pirates. Although he gave up no earned runs, there were four unearned runs in two innings and his WHIP was 3.0. He also played five seasons in the minors, most notably going 14-9 for the 1915 Montreal Royals.

Skip Dowd was born in Holyoke, MA, as was another major leaguer with the same last name, Tommy Dowd, who was born 20 years earlier than Skip. In addition, Tommy was the first major leaguer named Dowd and Skip was the second. Skip is the earliest major leaguer remembered with the first name Skip.

" James "Skip" Dowd. . . attended Holy Cross as a member of the Class of 1910, and was later named to the Holy Cross Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a basketball standout, and his record of 12 field goals made in one game (set in 1909) was not broken until Bob Cousy '50 surpassed it. In baseball, his pitching earned him the title 'The Shutout King' . . ." - from a Holy Cross article about Skip's wife and granddaughter [1]