Tommy Irwin

Thomas Andrew Irwin

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.
• School University of North Carolina
• Debut October 1, 1938
• Final Game October 2, 1938
• Born December 20, 1912 in Altoona, PA USA
• Died April 25, 1996 in Altoona, PA USA

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Biographical Information

Shortstop Tommy Irwin spent six seasons in professional baseball from 1936 to 1942. The 23-year-old Pennsylvania native was signed out of the University of North Carolina by the Cleveland Indians and was optioned to the New Orleans Pelicans where he appeared in 151 games and hit .283 with two home runs.

Irwin spent the 1937 season, again with the New Orleans club, hitting a career high .322 for the year along with 37 doubles and was in the American Association for the 1938 season with the Milwaukee Brewers. He hit at a .296 clip with eight homers and was called up by the major league Cleveland Indians for the last two days of the season, appearing in three games with nine at-bats and one base-hit for a .111 average. This was it for Tommy in the major leagues.

On December 15, 1938 Irwin was traded by the Indians along with Denny Galehouse to the Boston Red Sox for Ben Chapman. However, he would not get another chance in the big leagues and spent the remainder of his career in the high minors. Tommy finished up in 1942 with the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association and the Binghamton Triplets of the Eastern League in a split season affair, hitting just .206 in 80 games and called it a career. Irwin's minor league stats show that he hit for a .284 average in 759 games and fielded his infield position at a .942 percentage.

After his active days in the game he scouted for the Cleveland organization and was a conductor for the Penn Central Railroad, retiring in 1974. He resided in his native Pennsylvania area where he lived until his death, after an extended illness, on April 25, 1996 in Altoona, PA. Thomas Andrew Irwin was 83 years of age.