Roger Connor
The most prolific home run hitter of the nineteenth century, Roger Connor was one of baseball's first stars. With the New York Giants he teamed with John Ward and Buck Ewing to play on some of the best teams of the 1880s. Later he formed a powerful lineup with Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson, and Ed Delahanty in Philadelphia. Though he belted 138 homers in his career, he was not correctly recognized as the all-time leader when Babe Ruth eclipsed his mark in 1921. Only later did Major League Baseball's rules committee sanction Connor as the record-holder prior to Ruth. That mark helped gain him long overdue election to the Hall of Fame.
Quotes About Connor
"With his weight catapulting him, with speed and force, he slid feet first and, as he landed, could bob up, like a jack-in-the-box." — sportswriter Sam Crane
Played For
Troy Trojans, National League (1880-1882)
New York Giants (1883-1891)
Philadelphia Phillies (1892)
New York Giants (1893-1894)
St. Louis Cardinals (1894-1897)
Managed
St. Louis Cardinals (1896)
All-Time Rankings
Roger Connor ranks #9 among the Top 50 all-time at 1B. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1885
Led the league in batting (.371), OBP, hits, and total bases. He had many excellent seasons in which he was near the top of his league in many offensive categories.
Factoids
On September 11, 1886, Roger Connor became the first man (and possibly only man) to hit a ball completely out of the original Polo Grounds. As a result, his adoring fans presented him with a gold watch valued at nearly $500.
On September 10, 1881, Roger Connor hit the first grand slam in major league history. His homer ended the game in "walk-off" fashion.
Born
Roger Connor was born on July 1, 1857, in Waterbury, CT.
Died
January 4, 1931, Waterbury, CT
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Primary Position: 1B
Primary Team: NY1
Major League Debut
May 1, 1880
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1880
Coming soon...
Similar Players
Dan Brouthers
Related Players
Buck Ewing, Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson, Ed Delahanty, John Ward... Babe Ruth broke Connor's all-time homer mark (though it wasn't known at the time), and Hank Aaron broke Ruth's record.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1976 |
Veterans |
|
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1888 World Series
1889 World Series
Notes
It was reportedly Connor's prowess and stature that New York manager Jim Mutrie was referring to when he gushed about his team, "Look at my giants!" Thus the nickname for the New York, and later San Francisco Giants... Connor was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976, thanks in part to the recommendation of umpire Bill Klem, who was befriended by Connor when Roger was a minor league owner after his playing career.
Best Strength as a Player
Hitting for power and in the clutch.
Learn More about Roger Connor
Search Amazon.com for Books about Roger Connor ⇒
Search for Roger Connor at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
