Dan Stearns | |||
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First baseman | |||
Born: Buffalo, New York |
October 17, 1861|||
Died: June 28, 1944 Glendale, California |
(aged 82)|||
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MLB debut | |||
August 17, 1880, for the Buffalo Bisons | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
October 14, 1889, for the Kansas City Cowboys | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .242 | ||
Home runs | 8 | ||
RBI | 173 | ||
Teams | |||
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Daniel Eckford Stearns (born October 17, 1861 in Buffalo, New York – June 28, 1944 in Glendale, California), commonly known as "Ecky" Stearns, was a Major League Baseball first baseman from 1880-1889. He played for the Buffalo Bisons, Detroit Wolverines, Kansas City Cowboys, Baltimore Orioles, and .
At the start of the 1882 season, clubs playing in the American Association had their players wear non-matching silk uniforms, with a different color and/or pattern corresponding to each position in the field. Accordingly, on Opening Day for the Red Stockings, Stearns wore an unusual candy-striped jersey.
On September 11, 1882, Stearns was involved in a notable milestone, when pitcher Tony Mullane of the Louisville Eclipse pitched the first no-hit game in the history of the American Association against Stearns and his teammates on the Cincinnati Red Stockings, a 2–0 win by Louisville. Stearns made the game's final out by bouncing into a fielder's choice that forced runner Pop Snyder at second base. The Red Stockings had the last laugh, however, ending the year as the AA's inaugural champions.
Unsatisfied with their first-base play in 1882, the Red Stockings signed Long John Reilly of the New York Metropolitans to replace Stearns prior to the 1883 season.