Dickey Pearce

Shortstop

Born: February 29, 1836
Brooklyn, New York

Died: September 18, 1908 (aged 72)
Wareham, Massachusetts

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

MLB debut

May 18, 1871, for the New York Mutuals

Last MLB appearance

October 6, 1877, for the

MLB statistics

Batting average

.252

Home runs

Runs batted in

137

Teams

National Association of Base Ball Players: Brooklyn Atlantics (1857–1870); Excelsior of Brooklyn (1866)
League player: New York Mutuals (1871–72); Brooklyn Atlantics (1873–74); (1875–77)
League manager: New York Mutuals (1872); (1875)

Richard J. "Dickey" Pearce (February 29, 1836 – September 18, 1908) was an American professional baseball player and one of the sport's most famous early figures. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and began playing with the Brooklyn Atlantics in 1856. He continued his career in the National Association and the early years of Major League Baseball. It is possible Pearce was one of the first baseball players to earn money for playing the game professionally. Pearce is given credit for pioneering the shortstop position. Pearce introduced his "tricky hit" to baseball, known today as the bunt. For much of his career, the rules permitted the ball to roll foul and still be a hit.

Pearce played professionally for 22 years, spanning the generation from the game's beginnings to the National League. In the June 30, 1868 edition of the St. Louis Times, the paper said of him: "Pearce has been noted as a superior shortstop for ten years and to-day has no equal in the base ball field. He bats with great judgment and safety..." After retiring from playing, Pearce umpired into the mid-1880s.

...
Wikipedia