Emil Gross | |||
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Catcher | |||
Born: Chicago |
March 3, 1858|||
Died: August 24, 1921 Eagle River, Wisconsin |
(aged 63)|||
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MLB debut | |||
August 13, 1879, for the Providence Grays | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
July 14, 1884, for the Chicago Browns/Pittsburgh Stogies | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .295 | ||
Home runs | 7 | ||
Runs scored | 141 | ||
Teams | |||
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Emil Michael Gross (March 3, 1858 – August 21, 1921), was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1877 to 1884. He played five years in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Providence Grays (1879–1881), Philadelphia Quakers (1883), and Chicago Browns/Pittsburgh Stogies (1884).
In 1880, Gross established a new major league record by appearing in 87 games as catcher. During his major league career, he appeared in 248 games and compiled a .295 batting average with 67 doubles, 21 triples, seven home runs, and 107 RBIs.
Gross was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1858. Gross began his professional baseball career playing for the St. Paul Red Caps of the League Alliance in 1877.
In August 1879, Gross made his major league debut with the 1879 Providence Grays, compiled a .348 batting average, and appeared in 30 games as catcher in the last part of the season. The 1879 Providence team won the National League pennant with a 59-25 record and featured Hall of Fame shortstop-manager George Wright and Hall of Fame pitcher Monte Ward who won 49 games in 1879. Gross replaced the Gray's number one catcher, Lew Brown, late in the season.
In 1880, Gross became the Gray's number one catcher and led the National League's catchers in games played (87), putouts (429), assists (126), errors (86), and passed balls (73). His 87 games as catcher in 1880 established a major league record that stood until 1886 when Doc Bushong appeared in 106 games as catcher. Gross also earned a 3.0 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) rating for the 1880 season, one of the highest WAR ratings given to a catcher in the 1870s or 1880s.