Neal Ball
| Neal Ball | |||
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| Shortstop | |||
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Born: April 22, 1881 Grand Haven, Michigan |
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Died: October 15, 1957 (aged 76) Bridgeport, Connecticut |
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| MLB debut | |||
| September 12, 1907, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| June 30, 1913, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .251 | ||
| Hits | 404 | ||
| Runs batted in | 151 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Cornelius "Neal" Ball (April 22, 1881 – October 15, 1957) was an American baseball shortstop who played seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the New York Highlanders, Cleveland Naps and Boston Red Sox from 1907 to 1913. Although his primary position was shortstop, Ball played at second base, third base and in the outfield as well. He is most famous for being the first player to turn an unassisted triple play in Major League Baseball history on July 19, 1909.
Ball played minor league baseball for the Montgomery Senators of the Southern League until 1907, when he signed for the New York Highlanders. After spending less than three seasons with the organization, Ball was sold to the Cleveland Naps, where he spent the next two seasons. In the middle of the 1912 season, his contract was then purchased by the Boston Red Sox, with whom he played his last game on June 30, 1913. He died on October 15, 1957 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Ball was born on April 22, 1881 in Grand Haven, Michigan. After his Major League career ended, he went on to coach the Baltimore Orioles (who were a minor league team at the time). It was there that he was assigned to train Babe Ruth, who had just come out of St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. Ball described Ruth as "the dumbest and yet the strongest player" he had ever coached. The two remained good friends after Ruth broke into the Majors and even played a friendly game of bowling against one another in 1923 (with Ball edging out Ruth, winning four out of the seven games played). Ruth held Ball in great respect, and because of their close friendship in baseball, he eventually became a fan of the New York Yankees. In the 1950s, an annual bowling tournament held at the Newfield Alleys near Bridgeport, Connecticut was named after Ball in order to honor the city's famous inhabitant. On February 12, 1952, at the age of 71, his health severely deteriorated due to a heart ailment and he was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital, where he was placed on the danger list and visitors were prohibited from seeing him. Five years later, he died on October 15, 1957 and was interred at Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport.
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