Roger Connor

1st Baseman

Class of 1976

Roger Connor

1st Baseman

Class of 1976
When 19th century baseball star Roger Connor passed away in 1931 at the age of 74, the first line of his obituary called him “The Babe Ruth of the ‘80s.”

Games

Birth year

About Roger Connor

When 19th century baseball star Roger Connor passed away in 1931 at the age of 74, the first line of his obituary called him “The Babe Ruth of the ‘80s.” But Connor was much more than just a slugger.

Connor spent 18 seasons in the big leagues, breaking in with the Troy Trojans in 1880 before finding a longtime home with the New York Giants. The broad shouldered first baseman with the distinctive handlebar moustache would eventually become the National Pastime’s first power hitter as well as one of the most popular players of his time. When he retired in 1897, his 138 career home runs were more than anybody had ever hit until Ruth surpassed him in 1921.

“He is as fine a specimen of physical development as any in the profession, being a few inches over six feet in height, weighing over two hundred pounds, without an ounce of superfluous flesh, and being admirably proportioned,” read a profile in The New York Clipper. “Not withstanding his great size, he is endowed with more than the average amount of activity, and evidently possesses extraordinary powers of endurance.

“Connor’s honorable and straightforward conduct and affable and courteous demeanor towards all with whom he is brought into contact have won him deserved popularity both on and off the ball field.”

An offensive marvel, the lefty-swinging Connor would hit more than 10 home runs in a season seven times, a 19th century record, and on 11 occasions topped a .300 batting average.

One of Connor’s more memorable feats occurred on Sept. 11, 1886. Playing at the old Polo Grounds in New York City, at 110th Street and Fifth Avenue, he hit a ball that landed on 112th Street on the other side of the right field wall. So impressed were members of the New York Stock Exchange that they passed around a black top hat and took up a collection that eventually led to a $500 gold watch being presented to Connor a few games later.

According to The New York Times, “He met it squarely and it soared up with the speed of a carrier pigeon. All eyes were turned on the tiny sphere as it soared over the head of Charlie Buffinton in right field.”

“Dear Old Roger,” as the fans called him, was later quoted as saying, “I used to nail the horsehide over the fence into the tall grass and that would tickle some of the old New York stockbrokers.”

Blessed with not only power but with speed, Connor was known as an intelligent base runner who would end his career with more than 200 stolen bases and triples.

Sportswriter Sam Crane once penned: “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.”

Connor passed away on Jan. 4, 1931. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976.

The Basics

Year inducted
1976
Birth Place
Waterbury, Connecticut
Birth Year
1857
Died
1931, Waterbury Connecticut

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
New York Giants
Primary Position
1st Baseman
Played For
Troy Trojans, 1880-1882
New York Giants, 1883-1889
New York Giants PL, 1890
New York Giants, 1891
Philadelphia Phillies, 1892
New York Giants, 1893-1894
St. Louis Cardinals, 1894-1897

Career MLB Stats

Games
1,998
At bats
7,797
Hits
2,467
Walks
1,002
Runs
1,620
Doubles
441
Triples
233
Home Runs
138
RBI
1,323
Stolen Bases
244
Batting Average
.316
Ops
.883
On Base %
.397
Slugging %
.486