Al Bridwell

Albert Henry Bridwell (January 4, 1884 – January 23, 1969) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for a number of teams in the early 20th century, most notably the New York Giants, when the team was managed by John McGraw. Bridwell hit the (apparent) single which led to the crucial Merkle's Boner running error of the 1908 season against the Chicago Cubs. The error ended up costing the Giants the pennant (the apparent winning run was nullified, the game was thus declared a tie, and the Cubs won the makeup of that game).

Al Bridwell
1911 Al Bridwell baseball card
Shortstop
Born: (1884-01-04)January 4, 1884
Friendship, Ohio
Died: January 23, 1969(1969-01-23) (aged 85)
Portsmouth, Ohio
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 16, 1905, for the Cincinnati Reds
Last MLB appearance
September 23, 1915, for the St. Louis Terriers
MLB statistics
Batting average.255
Home runs2
Runs batted in350
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • Led league in fewest strikeout per at-bat in 1911, with 18 strikeouts
  • Led shortstops in fielding percentage at .942 in 1907

Bridwell never played in a World Series. Midway through the 1911 season, he was traded by the Giants, who would go on to play in the 1911 World Series, to the Boston Rustlers. He played his final two years in the Federal League.

In 1,252 career games, Bridwell batted .255 with 350 RBIs. He had 1,064 hits, with 95 doubles and 32 triples in 4,169 at bats.

Bridwell had this to say about the reason why John McGraw was a great manager: "He knew how to handle men, some players he rode and others he didn't. He got the most out of each man." Bridwell's pugnaciousness fit right in with McGraw's style of play. He once punched McGraw in the nose, earning a two-game suspension.[1] However, in The Glory of their Times, Bridwell said he was suspended for two weeks.[2]

Bridwell was interviewed for Lawrence Ritter's 1966 book The Glory of their Times. He died at age 85 and had one daughter.

References
  1. Bak, Richard (1999). New York Giants: A Baseball Album. Arcadia Publishing. p. 36. ISBN 0-7385-0337-1.
  2. Ritter, Lawrence (1966). The Glory of Their Times. HarperCollins Publishers. p. 131. ISBN 0-688-11273-0.
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