Catholic Cemetery Home To Early Baseball Players

Because so many of the early professional baseball players were Irish Catholics, looking at old Catholic cemeteries is like going through a Who’s Who of Baseball history. Today in 1934 marks the death of Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager John J. McGraw (1873-1934) (seen here on the left), who is buried in a Catholic cemetery, Baltimore’s New Cathedral Cemetery. Looking at Find a Grave, I noticed that there are a total of seventeen baseball players listed as Major League (including McGraw):

Michael John Gaule (1869-1918), who played for the Louisville Colonels of the American Association in 1889
Charles Emory Eakle (1887-1959), who played played two games at second base for the Baltimore Terrapins of the Federal League in 1915
Hall of Famer Edward Hugh “Ned” Hanlon (1857-1937), player and manager. During his long career he was associated with Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Brooklyn.
Hall of Famer James Joseph “Joe” Kelly (1871-1943)
William Dearstyne “Bill” Kellogg (1884-1971), who was a utility player for the Cincinnati Reds in 1914.
Walter Irvin “Peck” Lerian (1903-1929),a promising catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies who played in the 1928 and 1929 seasons. He was killed in an auto accident.
John Michael Lyston (1867-1909), who played for the Columbus Solons, the Philadelphia Athletics, the Cleveland Spiders, and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms starting in 1891.
Robert T. Mathews (1851-1898), who in 1871 became the first pitcher to start, win and throw a shutout in a professional league game. He was also the first person to pitch 100 professional league games. He was reputedly the first pitcher to ever throw an out curve and spitball.
James Michael Ignatius Mathison (1878-1911), who played third base for the Baltimore Orioles in 1902.
Edward Cameron “Ed” McLane (1881-1975), who played the outfield in one game in 1907 with the Brooklyn Superbas.
Michael Joseph “Frank” Morrissey (1876-1939), who pitched for the Boston Americans in 1901, and for the Chicago Orphans in 1902.
Hall of Famer Wilbert Robinson (1863-1934), who played for seventeen seasons and managed the Brooklyn Dodgers for eighteen.
Edwin Americus “Eddie” Rommel (1897-1970), who pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics 1920-1932.
Edward T. “Nick” Scharf (1858-1937), who played for the Baltimore Orioles in 1882 and 1883.
Walter Clayton “Walt” Smallwood (1893-1967), who pitched for the Yankees 1917-1918.
Michael Timothy “Jimmy” Walsh (1886-1947), who played for Philadelphia, Baltimore and St. Louis beginning in 1910.

Is this some kind of record? I assume it must be, certainly at least as far as Catholic cemeteries go.

Catholic Cemetery Home to Early Baseball Players