Bresnahan, Roger P.
Baseball
b. June 11, 1879, Toledo, OH
d. Dec. 4, 1944
Bresnahan had a rather brief major league career, but he was the outstanding catcher of his era, and his invention of shinguards earned him a place in baseball history.
Nicknamed "the Duke of Tralee" because he claimed to be a native of Tralee, Ireland, Bresnahan joined the Washington team in the National League as a pitcher late in the 1897 season and had a 4-0 record. But the Senators wouldn't pay him what he wanted in 1898, so he returned to minor league baseball and made his debut as a catcher in 1899.
After playing one game with the Chicago Cubs in 1900, Bresnahan went to the Baltimore Orioles of the new American League the following season. Although primarily a catcher, he was also used at third base and in the outfield at times.
In the middle of the 1902 season, Bresnahan went to the National League's New York Giants with manager John McGraw and several other players. A leadoff hitter, he batted .350 and stole 34 bases in 1903. He became a full-time catcher in 1905, when he hit .302 during the regular season and .313 in the Giants' five-game World Series victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.
Catchers early in the 20th century usually wore some sort of shin protection, often rolled-up newspapers, under their uniform pants. In 1907, Bresnahan began wearing fiber shinguards over his pants, an idea borrwed from cricket. He was derided by some and criticized by others who thought the pads were dangerous to runners sliding into the plate, but the league officially approved their use. Shinguards soon became standard equipment for catchers.
Bresnahan went to the St. Louis Cardinals as playing manager in 1909 and remained there through the 1912 season, then rejoined the Chicago Cubs. He managed the Cubs in 1915, after which he left baseball for a time. In 1923, Bresnahan bought the Toledo minor league franchise and managed the team. He later coached with the Giants and Detroit Tigers.