Roger Bresnahan: New York Giants Catching Pioneer Who Was the First to Wear Protective Gear Behind the Plate (1902 - 1908)

Roger Philip Bresnahan was born on June 11, 1879 in Toledo Ohio. The fiery player was known as “The Duke of Tralee” because of his Irish ancestry. His parents had come over from Ireland seven years earlier.

The five foot, nine inch two hundred pound right handed began his career at the turn of the 20th Century as a pitcher. He pitched for the Washington Senators (1897) & Baltimore Orioles (1901). In Baltimore he played for John McGraw as his utility man.

NY Giants Career: By 1902 he jumped over to the National League with John McGraw & Iron Joe McGinnity to the New York Giants . In New York he would end up playing all infield & outfield positions at one time or another. 

In 1903, his first year in New York, he batted a career high .350 (fourth in the NL) with a .443 on base % (second in the NL). That year he also stole 34 bases, hit 30 doubles, eight triples, four HRs & drove in 55 runs.

Pioneer for Catcher's Protective Gear: In New York for John McGraw's Giants, Bresnahan became a pioneer catcher, introducing catching gear at the MLB level. In the early 20th Century, certain protective items were slowly being introduced at the college level but Bresnahan was the first to use them at the major league level. 

He is credited with inventing shin guards & being the first catcher to use them in an actual game. At first he wore a paper-mache protector for his knees under his uniform. Then in 1907 he appeared on Opening Day with a huge pair of shin guards based on a cricket players gear. Opposing Manager Fred Clarke protested that the guards would be a danger to opposing players while sliding. The gear was trimmed down & became Rogers trademark. 

Roger also created a leather type batting helmet similar to early football leather helmets, after he had suffered a severe beaning. Later, he also added padded leather to his wire catchers mask as well.

Because he was a first at doing something different, he was taunted by opposing players & subject to questioning by opposing managers, but it didn’t bother Bresnahan.

Tough To Steal On: Giants Manager & friend John McGraw called him one of the best catchers in the game, and one of the toughest to steal a base on. Roger threw out 42% of would be base stealers every season he played in New York (1902-1908). 

In 1905 he led the league in that category nailing 55% of base runners trying to steal. He was also second in the league in turning double plays. He would also lead the league in passed balls two twice.

Christy Mathewson's Favorite Catcher: Bresnahan was the battery mate of the great Christy Mathewson & was his favorite backstop to work with. Roger  caught many of Mathewson's pitching feats including the three complete game shut outs in the 1905 World Series & his two thirty plus wins seasons. The two are credited as one of the best pitcher/catcher combos of all time.

In his four years with the Giants as Mathewson's main catcher, Christy won thirty games or more twice, led the NL in wins, strike outs& shut outs three times, ERA & complete games twice as well as games, starts & innings once.

Even though Bresnahan was a catcher his athletic abilities made him fast enough to bat in the leadoff spot, this during an age when speed was more important than power. 

1905 Championship Season: In the Giants 1905 Championship season he batted .302 (tenth in the NL) with a .411 on base %. He hit 18 doubles drove in 46 runs & stole 11 bases in 104 games.

1905 World Series: In the World Series win over  Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's, he made history, being the catcher behind the plate when Christy Mathewson tossed three World Series shut outs in the same week.

In Game #1 Bresnahan scored the Series first run, crossing the plate on a Turkey Mike Donlin's single. Bresnahan collected two hits in the game & drove in a run in the top of the 9th inning, with an RBI single off Eddie Plank in the Giants 3-0 win. 

Bresnahan collected four more hits in the five game series with a multi-two hit game in the final Game #5. Overall he hit .315 (5-16) in his only World Series appearance.

After the Championship: Roger hit over .300 twice & over .280 five times in his six & a half years with the Giants. He was among the league’s top ten batting leaders, three times & the top five in on base % six times in his career. He continued to have a great ability to get on base, by any means he could.

In 1906 he led the league in hit by pitches (15) while posting a .419 on base %. (Second in the NL). In 1908 he led the NL in walks (83) while batting .283 & posting a .401 on base %. (third in the league).

Post Giants Career: In 1909 the Giants traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals where team owner Stanley Robinson had taken a liken to Bresnahan, in exchange for Bugs Raymond & Red Murray.

 Roger played in St. Louis for four years, mostly in a backup role as his hitting dropped off. 

 

When owner Stanley Robinson died his niece took control of the team, a big position as well as a very unusual one for a woman at that time. Helene Robinson Britton became the first woman to own a baseball club. She soon named Bresnahan the Cardinal's manager. Eventually the two began to argue frequently & he was eventually fired then sold to the Chicago Cubs. 

Hero in Tragedy: On July 11th, 1911 the Cardinals were on a train to Boston, when the train derailed & fell eighteen feet off an embankment, near Bridgeport, Connecticut. Although 14 people were killed, Bresnahan & his team mates survived, helping rescue some of the injured survivors. 

Afterward they also helped to remove some of the dead bodies. At the time he was the team’s player manager (1909-1912). Before the train ride began it was Bresnahan that requested a change in location of Pullman cars, where the Cardinals were to be seated. 

Bresnahan played three seasons with the Cubs & in 1915 his final season was the teams
player/manager.

Career Stats: In his 17 year career he batted .279 with 1252 hits 26 HRs 530 RBIs 218 doubles 71 triples a .386 on base % & 212 stolen bases. 

Behind the plate he caught 974 games, throwing out 44% of would be base stealers, posting a .965 fielding %. Roger made 1995 assists (25th all time) turning 96 double plays (65th all time) while committing 167 errors (60th all time).

Retirement: Roger would also managed the Chicago Cubs for two seasons while still being an active player. 

Toledo Mud Hens: In 1916 he returned to his hometown of Toledo Ohio & purchased a baseball team that later became the legendary minor league, Toledo Mud Hens. He gave many of his old baseball friends job within the organization.

In 1925 Roger returned to New York coaching with the New York Giants for three more seasons under his former manager John McGraw. 

In 1929 he was hit hard by the stock market crash taking jobs in a warehouse & Brewing Company. Later in life he even entered politics running for a county seat in which he lost.

Family: Roger was married to his wife Gertrude until the time of his death.

Passing: In 1944 Bresnahan passed away from a heart attack at his home in Toledo, Ohio at age 65.

Honors: Bresnahan is considered one of the greatest catchers of all time. Hewas enshrined at Cooperstown in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.