Dick Harley

During the summer of 1893, Dick played baseball with Arthur Irwin's Atlantic City, N.J. Team of All Collegians (South Jersey League). The following summer, 1894, he played with Phil King's Team of All Collegians at Cape May, N.J. During the summer of 1895 Dick played baseball for Harry Mackey's Team of All Collegians at Atlantic City. Dick was elected captain of the Georgetown nine in his sixth and final year and had standing offers from two professional baseball teams. One team, Rochester of the Eastern League, reportedly "claimed" Harley as reported by the Springfield Republican on March 25, 1895. Dick stayed in school and graduated vice-president of the Georgetown Class of 1896. After graduation, Dick immediately signed his first professional baseball contract with the Springfield Ponies (Massachusetts) of the Eastern League where he played from June 28, 1896 to September 15, 1896. Later in the fall of 1896 he was contacted by the Philadelphia Phillies who he eventually signed a contract with in December of 1896 and attended their spring training camp in Augusta, Georgia for 1897. (ref. rwh220)

On May 29, 1897, he was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Bill Hallman to the St. Louis Browns in exchange for Tommy Dowd.[7][8] At the time, The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that, while Harley was drawing "a big salary for a young player", he was "worth every cent he draws. That boy is a comer, if there ever was one."[8] Harley made his major league debut on June 2, 1897, with the Browns. On June 24, 1897, he collected six hits in a 12-inning game played at Pittsburgh.[9][10] During the 1897 season, he hit .288 in 90 games for the Browns. The following year, he appeared in 142 games for the Browns, but his batting average dropped by more than 40 points to .246.[1] He was hit by a pitch for a career high 22 times in 1898. He also led all National League outfielders in 1898 with 26 assists and ranked second with 27 errors.[1]

Prior to the start of the 1899 season, the St. Louis Browns baseball club was acquired by the owners of the Cleveland Spiders. On March 29, 1899, Harley was assigned by the St. Louis club to the Spiders. He appeared in 142 games for the 1899 Spiders and compiled a .250 batting average with a career-high 50 RBIs.[1] He was the starting left fielder for the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who some consider to be the worst team in baseball history.[11] The Spiders went 20–134, scoring 529 runs and allowing 1,252 runs. Harley led all National League outfielders in 1899 with 27 errors.[1]

On April 3, 1900, the Detroit Tigers purchased four former Spiders: Harley, Sport McAllister, Harry Lochhead, and Suter Sullivan.[12] (The Tigers were part of the American League in 1900, but the league was not recognized as a major league until 1901.) Harley appeared in 123 games for the 1900 Tigers and led the team with a .325 batting average, 77 runs scored, and 47 stolen bases.[13]

In September 1900, after the Tigers had completed their season, Harley joined the Cincinnati Reds. He appeared in five games and hit .428.[1] However, he remained the property of the Tigers. In October 1900, Detroit club owner James D. Burns announced that he had rejected an offer of $2,000 to sell Harley, but he would sell for $3,000.[14] One week after Burns' statement, the Reds purchased Harley from Detroit, reportedly for the $3,000 demanded by Burns.[15]

Harley appeared in 133 games in the outfield for the 1901 Reds. He hit .273 during the 1901 season and led all National League outfielders with 30 errors. He also had 37 stolen bases in 1901, ranking fourth in the National League.[1]

Prior to the 1902 season, Harley left the Reds and rejoined the Detroit Tigers. He appeared in 125 games for the 1902 Tigers, compiling a .281 batting average with 44 RBIs. He also led the American League in 1902 having been hit by a pitch 12 times.[1]

In early October 1902, Harley signed with the Chicago Cubs for the 1903 season, jumping back to the National League.[16] Chicago manager Frank Selee moved Harley from left field to right field and said:

"Harley always appealed to me as a player of more than ordinary intelligence . . . Harley is a natural hitter, is fast on the bases, can throw well, and uses good judgment in everything he does. I feel certain that he will make a success of right field, and that the team will be stronger for having him there."

In 104 games for the 1903 Cubs, Harley hit .231. The 1903 season was Harley's last in the major leagues.[1]

In his seven seasons in the major leagues, Harley appeared in 740 games, all but two as an outfielder, including 539 in left field, 106 in right field, and 93 in center field. He had a career batting average of .262 and an on-base percentage of .332 with 755 hits, 389 runs scored, 236 RBIs, 106 extra-base hits, 229 bases on balls, 139 stolen bases, and 78 times hit by a pitch.[1]

The 1904 season saw Harley playing left field with the Toronto baseball club of the Eastern (minor) League. On July 15th Dick became player/manager of the team after Mgr. Arthur Irwin resigned. After the '04 season, Harley continued as player/manager during the '05 season, but on August 28, 1905 resigned as manager and was given his release from the Toronto club. On August 30, 1905 Harley was acquired by the Providence Clamdiggers (also Eastern League) where he stayed through the end of the 1906 season. The 1905 Clamdiggers finished first in the Eastern League with a record of 83 wins and 47 losses. In early 1907 Harley signed with the Trenton team of the Tri-State League. He played with Trenton through August 17th, 1907, requested and was granted his release at that time. In 1908 and early 1909 Harley was playing with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association. Harley was released May 19th, 1909 from the Louisville team (suffering from a badly cut hand) and came back to the Phila. area playing a short time for a Reading, Pa. team from May 25, 1909 to June 4 but left the Reading team due to an unspecified illness (possibly lingering effects from the injury to his hand he sustained while playing for Louisville.) (ref. rwh220)