Harry O'Neill (catcher)
| Harry O'Neill | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Catcher | |||
|
Born: May 8, 1917 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
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Died: March 6, 1945 (aged 27) Iwo Jima, Marianas Islands | |||
| |||
| MLB debut | |||
| July 23, 1939, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| July 23, 1939, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Games played | 1 | ||
| At-bats | 0 | ||
| Hits | 0 | ||
| Teams | |||
Harry Mink O'Neill (May 8, 1917 in Philadelphia – March 6, 1945 in Iwo Jima) was a professional baseball player. O'Neill's entire major-league career consisted of two innings of one game for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1939, as a catcher.[1] O'Neill was one of only two Major League Baseball players to die during World War II. The other was Elmer Gedeon. Both died at the age of 27.
O'Neill distinguished himself as a very gifted college athlete. At Gettysburg College, the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder sometimes called "Porkie,"[2] led the school's baseball, football and basketball teams to league championships. After graduation, he was the subject of a bidding war between two American League teams, eventually signing with his hometown A's.[1]
After spending two years in the minor leagues, O'Neill enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1942, and rose to the rank of first lieutenant with the Weapons Company, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. In January 1944, he took part in the amphibious assault on Kwajalein. On June 16, 1944, the second day of the Battle of Saipan, he was wounded in the shoulder by shrapnel, then treated for weeks back in the U.S. He returned to active duty in July, in time to participate in the Battle of Tinian.[3] He was killed by a sniper at Iwo Jima on March 6, 1945.[1] Among his surviving family was his young wife, Ethel McKay O'Neill.[2]
In 1980, Harry M. O'Neill was inducted into Gettysburg College's Hall of Athletic Honor for baseball, football and basketball.[2]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 Weintraub, Robert (26 May 2013). "Two Who Did Not Return". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- 1 2 3 Bedingfield, Gary. "Baseballs's Greatest Sacrifice: Harry O'Neill". Gary Bedingfield's Baseball in Wartime. Gary Bedingfield. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ↑ Bedingfield, Gary. "Harry O'Neill - Baseball's Greatest Sacrifice". Baseball's Greatest Sacrifice. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
Further reading
- Sielski, Mike (July 19, 2009). "Dream derailed". Bucks County Courier Times (Levittown, Pennsylvania: Calkins Media).
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)