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In 1889 at the age of 15, diminutive southpaw Willie McGill graduated from the Chicago sandlots to the Evansville (Indiana) Hoosiers in the Central Interstate League. He defeated the Davenport Hawkeyes in his first outing. The following year he joined the Cleveland Infants in the Players’ League and had 11 wins under his belt before his 17th birthday. In 1891 he signed with Cincinnati’s Kelly’s Killers in the rough-and-tumble American Association. He pitched Opening Day for them, making him most likely the youngest pitcher to do so in major league history.1

Alas, McGill’s short stint with the Killers led indirectly to tragedy: His father died in a rail accident while coming to the aid of young Willie, who’d been arrested after a drunken assault. Thomas McGill served as a mentor/agent for his son. It also appears that he was Willie’s number one fan and endeavored to see his son play when possible. We will never know what would have transpired had Thomas lived to confront Willie about his drinking. Could he have said or done anything to keep the young man from further incidents?

Intemperance continued to plague McGill in 1892 as his life and career spiraled downward. Thankfully his mother and friends in baseball brought him back to reality; he managed to stay on the straight and narrow after that. He compiled a lifetime mark of 71-73 in the majors through 1896. Although he was just 22 when he pitched his last big-league game, he continued in the minors through 1905 and semipro ball well beyond that. - SABR

The game adds some of his drinkin' weight. Redid the facegen.