The Baseball Times
April 22nd, 1897
O'Neill Announces Retirement After 1897 Season
Veteran outfielder Tip O'Neill, 37, has confirmed that he will retire at the end of the 1897 season, bringing his distinguished career to a close. O'Neill, who has been with the Washington Americans since 1886, expressed that the time has come to step away from the game.
"Time takes its toll on this old body. I can't do it as well as I want anymore. It's time to hang up the spikes and make way for a younger guy," O'Neill said in his announcement.
Throughout his career, O'Neill has been a steady performer at the plate, batting for a .283 lifetime average. He has accumulated 1466 hits, 52 home runs, and 760 RBIs. O'Neill began his career with the Baltimore Barons in 1884 before being traded to Washington, where he has spent the majority of his career.
Kilroy Dominates Hitmen in 3-0 Shutout
Matt Kilroy delivered a masterful performance on the mound, leading the Cincinnati Wildcats to a 3-0 shutout victory over the Brooklyn Hitmen at Wildcats Field. Kilroy pitched a gem, allowing just 7 hits while striking out 4 and walking 3 to earn the win.
“We barely made him work at all,” Brooklyn manager Harry Wright commented after the game. “Cincinnati could probably pitch him again tomorrow if they wanted.”
With the win, Kilroy improves to 4-0 on the season and maintains an impressive ERA of 1.50. His dominant outing further cements his status as one of the top pitchers in the league this year.