Frank Hankinson

Who was Frank Hankinson?

Frank Edward Hankinson was an American third baseman in the early years of Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Blues, Troy Trojans, New York Gothams, New York Metropolitans, and Kansas City Cowboys. The Metropolitans and the Cowboys were members of the American Association, while his previous teams were all members of the still-existing National League.

Born in New York City, Hankinson was, for the most part, a third basemen, but over the course of his career he played at every position except catcher; he pitched in 32 games, starting 28 of them. Almost all of his pitching came in 1879 with the White Stockings, when he was 15–10 in 25 starts. He was 16–12 with a solid 2.50 ERA in 266⅔ innings pitched in his career. Hankinson completed all 28 of his starts, 2 of them shutouts.

In a 10-season career, Hankinson batted .228 with 13 home runs and 344 RBIs. He had 122 doubles and a total of 747 hits in 3272 at bats.

Twenty-four days before his 55th birthday, he died in Palisades Park, New Jersey.