Jerry Denny

Who was Jerry Denny?

Jeremiah Dennis Denny was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. Denny holds the distinction of being the last Major League position player to play his entire career on the diamond without wearing a fielding glove.

Over 13 professional seasons he played for the Providence Grays, St. Louis Maroons, Indianapolis Hoosiers, New York Giants, Cleveland Spiders, Philadelphia Phillies, and Louisville Colonels. After leaving the Major Leagues, Denny continued playing Minor League baseball until 1902.

At the time Denny began his professional career, fielding gloves had not yet become a standard piece of equipment, other than padded mitts for catchers and first basemen. Fielding gloves gradually gained acceptance between 1885 and the mid-1890s, but Denny refused to adapt. He was one of the few ambidextrous major league players; although he threw primarily with his right arm, he could also toss with his left.