Tommy Bond

Who was Tommy Bond?

Thomas Henry Bond was a Major League Baseball player who was a pitcher and a right fielder a total of ten seasons. A native of Granard, Ireland, he is the first person born in Ireland to play Major League Baseball. Bond was also the last survivor of the National League's first season. Bond played for six teams during his career: the Brooklyn Atlantics, Hartford Dark Blues, Boston Red Caps, Worcester Ruby Legs, Boston Reds, and Indianapolis Hoosiers. He also managed the Worcester team for six games.

During his 10-season career, he was a three-time 40-game winner, played for two National League pennant-winning clubs, and regularly finished in the top ten in many pitching categories. In 1877, he was the first winner of baseball's pitching triple crown, leading the NL in wins, earned run average, and strikeouts. His career statistics include a record of 234-163, 386 complete games in 408 starts, 42 shutouts, and an ERA of 2.31. Bond also played 92 games in the outfield, a few more in the infield, and batted .238 with 174 RBI and 213 runs scored. Bond is the all-time baseball leader in strikeouts per walks, at a 4.44 ratio, for pitchers who threw a minimum 1000 innings.