Ivy B. Wingo

Ivey Brown Wingo

Born: July, 8, 1890 - Gainesville, GA
Died: March 1, 1941 - Norcross, GA
Batted: LH
Threw: RH
Position: C
Career BA: .260
Managerial Record: 1–1

Teams:
St. Louis Cardinals NL (July 8, 1890 - March 1, 1941)
Cincinnati Reds NL (1915–1926, 1929; player-manager: 1916)

Longevity and durability were the calling cards of National League catcher Ivey Wingo. The fact that he played 17 years of Major League baseball during the Deadball Era as a catcher is an extraordinary feat, especially with all of the bunting that went on. Known for his offensive ability, Wingo was the catcher for the World Champion Cincinnati team that beat the infamous Black Sox in the 1919 World Series, and batted a sparkling .571 in that Fall Classic. With a .260 lifetime batting average, Wingo had a decent stick, banging out 1,039 hits over his career.

He was average defensively, but his durability is what his team liked. At one time or another, he led the league in assists, passed balls and baserunners caught stealing by a catcher. On the flip side, he also led the league in stolen bases allowed a few seasons, and with 234 career errors, Wingo still holds the record for most errors during the 20th century by a catcher. Maybe that had something to do with the sheer number of games that he caught, as Wingo retired holding the record for most games caught (1,231) by a National League catcher. In 1927 Wingo left Cincinnati to manage the Columbus Senators in the American Association, but returned to coach in 1929 and caught one last game as a Red. He coached his Reds one final season in 1936 before retiring to his beloved Georgia. Ivey Wingo was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. 

– Tom and Ellen Zappala, The Cracker Jack Collection: Baseball's Prized Players. For more information on their book and/or to order a copy at a special PSA discount, visit http://crackerjackplayers.com/PSA_order.html