Adonis Terry

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Adonis Terry

|image=Adonis Terry 1889.jpg

|position=Pitcher / Outfielder

|birth_date={{Birth date|1864|8|7}}

|birth_place=Westfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1915|2|24|1864|8|7}}

|death_place=Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=May 1

|debutyear=1884

|debutteam=Brooklyn Grays

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=April 27

|finalyear=1897

|finalteam=Chicago Colts

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=197–196

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.74

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=1,553

|baseball_ref =

|teams=

Brooklyn Atlantics / Grays / Bridegrooms / Grooms ({{mlby|1884}}–{{mlby|1891}})
Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|1892}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1892}}–{{mlby|1894}})
Chicago Colts ({{mlby|1894}}–{{mlby|1897}})

|highlights=

Pitched two no-hitters (1886, 1888)

}}

William H. "Adonis" Terry (August 7, 1864 – February 24, 1915) was an American Major League Baseball player whose career spanned from his debut with the Brooklyn Atlantics in {{Baseball year|1884}}, to the Chicago Colts in {{Baseball year|1897}}. In his 14 seasons, he compiled a 197-196 win–loss record, winning 20 or more games in a season four different times.{{cite web| title = Adonis Terry's Stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/T/Pterra101.htm | access-date = 2008-01-08 }}

Career

=Brooklyn=

Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Terry began his professional career with the minor league Brooklyn Grays in {{Baseball year|1883}}, who won the Interstate Championship that season. The following season, the team was admitted into the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics, and he stayed with the team. In that {{Baseball year|1884}} season, the team finished in ninth place, and his win–loss record reflected that. Although his record was 19-35, he led the team with an earned run average of 3.55, and struck out 230 hitters.{{cite web| title = 1884 Brooklyn Atlantics team | work = baseball-reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1884.shtml | access-date = 2008-01-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071228090129/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1884.shtml| archive-date= 28 December 2007 | url-status= live}}

Over the next three seasons, Terry had average-to-good seasons, had a combined record of 40 wins and 49 losses, even throwing a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns on July 24, 1886.{{cite book |last1=McNeil |first1=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aKQ3CQYbYXkC&q=%22adonis+terry%22+baseball&pg=PA108 |title=The Dodger Encyclopedia |date=September 2000 |publisher=Sports Publishing LLC |isbn=9781582613161 |access-date=2008-01-08}} But it was not until {{Baseball year|1888}} that he turned into a star pitcher. In that season, he had a 13-8 record, a 2.03 ERA, and tossed his second no-hitter, this time against the Louisville Colonels on May 27, 1888.

In {{Baseball year|1889}}, the team won the American Association championship with Terry winning 22 games. He pitched five games, winning two, in the "World Series" after the season with the New York Giants, a series that Brooklyn lost six games to three. The Bridegrooms joined the National League in {{Baseball year|1890}}, and again finished first behind Terry's 26-16 record and the team tied the Louisville team of the American Association in the World Series with three wins and three losses each and one tie. The {{Baseball year|1891}} season turned out to be a disappointment for both Brooklyn and Terry, as the team finished in sixth place and Terry record fell to 6-16 and a 4.22 ERA.{{cite web| title = 1891 Brooklyn Grooms team | work = baseball-reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1891.shtml | access-date = 2008-01-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071213050635/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1891.shtml| archive-date= 13 December 2007 | url-status= live}}

Image:Terry02.jpg

=Pittsburgh=

On June 10, 1892, Brooklyn released Terry, and was quickly signed by the Baltimore Orioles on June 14. He played just one game for Baltimore, a complete games loss, and was then traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 17 in exchange for Cub Stricker. He pitched well in his 2-plus seasons for Pittsburgh, winning 18 games in {{Baseball year|1892}} and 12 more in {{Baseball year|1893}}.

=Chicago=

In {{Baseball year|1894}}, he changed teams for the last time. After pitching in one game for the Pirates, he was then picked up by the Chicago Colts and had moderate success in his four seasons with them. He went on to win 21 games in {{Baseball year|1895}} and 15 more in {{Baseball year|1896}}.

On July 13, 1896, he had the unfortunate distinction of giving up all four home runs to Philadelphia Phillie hall-of-Famer Ed Delahanty in a game played at the old West Side Grounds. Pitching the complete game, he and his Colts were able to prevail, winning the game 9-8.{{cite web|title=Adonis Terry Chronology |work=baseballbiography.com |url=https://baseballbiography.com/adonis-terry-1864 |access-date=2008-01-08 }}{{cite web| title = Box Score of Four Home Run Game by Ed Delahanty | work = baseball-almanac.com | url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/07131896.shtml | access-date = 2008-01-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080111062258/http://baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/07131896.shtml| archive-date= 11 January 2008 | url-status= live}} He played only one game the following season in {{Baseball year|1897}}, a complete-game loss, before his career came to end.

His career totals include a 197 wins and 196 losses, a 3.74 ERA, and 1,553 strikeouts in 3,514.1 innings pitched. He was also a versatile player, often playing other positions, including 216 games in the outfield, with games also played at shortstop, first base and third base.

Post-career

=Umpiring=

After his Major League career was over, he became an umpire for 39 games in the {{Baseball year|1900}} National League season. He had filled the umpire position from time to time during his playing days. In total, he umpired 51 games, 48 of them as the home plate umpire, as the custom was that there was only one umpire used in each game.

=Death=

Adonis is the honoree of old-time baseball events that are held in his hometown of Westfield, such as the group Westfield Wheelmen Vintage Base Ball Club.{{cite web | title = Westfield on Weekends | work = westfieldonweekends.org | url = http://www.westfieldonweekends.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=11&month=07&year=2006 | access-date = 2008-01-08 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110728173326/http://www.westfieldonweekends.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=11&month=07&year=2006 | archive-date = 2011-07-28 | url-status = dead }} Terry died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the age of 50 from an episode of pneumonia,{{cite web|url=http://adonisterry.tripod.com/index.html|title=William "Adonis" Terry – The Forgotten Legend of 19th Century Baseball|publisher=adonisterry.tripod.com|access-date=2008-10-01}}{{cite web| title = The Dead Ball Era: Too Young To Die | work = thedeadballera.com | url=http://www.thedeadballera.com/tooyoung.html | access-date = 2008-01-08 }} and was cremated.