George Bradley

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=George Bradley

|image=George Bradley card.jpg

|position=Pitcher / Third baseman

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1852|7|13}}

|birth_place=Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1931|10|2|1852|7|13}}

|death_place=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=May 4

|debutyear=1875

|debutteam=St. Louis Brown Stockings

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=August 8

|finalyear=1888

|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=171–151

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=2.43

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=671

|teams=

St. Louis Brown Stockings ({{mlby|1875}}–{{mlby|1876}})
Chicago White Stockings ({{mlby|1877}})
Troy Trojans ({{mlby|1879}})
Providence Grays ({{mlby|1880}})
Detroit Wolverines ({{mlby|1881}})
Cleveland Blues ({{mlby|1881}}–{{mlby|1883}})
Philadelphia Athletics ({{mlby|1883}})
Cincinnati Outlaw Reds ({{mlby|1884}})
Philadelphia Athletics ({{mlby|1886}})
Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|1888}})

|highlights=

NL ERA leader (1876)
Pitched first no-hitter in MLB history on July 15, 1876

}}

George Washington Bradley (July 13, 1852 – October 2, 1931), nicknamed "Grin", was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher and infielder. He played for multiple teams in the early years of the National League, the oldest league still active in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bradley is noted for pitching the first no-hitter that is officially recognized by MLB, on July 15, 1876, for the St. Louis Brown Stockings against the Hartford Dark Blues. As a player, he was listed at {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m}} and {{convert|175|lb|kg}}; he threw and batted right-handed.{{cite web| title = George Bradley Stats | work = Baseball-Almanac.com | url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bradlge01 | access-date = 2006-11-20 }}

Baseball career

Bradley is credited as throwing the first official no-hit, no-run game in major league history.{{cite web|title=George Bradley |work=baseballbiography.com |first=Fred |last=Ivor-Campbell |url=https://baseballbiography.com/george-bradley-1852 |access-date=2010-10-22 }} He pitched for the St. Louis Brown Stockings in the clubs victory over the Hartford Dark Blues on July 15, 1876. The score ended 2–0 without a hit being allowed by Bradley. That year, he completed 63 of the 64 games for St. Louis, winning 45 and leading the league with a 1.23 earned run average. Additionally, he also threw 16 shutouts, setting a record which has not been broken to date, although was tied in 1916, 40 years later, by Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander.

After 1876, Bradley was not as effective as a pitcher and played mostly other positions after 1879. He was involved in professional baseball for 30 years, 19 of them with the Philadelphia Athletics. In 1883, he was the team's regular third baseman and also went 16–7 on the mound to help the A's win the American Association championship.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHA/1883.shtml "1883 Philadelphia Athletics"]. baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-10-22.

In 1887, he served as a player-manager for the Nashville Blues of the Southern League.Traughber, Bill. [http://www.nashvillesounds.com/news/newsarchive.asp?newsId=991 "Looking Back: Nashville Blues."] Nashville Sounds. April 26, 2004. Retrieved on March 22, 2008.