The New York herald., 1921-07-17
ARTHUR IRWIN Is
MISSING FROM BOAT
Veteran Baseball Player and
Manager Is Reported to Have
Committed Suicide.

BOSTON. July 16.--Arthur A. Irwin.
long associated with professional base
ball as player. manager. coach and
scout, and credited with being the in
ventor of the modern catcher,s glove,
was regarded to-day as a suicide. He
was missing from the steamer Calvin
Austin when it arrived here from New
York.
that he was going home to die" said
he was depressed by illness and prob
ably jumped overheard.
Irwin won his baseball spurs as a
infelders of his time-the eighties.
According to Irwin's daughter-in-law,
Mrs F. II. Irwin of 511 West 1S6th
street, the old time baseball player had
been seriously Ill at st. Francis's Hos
pital, Hartford. and had planned 20
come with his wife to New York last
night She said that she had heard
nothing of the reported suicide.
Irwin. his daughter-in-l added. had
been suffering from some stomach
trouble. which had grown serious within
the last few weeks. In two weeks he
had lost sixty pounds, going from his
usual weight of 100 pounds to 1870. Hi,
son, Harold. visited him at the Hartford
hospital on July 4.
Arthur Irwin was one of the oldest
men identified with professional base
ball In this country. He was born In
Boston about 61 years ago. and first
attracted attention as professional
PLAYER as shortstop of the Worcester
National League team, managed By the
late Frank Bancroft. in the early
eighties.
Irwin was shortstop and captain OF
the Providence National League team
which In 1884. won the pennant and
also the first world series ever played
The Providence champions met the
Metropolitans of this city In the post
season series that year and won without
sustaining a defeat. Irwin attended tc
the playing end OF the game while the
manager was Bancroft
on the Providence team with irwin
were Joe Start. Jack Farrell. Jerry
Denny. John NJ Ward. Cliff Carroll
Paul Hines, Paul Radford. Emil Cross
Vincent Nava and the great pitchers
Radbourne and Sweeney. Irwin re-
mained with the Providence team rrti
that city was dropped from the Nationa
League.
He then became the shortstop o.
the Philadelphia National League club
which was under the management o.
Harry Wright. After several years o.
service with 'he QuaNers Irwin became
the manager. captain and ehortstop O
the Boston Brotherhood team IN 1891
and added to his renown BY pilotint
| that combination of stars Into a cham
pionship.
Irwin had as members of the Bostoi
brotherhood team Dan Brouthers, MIX
Kelly Harry Stovey, Kid Madden. Rad
bourne, Morgan Murphy. Hardy Rich
ardson and others When the Brother
hood was dissolved after one year o
! financial disaster Irwin turned the Boe
ton team into the American Association
and also won the pennant in that cir
cult In 1891.
| When the Association was ABSORBED
by the National League and twelv'
club circuit was formed Irwin went bacl
TO the Philadelphia club. and AT m
death OF Harry Wright he was ap
pointed manager In 1925 he left tn
Philadelphia club and was one OF hu
merous managers who tried to pilot IN
Giants for the late Andrew Freeman
during the season OF 1896. Irwin ha'
the Giants going along smoothly. whei
one day Freedman notified him he hat
been succeeded by "Scrappy Bit Joyce
Irwin after that took hold OF the Toronto
club OF the international League. hu
two years later he came back into IN
big show as the manager Of the Wash
ington team.
When the Washington team wa
dropped out OF the National League an
subsequently was admitted TO the Amer
ican. irwin retired TO the minor leagu
field. where he remained until he wa
appointed business manager or IN
Yankees In 1910. He remained in tina
| position unt!l Frank J. Farrell sold IN
club 10 Messrs Rupert and Huston.
Irwin discovered many famous player
In his time and vas the manager OF tn
Hartford club Of the Eastern Leagu
Il