The Tragic Post-Baseball Life of Early MLB Star Ezra Sutton
The star third baseman fell on hard times after he left the game that made him famous
Ezra Sutton was a productive baseball star of the 19th century; well known and highly regarded for his talent and affability. While he is largely forgotten today, he made such great connections as a player that he was able to garner great support later in his life as he experienced unspeakable tragedies leading up to his death.
The right-handed hitter was renowned for his powerful arm and a potent bat. In 18 big-league seasons (1871–1888), he played for three different teams, spending his last 12 seasons with the Boston Beaneaters of the National League. In 1,263 games (for much of his career, full seasons were less than 100 games), he hit a combined .294 with 1,574 hits, 25 home runs, 672 RBIs and 994 runs scored.
Amazingly, Sutton’s talent evolved much like baseball did during his career. Playing as a youth, he batted with his hands crossed, like many young players of the time. As a professional, he adopted a more traditional stance and was successful enough to be close to a .300 career average. He injured his arm in 1876 and from then on was merely average with his throwing strength but was always viewed as an intelligent player and great teammate…
