Deacon McGuire

James Thomas "Deacon" McGuire (November 18, 1863 – October 31, 1936) was a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball who spent over a quarter of a century playing professional baseball in a much-traveled career which saw him set several records for durability. His record of playing in 26 major league seasons was unmatched until 1993, and he established a major league record for career games caught which stood until 1925; his record of 1... more

James Thomas "Deacon" McGuire (November 18, 1863 – October 31, 1936) was a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball who spent over a quarter of a century playing professional baseball in a much-traveled career which saw him set several records for durability. His record of playing in 26 major league seasons was unmatched until 1993, and he established a major league record for career games caught which stood until 1925; his record of 1859 career assists as a catcher remains the major league record. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, McGuire moved with his family to Cleveland when he was still a child. He began his professional baseball career with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association. When the team folded, he joined the Detroit Wolverines. In 1886, McGuire joined the Philadelphia Quakers, where he would stay for three years, and in 1888, he briefly returned to the Wolverines before playing 26 games for the Cleveland Spiders. After serving as player-manager of the... less