Whatever Happened to Big Ed?

…shrouded with mystery and speculation.

Olde-tyme baseball by C. Philip Francis – August 1, 2006

     Was it suicide, murder, or merely a simple accident?  No one knows nor will anyone ever know what happened to Big Ed Delahanty on July 2, 1903 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.  On that date in Chicago he had boarded a New York Central train going to New York City, but he never made it.  A week later his mangled body was found some 20 miles below the falls.    Since then his death has been shrouded with mystery and speculation.

     Edward James “Big Ed” Delahanty was born on October 30, 1867 in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his 16 major league years in 1888 with the Philadelphia Phillies where he played for 13 seasons, moved to Cleveland in the Players’ League for one year, and spent his final two seasons with the Washington Senators.  The six-foot outfielder closed out his career with a .346 batting average, the fourth highest in the big leagues, and won two batting titles with a .410 in 1899 wearing a Philadelphia uniform and .376 in 1902 as a Senator.  Ed was one of the great sluggers in baseball history hitting over .400 three times, and is the only player to ever lead both leagues in hitting.

     Ed was the oldest of six brothers, and the most accomplished of the five who played in the major leagues.  The others were:  Frank, with six years in the bigs; Jim, 13 including one World Series as a Detroit Tiger in 1909; Joe, three; and Tom with three.  Frank was killed following a fall at the age of 83, and the others all died of old age.   

     Big Ed made his professional baseball debut in1887 with Mansfield of the Ohio State League hitting .355.  The following year he was batting over .400 early in the year when the Philadelphia Phillies bought his contract for $1,500.  Delahanty was in 74 games that season, but was able to hit only a meager .228 with one home run.    

     In 1890 Big Ed jumped to Cleveland in the new Players’ League as the result of a rebellion by the top players who hoped to play without the reserve clause and “salary limits”.  After the PL disintegrated that fall Delahanty went back to the Phillies where he played for the next 11 years.  While there he won a league home run title in 1893 with 19 long balls.  Twice he had six-hit games, and on July 13, 1896 he became the second man to hit four home runs in a single game – all inside the park. Ed also had a single that day, and yet his team still lost the game.  (Note:  In 1894 Bobby Lowe of the Boston Beaneaters, later the Braves, was the first man to hit four home runs in one game.)

     As were many ballplayers at that time, Ed became a heavy drinker and usually ignored club rules.  Prior to 1903 there had been many problems between the long established National League and a new organization called the American League.  When the 1903 season began Delahanty was making $4,000 with the Washington Senators, but it is believed John McGraw of the New York Giants offered five hundred dollars more to the powerful outfielder to jump from the new circuit back to the National League.  The two major organizations, however, had made peace before the season that left Big Ed where he was – with the Washington Senators.  The unhappy player sulked and drank, and drank and sulked.

     Near the end of June the angry player was suspended for excessive drinking, his marriage was beginning to unravel, and there were money problems with his team.  On July 2 Delahanty left the Senators in Detroit, and boarded Michigan Central train No. 6 bound for New York City.  He was apparently drunk when he got on the train, and became more disorderly as the day went on even waving a razor that terrified the other passengers. 

     The route went through Canada by way of Fort Erie near the Niagara River.  Just before crossing back into the United States on the International Bridge, the conductor   finally ordered him off the train.  An unruly passenger would normally be turned over to a constable according to Canadian law, but this was not the case. 

     Ed quickly attempted to catch up with the moving train and hurried past several guards and bridge workers before running onto the railroad bridge.  By now it was dark as Ed continued to stagger down the rails towards the Niagara River.  He sped past a bridge worker who yelled out that the drawbridge had opened for a passing ship   Big Ed Delahanty ignored any warnings as he kept running across the span.  That was the last time anyone ever saw Big Ed Delahanty alive.  His body was found in the Niagara River a week later about 20 miles downstream.    

     It was hard for the public to comprehend that the American League batting champion was so smashed that he would run across a railroad bridge at night chasing a moving train.  As many stories began to circulate on how and why Ed died some thought he had been murdered.  The Delahanty family claimed Ed was killed by someone close to the American League so the ballplayer would not jeopardize the delicate peace between the two major leagues.  In a 1962 children’s book on great baseball players it was said, “Ed Delahanty was a victim of foul play” while others believed that it could have been a suicide as Ed had taken out a large insurance policy with his daughter as beneficiary just before his death. 

     Some even said that Ed was carrying $1,500 worth of diamonds although none were found on his body.  If so who would lurk on or about a bridge at night to mug an unsuspected traveler?  Certainly, not many.  Was it suicide, murder, or simple stupidity due to too much alcohol?  It was probably the later.  Whatever the reason, or reasons, the death of Big Ed Delahanty was due to his mysterious plunge into the Niagara River at the age of 35.  Ed was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945.

     Chatter from the Dugout welcomes all comments and questions, and may be reached at:  dugoutchatter@ejourney.com