19th Century		Bill Merritt
		Full Name: William Henry Merritt Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 5-7 Weight: 160 Born: Jul 30, 1870 in Lowell, MA College: Holy Cross College Major League Debut: August 8, 1891 Died: Nov 17, 1937 in Lowell, MAC

[From the New York Clipper February 25, 1893.]
William H. Merritt is a young and promising player, who last season was one of the catchers of the Louisville Club, of the National League and American Association. He was born July 30, 1870, at Lowell, Mass., and it was in his native city that his baseball career began. He soon made considerable progress, but it was not until 1890, when he joined the Hold Cross College team, of Worcester, Mass., that he gained renown. It was in 1891 that he accepted his first professional engagement, which was with the Woonsocket (R.I.) Club. In June of the same year he went to the Chicago Club, of the National League. In 1892 he began the season with the Columbus Club, of the Western League, and when that disbanded he joined the Memphis Club, of the Southern League, from which club his release was obtained by the Louisville Club, of the National League and American Association. He caught in forty-five championship games for the Louisville Club, forty-three of which were consecutive contests, and made an excellent record. Merritt is a good batter, his most noteworthy feat in that respect being made in a championship contest while with the Columbus Club at Kansas City last season, when he was credited with five successive safe hits in as many times at bat. He faces pluckily the swiftest and wildest pitching, and promises to excel as a catcher.

BACK TO 19th Century