#8: Jim McTamany

Jim McTamany

The Random Pages of Baseball Reference can be a cruel mistress. This guy last played in 1891..I have a feeling this will take more than 6 degrees...

I) Jim McTamany --> 1891 Columbus Solons
I) Jim McTamany --> 1891 Philadelphia Athletics

At least I get to branch out in 2 possible directions. We'll start with the Solons:

I) Jim McTamany --> 1891 Solons --> Jack O'Connor

II) O'Connor --> 1910 St. Louis Browns --> Bill Bailey, Bill Killefer
      III) Bailey --> '22 Cardinals --> Jesse Haines, Jim Bottomley, Rogers Hornsby
              IV) Haines --> '37 Cardinals
              IV) Bottomley, Hornsby --> '37 Browns
      III) Killefer --> '21 Cubs --> Tony Kaufmann, Bob O'Farrell
              IV) Kaufmann, O'Farell --> '35 Cardinals

Four degrees in and I can't get out of the 1930's. At the very least, I'd need to find someone who can get me from the 30's to the 70's for my 5th degree. A 4 decade jump is just too much to handle. This is a dead end. I still have the 1891 Athletics to try, but I'm not liking my chances here.

I) Jim McTamany --> 1891 Athletics --> Lave Cross, Tommy Corcoran

II) Cross --> 1907 Senators --> Walter Johnson
      III) Johnson --> '27 Senators --> Hod Lisenbee, Dick Coffman
              IV) Lisenbee --> '45 Reds
              IV) Coffman --> '45 Phillies

Much better, but still a stretch. At least here I have a fighting chance. Before I continue this chain, let's see if Corcoran can do any better.

II) Corcoran --> 1907 Giants --> Fred Merkle
      III) Merkle --> '25 Yankees --> Hank Johnson, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri
              IV) Johnson --> '39 Reds
              IV) Gehrig --> '39 Yankees
              IV) Lazzeri --> '39 Dodgers, '39 Giants

Despite having three players with four teams on the cusp of the 1940's, I'm calling this one a dead end. I'd have to find someone who played in 1939 and lasted into the 70's to even have a remote chance. Let's see how Cross plays out:

II) Cross --> 1907 Senators --> Walter Johnson
      III) Johnson --> '27 Senators --> Hod Lisenbee, Dick Coffman
              IV) Lisenbee --> '45 Reds --> Herm Wehmeier, Hank Sauer
                     V) Wehmeier --> '58 Tigers
                     V) Sauer --> '59 Giants
              IV) Coffman --> '45 Phillies --> Granny Hamner
                     V) Hamner --> '62 Athletics

I'd be a bit more excited if the Coffman to Hamner link was lower in the chain, but unfortunately I must stop here. There's no way I can connect Wehmeier, Sauer, or Hamner to one of my "Big 3".

I was doing so well to start off, but now I've failed twice in my past three attempts. I hope this isn't the beginning of a trend.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: over 6