Charlie Atherton

Charlie Atherton
Position: End
Personal information
Date of birth: November 19, 1874
Place of birth: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Date of death: December 19, 1934(1934-12-19) (aged 60)
Place of death: Vienna, Austria
Career information
College: Penn State
Career history
As player:
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
  • Coaching Record: 8-2-1
  • Invented Place kick for American Football
Charlie Atherton
Third baseman
Born: (1874-11-19)November 19, 1874
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Died: December 19, 1934(1934-12-19) (aged 60)
Vienna, Austria
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 30, 1899, for the Washington Senators
Last MLB appearance
August 22, 1899, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Batting average .248
Home runs 0
RBI 23
Teams

Charles Morgan Herbert Atherton (November 19, 1874 – December 19, 1934) was a Major League Baseball third baseman. Nicknamed "Prexy", he batted and threw right-handed, was 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall and weighed 160 pounds. Atherton was also an early professional football player and coach for the Greensburg Athletic Association. He also played professional football in 1896 for the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Charles attended Penn State University and was the son of the university's president, George W. Atherton. He was Penn State's first sports star as a member of the school's baseball and football teams. He is also credited with inventing the place kick.[1]

Atherton made his Major League debut on May 30, 1899 at the age of 24. He hit .248 in 242 at bats in 1899, which would end up being his only Major League season. He also hit 5 doubles, 6 triples and had 23 RBI. Defensively, Atherton committed 26 errors, which was fourth worst on the now defunct Washington Senators team of the National League. He played his final game on August 22, 1899.[2]

Outside of sports, Charlie was an accomplished musician and writer who witnessed the Russian Revolution, World War I, and the Nazis rise to power first hand. He documented each event in highly descriptive letters to his sister, Harriet.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Van Atta, Robert (1983). "The History of Pro Football At Greensburg, Pennsylvania (1894–1900)" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association (Annual): 114. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27.
  2. Kuntz, M.A. (2005). Charlie Atherton. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
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