Paul Hines
Paul Aloysius Hines was an American center fielder in professional baseball who played in the National Association and Major League Baseball from 1872 to 1891. Born in Virginia, he is credited with winning baseball's first triple crown in ; the accomplishment was not noted at the time, as runs batted in would not be counted until years later, home runs were rare and home run leadership obscure, and Abner Dalrymple was then erroneously recognized as the batting champion. There is some controversy over whether Hines was also the first player to turn an unassisted triple play, since it was an 8-8-4 Triple Play.
Hines probably practiced with the original Washington Nationals or played on its junior team before joining the National Association with that club in. When the original Chicago White Stockings resumed play in, the teenage Hines played every game, usually in center field. He remained with the club four seasons, including the inaugural National League championship season of, and then played eight seasons for the Providence Grays from 1878 to 1885, spanning that club's entire major league association, during which the club won two pennants. After the Providence club folded in 1885, he remained an everyday major league center fielder through two seasons for a new Washington Nationals club and one for the Indianapolis Hoosiers, shifting to first base for a second Indianapolis season in 1889. He returned to center field with gradually declining playing time for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, Boston Beaneaters and Washington Statesmen in 1890 and. His last year in the major leagues was 1891, but he continued to play baseball in minor leagues. He finished his professional career splitting 1896 between the minor league teams Burlington, Iowa and Mobile, Alabama, at the age of 41.
During the first five NL seasons, from 1876 through 1880, Hines had more base hits than any other player, and he retired third to Cap Anson and Jim O'Rourke with 1,884 career hits in the majors. He also remained among the top 10 major league career home run hitters as late as 1887. His total of 16 seasons as a major league team's primary center fielder was not surpassed until Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb in 1925.
In 1658 games over 20 seasons, Hines posted a.302 batting average with 1217 runs, 399 doubles, 93 triples, 57 home runs, 855 RBI, 372 bases on balls,.340 on-base percentage and.409 slugging percentage.
He was arrested in 1922, at the age of 65, on charges of pickpocketing.
Hines died at age 80 in Hyattsville, Maryland, deaf and blind. His hearing had been impaired since 1886 after being hit in the head by a pitch.
