Jerry Denny

Jeremiah Denny, the clever third baseman of the New York Club, of the National League, was born March 16, 1859, in this city.  When quite young he went to California, where his first professional engagement began in 1877, with the Eagle Club, of San Francisco, with which he remained three season, playing left field.  He thought he was better suited for infield work, and, therefore, began his career as a third baseman in 1880, with the Athletic Club, of San Francisco.  In 1881 he was engaged by the famous old Providence Club, of the National League, as third baseman, and remained with that team until it disbanded, at the close of the season of 1885, when the franchise, players, etc., were sold to President Henry Lucas, of St. Louis.  Denny played with the St. Louis team of the National League, throughout the 1886 season.  During the Winter of 1886-7, when the St. Louis Club's franchise, players, etc., were sold to President Brush and others, of Indianapolis, Denny was transferred to the Hoosier City, where he remained throughout the seasons of 1887-8-9.  Last Spring a deal was completed whereby the Indianapolis players, or part of them, were transferred to the New York Club, of the National League.  for several Winters Denny returned to his home in California, and played with one of the local teams during the cold months.  He is a hard hitter and a very clever fielder.  In a game between the Indianapolis and Pittsburg teams, during the season of 1889, he made a safe hit each of the six times he went to the bat.  He covers a great deal of territory in his efforts to accept all chances offered him, and in doing so makes some miraculous stops.  He is a swift, and generally an accurate thrower, but occasionally makes some wild throws, the ball going so far away that the base runner oftentime makes a circuit of the bases before the ball is recovered.  His most noted fielding performance was in the celebrated eighteen innings Providence-Detroit game, Aug. 17, 1882, at Providence, when he accepted sixteen out of seventeen chances.  Denny accepted thirteen out of fourteen chances in the New York-Cincinnati game May 29, 1890.

-New York Clipper, September 27, 1890

Jerry Denny's actual name was Jeremiah Eldridge.  He used Denny as a name in order to play professional baseball while he was still in college, so he could continue to play amateur ball.  

He was a heck of ballplayer and those 16 chances he took against Detroit in August of 1882 is still a Major League record for third basemen.