Pop Corkhill

John Stewart "Pop" Corkhill (April 11, 1858 – April 4, 1921) was a baseball player who played for ten seasons in the Major Leagues. He was an outfielder who excelled on defense, winning five fielding titles in his career.

Biography

He was born in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania on April 11, 1858. Corkhill began his Major League career in the American Association with the Cincinnati Reds in 1883. He served as the Reds' right fielder for four seasons, leading American Association outfielders in fielding twice. In 1887, he moved to center field and played there regularly for two seasons, winning two more fielding titles. As a batter, Corkhill had a knack for driving in runs, finishing 2nd in the league in RBI in 1886. He also pitched on multiple occasions, serving as a relief pitcher at a time when relievers were not commonplace.

Corkhill finished the 1888 season with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms after the team purchased his contract from Cincinnati. He played two seasons as Brooklyn's center fielder, and earned two league championships with the club, an AA championship in 1889 and a National League championship in 1890 after the club switched leagues.