Jim Creighton

Jim Creighton

James Creighton, Jr. (April 15, 1841 – October 18, 1862) was an American baseball player during the game's amateur era, and is considered by historians to be its first superstar. As a pitcher in baseball's amateur era, he changed the sport from a game that showcased fielding, into a confrontation between the pitcher and batter. In this period, a pitcher was required to deliver the baseball in an underhand motion with a stiff arm/stiff wrist manner. The speed with which Creighton was able to pitch the ball had previously been thought of as impossible without movement of either his elbow or wrist. Although any movement was imperceptible, opponents and spectators believed them to be illegal.

Creighton was described as a high-principled, unassuming, and gentlemanly; traits considered ideal during the amateur era. Playing for the Excelsior of Brooklyn from 1860 to 1862, at the height of his popularity, he injured himself in a game in October 1862 when he suffered a ruptured abdominal hernia hitting a home run. The internal bleeding this created subsequently caused his death four days later. A respected member of both baseball and cricket communities, his death caused concern in each sport that public perception could consider them dangerous, hurting their popularity.