Matt Kilroy - Later Career

Later Career

After opening his career with two outstanding seasons, he pitched fewer innings and had less success in 1888. Baltimore finished in fifth place, and Kilroy had a 17 and 21 record in only 40 games. He did complete 35 of those starts and recorded 2 shutouts. Earlier, before the season started and after signing his contract with the team, he married Fanny Denny, although he did spend the honeymoon training with the Orioles.

The 1889 season was Kilroy's comeback season, and unfortunately his last productive season as a pitcher. He completed 55 of his 56 starts, while also pitching in 3 relief appearances, the first of his career. He had a 29–25 record and 5 shutouts in 480⅔ innings. On July 29 of that season, he pitched his second no-hitter, this time a 7-inning affair against the St. Louis Browns that ended in 0–0 tie. It was Kilroy's own baserunning error that negated the only run scored, when he missed third base in the 3rd inning and was called out.

That season was his last for Baltimore, as he jumped to the new Players League for the 1890 season. He had a disappointing season, winning only 9 games against 15 losses in 217⅔ innings. He only completed 18 of 27 starts for the Boston Reds, and only struck out 48. After the Players League folded, he traveled around, playing for three teams during the next four seasons, never pitching more than 45⅓ innings. After the 1894 season he disappeared from the majors until returning in 1898, when he played his final season with the Chicago Orphans. He finished his career with 141 wins and 133 losses in 303 games pitched.