Tom McLaughlin

Tom McLaughlin was a professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from 1883 to 1891. Born in 1860, he was active during a transitional period in baseball, often characterized by the shift from the deadball era to the more offensive-minded styles that would come later. Over the course of his career, McLaughlin appeared in 340 games, where he accumulated 227 hits and recorded a batting average of .192. Known primarily as a position player, he contributed to his teams with 2 home runs and 81 RBIs, showcasing a style of play that emphasized contact and speed rather than power. McLaughlin also demonstrated his agility on the basepaths, finishing his career with 16 stolen bases, a testament to his speed and base-running acumen. While his offensive statistics may not place him among the game's greats, McLaughlin's contributions came during a time when the fundamentals of baseball were still being established, and his role in the early days of the sport helped to pave the way for future generations of players. His legacy, though modest, reflects the spirit of a formative era in baseball history.