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Bill Phillips

Category

Athlete

Sport

Baseball

Hometown

Saint John

Year Inducted

2018

Sport Ambassador

athlete

Bill Phillips (D)

HONOURED MEMBER

Biography

Bill Phillips (1857-1900) of Saint John was the first New Brunswicker to play Major League baseball in 1879 with the Cleveland Blues. Before playing in the International League with the Hamilton Hams, Phillips became the first New Brunswicker to hit a homerun in the Major League. Having played 1,038 games throughout his career, he had accumulated 1,130 hits making him the first Canadian to reach over 1,000 career hits. Phillips was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.

Quick Facts

  • First New Brunswicker to play Major League Baseball with the Cleveland Blues on May 1, 1879 

  • First New Brunswicker to hit a home run in the Major Leagues on June 14, 1880. 

  • First Canadian to reach over 1,000 career hits, accumulating 1,130 hits in 1,038 games 

  • Played Major League baseball from 1879 to 1888 with Cleveland, Brooklyn, and Kansas City 

  • Inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988

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