Major League Baseball Player. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, he began his career in baseball there as an outfielder with local shop teams in. In 1894 he began to bat, and the following year he received a tryout with the professional team in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He returned to the Worcester area and played for strong semipro teams in Westboro and Grafton, Massachusetts. In 1898 at the age of 23 the he received another professional trial, this time with the National League's Boston Beaneaters (today’s Atlanta Braves). The Beaneaters watched him over for five games and released him to Worcester's minor league team. After spending the 1899 season behind the plate, he switched to first base in 1900 and led the Eastern League in hitting with a .371 average. The 1901 season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the death of Tom O'Brien, they needed a strong first baseman for the 1901 season, and he proved to be the perfect match, they would walk away with their first National League pennant by 7.5 games over the second-place Phillies. Kitty Bransfield batted .295 in 139 games and established career highs in runs (92) and RBIs (91). He would play four seasons with the team, then would be shipped to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the 1905 season. He had finest year with the Phillies when in 1908 when he led the team with three home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .304 batting average, becoming one of only five .300 hitters in the National League that season. In September of 1911, the 36-year-old veteran became a Chicago Cub, and his three-game stint filling in for the ailing Frank Chance marked the end of his major league career. Kitty Bransfield returned to his hometown of Worcester in 1934 and would remain there until his death in 1947 at the age of 72. His nickname of Kitty came from a misheard mark to a newspaper reporter, who though Bransfield was being called “Kitty” instead of “Kid”.
Major League Baseball Player. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, he began his career in baseball there as an outfielder with local shop teams in. In 1894 he began to bat, and the following year he received a tryout with the professional team in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He returned to the Worcester area and played for strong semipro teams in Westboro and Grafton, Massachusetts. In 1898 at the age of 23 the he received another professional trial, this time with the National League's Boston Beaneaters (today’s Atlanta Braves). The Beaneaters watched him over for five games and released him to Worcester's minor league team. After spending the 1899 season behind the plate, he switched to first base in 1900 and led the Eastern League in hitting with a .371 average. The 1901 season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the death of Tom O'Brien, they needed a strong first baseman for the 1901 season, and he proved to be the perfect match, they would walk away with their first National League pennant by 7.5 games over the second-place Phillies. Kitty Bransfield batted .295 in 139 games and established career highs in runs (92) and RBIs (91). He would play four seasons with the team, then would be shipped to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the 1905 season. He had finest year with the Phillies when in 1908 when he led the team with three home runs, 71 RBIs, and a .304 batting average, becoming one of only five .300 hitters in the National League that season. In September of 1911, the 36-year-old veteran became a Chicago Cub, and his three-game stint filling in for the ailing Frank Chance marked the end of his major league career. Kitty Bransfield returned to his hometown of Worcester in 1934 and would remain there until his death in 1947 at the age of 72. His nickname of Kitty came from a misheard mark to a newspaper reporter, who though Bransfield was being called “Kitty” instead of “Kid”.
Bio by: Shock
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