O'Brien attended Saint Mary's High School in South Amboy, later known as Cardinal McCarrick High School, where he was inducted into the school's sports hall of fame.[1]
O'Brien attended Seattle University, where he played on the basketball team for the Chieftains (along with his brother Johnny) and participated in a stunning 84–81 upset over the Harlem Globetrotters on January 21, 1952.[2] He and Johnny were drafted by the NBA's Milwaukee Hawks in 1953, but they never played in the NBA.[3]
While in Pittsburgh, Johnny and Eddie O'Brien became the first twins in major league history to play for the same team in the same game.[4] They are also one of only four brother combinations to play second base/shortstop on the same major league club. The others are Garvin and Granny Hamner, for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945; Frank and Milt Bolling, with the Detroit Tigers in 1958, and Billy and Cal Ripken, for the Baltimore Orioles during the 1980s.
In Jim Bouton's book Ball Four, a memoir of the 1969 baseball season, O'Brien—who in that year had served as bullpen coach for the Seattle Pilots expansion club—was represented as Bouton's consistent antagonist, owing to his refusal to help catch Bouton's knuckleball pitch after the team catchers were reluctant to do so. O'Brien also worked as the Athletic Director at Seattle University and as an energy consultant for the Alaskan shipping industry.[5]
On February 21, 2014, O'Brien died at the age of 83.[6][7]
^Neyer, Rob; Epstein, Eddie (2000). Baseball Dynasties: The Greatest Teams of All Time. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 188. ISBN9780393320084. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
^Marazzi, Rich; Fiorito, Len (2003). Baseball Players of the 1950s: A Biographical Dictionary of All 1,560 Major Leaguers. McFarland & Company. p. 284. ISBN9780786446889. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
^Withers, Bud (February 21, 2014). . The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on February 24, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
^Goldstein, Richard (March 3, 2014). "Eddie O'Brien, Who Played for Pirates With His Twin, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
External linksedit
Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
Retrosheet
January 01, 1970
eddie, brien, baseball, edward, joseph, brien, december, 1930, february, 2014, american, major, league, baseball, shortstop, outfielder, pitcher, played, entire, five, year, baseball, career, pittsburgh, pirates, 1953, 1955, twin, brother, johnny, former, seco. Edward Joseph O Brien December 11 1930 February 21 2014 was an American Major League Baseball shortstop outfielder and pitcher He played his entire five year baseball career for the Pittsburgh Pirates 1953 1955 58 His twin brother Johnny is a former second baseman and pitcher Eddie O BrienO Brien as a coach for the Seattle Pilots in 1969Shortstop Center fielder PitcherBorn 1930 12 11 December 11 1930South Amboy New JerseyDied February 21 2014 2014 02 21 aged 83 Seattle WashingtonBatted RightThrew RightMLB debutApril 25 1953 for the Pittsburgh PiratesLast MLB appearanceApril 19 1958 for the Pittsburgh PiratesMLB statisticsBatting average 236Home runs0Hits131Runs batted in25Won lost record1 0Earned run average3 31Innings pitched16 TeamsAs player Pittsburgh Pirates 1953 1955 1958 As coach Seattle Pilots 1969 O Brien attended Saint Mary s High School in South Amboy later known as Cardinal McCarrick High School where he was inducted into the school s sports hall of fame 1 O Brien attended Seattle University where he played on the basketball team for the Chieftains along with his brother Johnny and participated in a stunning 84 81 upset over the Harlem Globetrotters on January 21 1952 2 He and Johnny were drafted by the NBA s Milwaukee Hawks in 1953 but they never played in the NBA 3 While in Pittsburgh Johnny and Eddie O Brien became the first twins in major league history to play for the same team in the same game 4 They are also one of only four brother combinations to play second base shortstop on the same major league club The others are Garvin and Granny Hamner for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945 Frank and Milt Bolling with the Detroit Tigers in 1958 and Billy and Cal Ripken for the Baltimore Orioles during the 1980s In Jim Bouton s book Ball Four a memoir of the 1969 baseball season O Brien who in that year had served as bullpen coach for the Seattle Pilots expansion club was represented as Bouton s consistent antagonist owing to his refusal to help catch Bouton s knuckleball pitch after the team catchers were reluctant to do so O Brien also worked as the Athletic Director at Seattle University and as an energy consultant for the Alaskan shipping industry 5 On February 21 2014 O Brien died at the age of 83 6 7 References edit Cardinal McCarrick High School Hall of Fame Cardinal McCarrick High School Archived from the original on September 28 2007 Retrieved April 5 2007 Raley Dan January 21 2002 Fifty years ago tonight Seattle U upset the mighty Seattle Post Intelligencer Retrieved January 24 2008 1953 NBA Draft Basketball Reference com Retrieved March 17 2023 Neyer Rob Epstein Eddie 2000 Baseball Dynasties The Greatest Teams of All Time W W Norton amp Company p 188 ISBN 9780393320084 Retrieved December 26 2017 Marazzi Rich Fiorito Len 2003 Baseball Players of the 1950s A Biographical Dictionary of All 1 560 Major Leaguers McFarland amp Company p 284 ISBN 9780786446889 Retrieved December 27 2017 Withers Bud February 21 2014 Seattle U legend Ed O Brien dies at 83 The Seattle Times Archived from the original on February 24 2014 Retrieved February 22 2014 Goldstein Richard March 3 2014 Eddie O Brien Who Played for Pirates With His Twin Dies at 83 The New York Times Retrieved March 10 2014 External links editCareer statistics and player information from Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors Retrosheet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eddie O 27Brien baseball amp oldid 1223576469, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
