{{short description|American baseball player (1894–1953)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Cotton Tierney |image=Cotton Tierney.jpg |position=Second baseman |birth_date={{birth date|1894|2|10}} |birth_place=Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |death_date={{Death date and age|1953|4|18|1894|2|10}} |death_place=Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |bats=Right |throws=Right |debutleague = MLB |debutdate= September 23 |debutyear= 1920 |debutteam= Pittsburgh Pirates |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=October 3 |finalyear=1925 |finalteam=Brooklyn Robins |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.296 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=31 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=331 |teams= * Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1920}}–{{mlby|1923}}) * Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1923}}) * Boston Braves ({{mlby|1924}}) * Brooklyn Robins ({{mlby|1925}}) }} '''James Arthur''' "'''Cotton'''" '''Tierney''' (February 10, 1894 – April 18, 1953) was an American professional baseball second baseman and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Braves, and Brooklyn Robins between 1920 and 1925. Tierney was born in Kansas City, Kansas.<ref name="statistics">[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tiernco01.shtml "Cotton Tierney Statistics and History"]. "baseball-reference.com. Retrieved on 2017-05-14.</ref>
==Career== Tierney began his professional career in minor league baseball in 1912.<ref name=obit/> The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Tierney after he played for the Tulsa Oilers of the Class A Western League.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aOBfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T20NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3160,4617084&dq=cotton-tierney+tulsa&hl=en|title=Pirates' Chances Appear Improved: With Rabbit Maranville at Short, Pittsburg Looks Like Real Contender|page=9|newspaper=The Saskatoon Phoenix|date=April 13, 1921|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref> Tierney and teammates Charley Grimm, Rabbit Maranville, and George Whitted, became known as the "Banjo Boys".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_hENAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hGoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1891,2145237&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=Recommended Reading|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=May 11, 1948|page=12|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-ZcrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1fQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6020,5230518&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=A Fine State of Affairs|page=10|agency=The New York Times News Service|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=August 25, 1964|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref> On October 2, 1920, he played every inning in all three games of modern baseball's only tripleheader; he is the only player to play three complete major league games in one day. (Morrie Rath is the only other player to have played in each of that day's 3 games, but Rath left the third game after two innings, before making a plate appearance.)
Tierney had a .345 batting average during the 1922 season, finishing fifth in the National League, and a .515 slugging percentage, good for fourth. He also finished fifth in triples with fourteen, tied with Rogers Hornsby.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1922-batting-leaders.shtml |title=1922 National League Batting Leaders |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date= |accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref> His performance earned him a $5,000 contract for the next season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PbUNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J3IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6596,131193&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=Sanchez not fluke like Tierney|first=Brian|last=O'Neill|page=D3|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=August 21, 2007|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref> However, the Pirates traded Tierney with Whitey Glazner and $50,000 to the Philadelphia Phillies for Lee Meadows and Johnny Rawlings in May 1923.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QpwiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ea0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2221,7865731&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=Dribbles of Sport|newspaper=The Daily Times|page=10|date=May 11, 1923|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/1923-transactions.shtml |title=1923 Pittsburgh Pirates Trades and Transactions |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date= |accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref> In 1923, Tierney tied George Grantham for second in the NL in doubles with 36, trailing only Edd Roush, and finished seventh in home runs with 13.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1923-batting-leaders.shtml|title=1923 National League Batting Leaders|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date= |accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref>
On December 15, 1923, the Phillies traded Tierney to the Boston Braves for Hod Ford and Ray Powell.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3whTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9TcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4252,1535512&dq=cotton-tierney+ray-powell&hl=en|title=Looks Like Braves Got Best of Trade|page=13|newspaper=The Morning Leader|date=April 11, 1924|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref> On February 4, 1925, the Braves traded Tierney to the Brooklyn Robins for Bernie Neis.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1879944842.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+05%2C+1925&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe+%281923-1927%29&desc=Head+of+Harvard+Football+Forces+Since+War+Forced+to+Give+Up+Position+by+Pressure+of+Business&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131143841/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1879944842.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+05,+1925&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe+(1923-1927)&desc=Head+of+Harvard+Football+Forces+Since+War+Forced+to+Give+Up+Position+by+Pressure+of+Business&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |first=Ford|last=Sawyer|title=Head of Harvard Football Forces Since War Forced to Give Up Position by Pressure of Business; Hitting of Bernie Neis May Be Useful To Tribe: Outfielder Obtained From Dodgers For Tierney Hit.303 Last Season--Has Been in Big Show Five Years|newspaper=Boston Daily Globe |date=February 5, 1925 |accessdate=June 27, 2012}} {{subscription required|date=June 2012}}</ref> Before the 1926 season, in what was considered "one of the most remarkable deals ever made between a major and a minor league club", the Robins traded Tierney to the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association with Ford, Dick Loftus, Bonnie Hollingsworth, and their choice of Del Bissonette, Babe Herman, and Chuck Corgan in order to acquire Johnny Butler.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sNlPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QlQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4964,5396104&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=Uncle Wilbert Puts Over Big Baseball Deal: Gives Six Big Leaguers For One Minneapolis Man|page=7|agency=United News|date=February 3, 1926|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref>
Tierney managed the Pueblo Steelworkers of the Western League in 1929.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SfkjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Dg8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2954,2173396&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=Cotton Tierney to Boss Pueblo Club|agency=Associated Press|page=12|newspaper=The Milwaukee Sentinel|date=December 12, 1928|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref> He managed the Joplin Miners of the Class A Western Association in 1930.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yfQoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CNQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6860,2460387&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title='Cotton' Tierney to Manage Joplin|agency=Associated Press|date=February 7, 1930|accessdate=June 28, 2012|page=8|newspaper=The Southeast Missourian}}</ref>
==Legacy== Tierney returned to Kansas City, where he operated a bowling alley with Baseball Hall of Fame member Zack Wheat.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dVQ_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=_UwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5279,194231&dq=cotton-tierney+zack-wheat&hl=en|title=Black Lightning Zack Wheat Most Popular Player Brooklyn Ever Had|first=Harry|last=Grayson|newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News|page=7|date=July 5, 1943|accessdate=June 28, 2012}}</ref> He died in his home at the age of 59.<ref name=obit>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eF9SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KTcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4345,4862523&dq=cotton-tierney&hl=en|title=Cotton Tierney Dies; Was Major League Star|newspaper=The News and Courier|agency=Associated Press|date=April 19, 1953|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref>
In 2005, Jeff Euston, Tierney's great-great-nephew, created a website tracking all salaries of MLB players, naming it "Cot's Baseball Contracts", after his baseball ancestor. Considered "the unofficial clearinghouse for MLB contracts", the website had 4 million page views by the end of 2008.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/john_donovan/11/25/donovan.cots/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201095219/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/john_donovan/11/25/donovan.cots/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 1, 2008 |title=Cot's Contracts is one-stop shopping for baseball contract info |first=John |last=Donovan |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=November 28, 2008 |accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref> In 2010, ''Baseball Prospectus'' purchased Cot's Contracts, and began hosting the site.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3899:baseball-prospectus-announces-sweeping-changes&catid=26:editorials&Itemid=39 |title=Baseball Prospectus Announces Sweeping Changes |first=Maury |last=Brown |publisher=Business of Sports Network |work=Bizofbaseball.com |date=January 4, 2010 |accessdate=June 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515045637/http://bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3899:baseball-prospectus-announces-sweeping-changes&catid=26:editorials&Itemid=39 |archive-date=May 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Portal|Baseball}} {{Baseballstats|br=t/tiernco01|brm=tierne001jam}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/|title=Cot's Baseball Contracts|publisher=Baseball Prospectus|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tierney, Cotton}} Category:Major League Baseball infielders Category:Boston Braves players Category:Brooklyn Robins players Category:Philadelphia Phillies players Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:Minor league baseball managers Category:Ardmore Indians players Category:Dallas Giants players Category:Hollywood Stars players Category:Joplin Miners players Category:Kansas City Blues (baseball) players Category:McAlester Miners players Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players Category:Mobile Bears players Category:Pueblo Steelworkers players Category:San Antonio Bronchos players Category:Shawnee Robins players Category:Texarkana Tigers players Category:Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players Category:Tyler Elbertas players Category:Baseball players from Kansas City, Kansas Category:1894 births Category:1953 deaths Category:20th-century American sportsmen