List of British-Born Ballplayers Grows By One
SABR member Joe Gray noted at Baseball GB on March 6 that the list of all-time major league players born in England has increased its membership by one, due to a recent discovery by members of the Biographical Research Committee.
Gray writes:
In the group’s January/February 2011 Report, details for a correction to the birthplace of John Joseph Burns are issued. Previously thought to have been born in Pennsylvania in 1880, Jack Burns is now believed to have popped into existence in Salford, England, in 1878 (according to the 1910 US census and a World War One draft registration).
Burns, a second baseman, had a 15-game major league career with the Tigers, spanning the seasons of 1903 and 1904, but despite the brevity of his spell he still gained playing time on the same line-up as one future Hall of Famer, outfielder Sam Crawford.
For more information on British baseball, see Project COBB, one of SABR’s Chartered Communities.
Originally published: March 7, 2011. Last Updated: March 7, 2011.