Vincent: A short history of ejections
From SABR member David Vincent at Retrosheet.org on January 29, 2015:
In 1889, the baseball rules were changed to allow an umpire to remove a player from the game for an offense. Previously, the arbiter could only fine such players. The new rule allowed the umpire to eject a player for the repetition of any finable offense. The fine system had started in 1879.
The first person to be ejected was Dave Orr of the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the American Association. He was upset about a call at 3B by umpire Fred Goldsmith on May 25, 1889 and was told by the arbiter that his services were no longer required that day. Seven days later, Buck Ewing of the National League’s New York Giants was tossed for foul language directed at umpire Wes Curry. Ewing was the first NL player to be ejected.
Between 1924 and 1946 in the NL and 1907 and 1952 in the American League, a person ejected from the first game of a doubleheader was disqualified from the second game. Before those rules were put in place, several players were ejected from both games played in one day. Jesse Burkett is the first known player to be ejected from both games of a doubleheader. This occurred on August 4, 1897 when Burkett’s Cleveland Spiders were in Louisville. Burkett was tossed in each game for arguing about the strike zone with umpire Jimmy Wolf.
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Originally published: January 29, 2015. Last Updated: January 29, 2015.