Baseball History: The Curious Case of Bill Magee

Bill Magee was a journeyman pitcher who played for five different teams in five years around the run of the century. Yet, it was his mysterious life after he retired that made him one of the more interesting players in baseball history.

Born on this day in 1875 in New Brunswick, Bill Magee moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a child. There, he began playing baseball, becoming a pitcher of some renown in the area. At age 20, he pitched for the Brockton Shoemakers in New England League, having a good deal of success and attracting the attention of the Louisville Colonels. Although he would not have that same success in the majors, Magee played for five teams in his five years in the National League.

Typically, a journeyman pitcher who appeared for five different teams, in five years, would have faded away in baseball history. That was the fate that a pitcher like Magee likely would have faced, as he was not particularly great on the mound. He had just one winning season in his five years, and ended his major league career with a 29-51 record, along with a 4.94 ERA and a 1.600 WHiP. In 743.2 innings, he struck out 161 batters while issuing 352 walks. Magee was just not a major league caliber arm.

After his major league career ended in 1902, Magee continued to play in the minors though the 1906 season. He found some success, but at 30 years old, hung up his cleats. With a wife and several young children, Magee found regular employment, staying home in Buffalo, New York, with his family.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

That is, he stayed in Buffalo until some time in 1907. Suddenly, and without warning or explanation, he left his wife and children behind. It would be the last time Magee was heard from, as he completely vanished after that day.

Following his sudden and mysterious disappearance, rumors about Magee naturally began to circulate. One of the most intriguing, and persistent rumors, was that he was working for a secret government department. Such an explanation would certainly explain his disappearance, and possibly why he was never seen again.

Every so often, as one peruses the list of players in baseball history, there are players whose lives were unknown after their playing days. Typically, those players appeared briefly in the early days, when it was questionable as to whether or not their real names were being used. However, those missing details are usually reserved for those players who appeared in a handful of games. A player like Magee, a five year veteran, would usually have been relatively well known in his hometown. Instead, he vanished, a ghost in the wind.

Next: Tanaka's resurgence a bright spot

What happened to Bill Magee? We may never know.