Larry McLean: A story of alcohol and brawls

Canada's first MLB star

His baseball career lasted 14 years, his life lasted only a bit longer.

He was born as John McLean on July 18, 1881 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He picked up the nickname of Larry due to his resemblance to Nap Lajoie, a baseball superstar who also had the nickname Larry.

While playing for the local Saint John team in 1901, a scout for the Boston Americans, now the Red Sox, saw him and signed him to a contract.

He played two seasons for the Red Sox before a trade sent him to the Chicago Cubs. He remained there only briefly until he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.

His trade to the Cardinals is considered one of the worst trades in the history of the team. McLean and Jack Taylor were sent to the Cardinals, while future Hall of Famer Moedecai “Three Finger” Brown and Jack O’Neil were sent to the Cubs.

With Brown, the Cubs won the World Series in 1907 and 1908. The Cardinals wouldn’t win a World Series title until 1926.

Throughout his career, McLean enjoyed two things, chewing tobacco and corn whiskey.

After he was released by the Cardinals, he played one season with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. There, he was teammates with pitcher Ned Garvin, another alcoholic. Since McLean was a catcher, the two formed a volatile combination and sometimes played in the same game intoxicated.

McLean signed with Portland again in 1906, earning a $1,400 salary, equivalent to $43,000 today. When the contract was signed, McLean’s wife went public stating that the salary was not enough for the value McLean brought to the team. She stated that another team in Altoona had offered to sign him for $2,400.

Nonetheless, McLean played 88 games that season with Portland and helped them win the Pacific Coast League.

With his stellar play, he was signed to the Cincinnati Reds. After one game, McLean got drunk and jumped into the fountain at the Buckingham Hotel in St. Louis. That incident got him sent back down to the minors for awhile.

His manager, Kid Nichols said,

“I can pitch to Larry real good, but I can't manage him worth a dime.”

He remained with the Cardinals until 1912, his longest stretch with any team. It wasn’t without more controversy though. In 1910, he was suspended by the team for violating team rules. He responded by writing a letter of resignation, which was accepted. It didn’t last, and he rejoined the team with the agreement he would take a reduced salary and sit out the first week of the season.

Finally having enough, the team traded him back to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1913, and then he was quickly sent over to the New York Giants. He played five games in the World Series, which the Giants lost.

In 1915, he got into a fight with Giants’ manager John McGraw and scout Dick Kinsella. McGraw had suspended McLean for being out of shape, and McLean was angry at McGraw for the suspension and Kinsella because he believed he convinced McGraw to suspend him.

McLean found the two men in a hotel lobby and with some friends, attacked them. Kinsella responded by breaking a chair over McLean’s head as teammates worked to control McLean.

McLean quickly fled with his companions. Later that day, he was released from the team and never played another game in the Majors.

In his 13 year career, he batted .262, hit six home runs and had 298 RBIs.

On March 24, 1921 in Boston, he was drinking at a saloon and became unruly, chasing the bartender. Later that night, he returned and was offended when the manager of the bar wouldn’t give him a cigarette. McLean attempted to climb over the bar and was shot by the manager.

He was dead by the time he reached the hospital. The manager was sentenced to one year in prison.

In 1937, McLean received only one vote for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 2000, he was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.