Major League Baseball

Giants History: Former First Baseman Dan McGann Commits Suicide

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Dan McGann had been a solid first baseman over his dozen years in the Majors, spent primarily with the New York Giants. However, he also battled depression throughout his life, committing suicide on this day in 1910.

Over the course of his twelve year Major League career, Dan McGann found a home with the New York Giants. He was a solid first baseman, leading the league in fielding percentage six times. McGann was also noted for his ability to get on base, leading the league in hit by pitches six times. His total of 230 times being hit still ranks seventh all time, and it took until Otis Nixon in 1991 to break his record of five steals in a game.

A valued member of the Giants, and a friend of John McGraw, he became the team captain. A fiery player, he developed a reputation as a fighter after punching Fred Abbott following an altercation at the plate. Eventually, as McGann started to age and stopped being in shape, he was traded to Boston, finishing out his career in 1908 with the Braves.

After two more years in the Minors, it was expected that McGann would sign with the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League or a team in Kentucky to be closer to home. Instead, on this day in 1910, McGann committed suicide, shooting himself in the heart in a Louisville hotel.

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Depression ran through McGann’s family. He had a sister and a brother that had committed suicide before he did, and another brother died after accidentally shooting himself. It was known that he suffered severe depression issues, and with his family’s history, his suicide was not a surprise.

However, his surviving sisters refused to believe that he killed himself. He had been seen earlier that day, and was considered to be in a great mood. Also, McGann had been wearing an expensive diamond ring, which would have been valued at over $20,000 in today’s rates. That ring was never found, as he was no longer wearing it when his body was discovered. Instead, his sisters felt that he was killed in the course of a robbery.

Given his family history, the beliefs of his sisters fell on deaf ears. In theory, McGann could have given the ring to someone, or it could have been lost somewhere. Yet, we will never know what happened in those final few minutes, or if the Giants former first baseman had been hiding his suicidal feelings from others prior to taking his own life.

Dan McGann was one of the stars of the great New York Giants teams in the 1900’s. Unfortunately, even that success could not keep his depression at bay, as he committed suicide on this day in 1910.

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