Today in Wheeling History: March 14--Sam Moffet, Major League Baseball player and successful gold miner, was born in Wheeling (1857).
Samuel Robert "Sam" Moffet was born on March 14, 1857, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He grew up in Wheeling and developed a passion for baseball at a young age. Moffet played on amateur baseball teams as a teenager and quickly gained a reputation for his skills on the field. In 1882, he batted an impressive .404 for the Wheeling Standards. The following year, Moffet began his professional baseball career with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the Northwestern League, where he played as a pitcher and also covered first and third base. In 1884, Moffet made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cleveland Blues. During his time with the Blues, he played 42 games in the outfield and batted .184 in 256 at-bats. Moffet's pitching record was less stellar, with a 3-19 win-loss record. After a brief hiatus from professional baseball to pursue mining ventures in Montana, Moffet became a successful gold miner, earning approximately $50,000 from his mining endeavors. Adjusted for inflation, this amount would be equivalent to around $1.3 million in 2025. He later returned to the majors in 1887 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers. He played until mid-1888 before retiring from baseball. Moffet continued his mining endeavors in Montana, where he mined gold. He passed away on May 5, 1907, in Butte, Montana, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling, West Virginia.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/3nfcyrez), Baseball Reference (https://tinyurl.com/4dwm254t), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/4v7kcenh)
Photo credits: Find a Grave, Baseball Reference
Samuel Robert "Sam" Moffet was born on March 14, 1857, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He grew up in Wheeling and developed a passion for baseball at a young age. Moffet played on amateur baseball teams as a teenager and quickly gained a reputation for his skills on the field. In 1882, he batted an impressive .404 for the Wheeling Standards. The following year, Moffet began his professional baseball career with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the Northwestern League, where he played as a pitcher and also covered first and third base. In 1884, Moffet made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cleveland Blues. During his time with the Blues, he played 42 games in the outfield and batted .184 in 256 at-bats. Moffet's pitching record was less stellar, with a 3-19 win-loss record. After a brief hiatus from professional baseball to pursue mining ventures in Montana, Moffet became a successful gold miner, earning approximately $50,000 from his mining endeavors. Adjusted for inflation, this amount would be equivalent to around $1.3 million in 2025. He later returned to the majors in 1887 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers. He played until mid-1888 before retiring from baseball. Moffet continued his mining endeavors in Montana, where he mined gold. He passed away on May 5, 1907, in Butte, Montana, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling, West Virginia.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/3nfcyrez), Baseball Reference (https://tinyurl.com/4dwm254t), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/4v7kcenh)
Photo credits: Find a Grave, Baseball Reference
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