the NL in mid-season, but his alcohol abuse continued and he was again let go. He umpired in the Eastern League again from 1895 to 1897 before coming back to the NL in 1899–1900, joining Tom Lynch in becoming one of only two men to umpire in 12 major league seasons in the 19th century. He umpired college games near Worcester after 1900, and later moved to New York City, where he worked as a night watchman. Gaffney died in poverty at age 58 in New York City. Following his death, Mack arranged a benefit game in Worcester between his Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, played on October 5, 1916, to pay for a monument for Gaffney's grave. In 1946, Gaffney was included in the Honor Rolls of Baseball. Quotes "I have studied the rules thoroughly. I keep my eyes wide open, and I follow the ball with all possible dispatch. With the players I try to keep as even tempered as I can, always speaking to them gentlemanly yet firmly. I dislike to fine, and in all my experience have not inflicted more than $300 in fines, and I never found it necessary to order a player from the field. Pleasant words to players in passion will work far better than fines." – as quoted in The Sporting News, April 25, 1891 "He was perfect. He would follow a ball all the way from the pitcher, and when he made his decision, he would say, 'That was one-eighth of an inch outside' – or 'That was one-eighth of an inch too low,' and he was right. There has never been another umpire like him." – Connie Mack, in The Sporting News, April 8, 1943 See also List of Major League Baseball umpires Sources Gerlach, Larry R. "John H. Gaffney", in Baseball's First Stars, The Society for American Baseball Research, 1996. The Sporting News, 1886–1887. References External links John Gaffney managerial and umpiring career statistics at Retrosheet 1884 NL umpire biographies 1855 births 1913 deaths 19th-century baseball umpires Washington Nationals (1886–1889) managers Sportspeople from Worcester, Massachusetts Major League Baseball umpires Lynn Live Oaks players