Thomas P. "Oyster" Burns (September 6, 1864November 11, 1928) was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned 15 seasons, 11 of which were spent with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Wilmington Quicksteps (1884), Baltimore Orioles (1884–85, 1887–88), Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1888–1895), and New York Giants (1895). Burns, who predominately played as an outfielder, also played as a shortstop, second baseman, third baseman, and pitcher. Over his career, Burns compiled a career batting average of .300 with 870 runs scored, 1,392 hits, 224 doubles, 129 triples, 65 home runs, and 834 runs batted in (RBI) in 1,188 games played. Although the majority of his career was spent in the major leagues, Burns also played in minor league baseball. He made his MLB debut at the age of 19 and was listed as standing and weighing . Burns, nicknamed "Oyster" because he sold shellfish in the off-season, was described as a "loudmouth" and having "an irritating voice and personality". He led the Bridegrooms to an American Association championship in 1889 and a National League pennant in 1890. After retiring from baseball, Burns died on November 11, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York. Biography Thomas P. Burns was born on September 6, 1864, in Philadelphia. His parents, Patrick and Mary Burns, were both Irish immigrants. In 1883, Burns began his professional baseball career as an outfielder and pitcher with Harrisburg of the minor-league Interstate Association. He had a batting average of .220 in 69 games. As a pitcher, Burns posted an earned run average (ERA) of 2.30 over 20 games pitched, 15 of which were starts. Burns began the 1884 season playing for the Wilmington Quicksteps, but left the team after they joined the Union Association, and joined the Baltimore Orioles. Burns—the youngest player on the Orioles and the seventh youngest player in the American Association— batted .298. Despite playing in only 35 games on the season, Burns recorded a team-leading six home runs over 141 plate appearances. He continued his career with the Orioles in 1885, batting .231 with five home runs and 37 RBI, and pitching to a 7–4 win–loss record. His offensive struggles led him to be demoted to the Newark Domestics for the 1886 season, where he helped the Domestics win the Eastern League pennant. Burns led the league in batting average (.352), slugging percentage (.558), and home runs (10). By 1887, Burns had reentered the majors for the Orioles