Edmund Minahan

Edmund “Cotton” Minahan competed as a sprinter for Georgetown University and at the 1900 Olympics. He later spent time at Manhattan College, where he joined the baseball team as a pitcher. In 1904 he joined the Birmingham Coal Barons of the Southern Association, a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants. He then played some minor league ball in Vermont, in an independent league, after which his rights were sold to the Cincinnati Reds. In 1905-06 Minahan played for the Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association.

Minahan is one of the very few Olympians who played major league baseball (prior to baseball becoming an Olympic sport), when he came up to the bigs with the Reds in 1907. He played only one year, as a pitcher, appearing in two games and losing them both. He later played minor league ball in St. Paul, Minnesota and Rochester, New York, but retired at the end of 1907.

In early 1907, an Irish uncle of Minahan’s died in Dublin, and left a huge estate to Edmund Minahan and his siblings, but it is not known what share of the estate he received. He later went into business, retiring in 1933 and settling in East Orange, New Jersey. He never married and died without issue.

Personal Best: 100 – 11.4e (1900).