Jim Riley (ice hockey)

James Norman Riley (May 25, 1895 – May 25, 1969) was a Canadian professional ice hockey and baseball player. The only person to play in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB), Riley played 9 games in the NHL in 1926–27 and 6 games in MLB between 1921 and 1923. In hockey he also played eight seasons in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, a rival major league of the NHL, in a career that lased from 1915 to 1929. While in the PCHA he mainly played for the Seattle Metropolitans, and won the Stanley Cup in 1917. Riley's baseball career lasted 12 seasons from 1921 to 1932, and was mainly spent in the minor leagues.

Jim Riley
Born	James Norman Riley May 25, 1895 Bayfield, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	May 25, 1969 (aged 74) Seguin, Texas, U.S.
Baseball career
Second baseman
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 3, 1921, for the St. Louis Browns
Last MLB appearance
October 7, 1923, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Batting average	.000
At bats	14
Runs scored	1
Teams
St. Louis Browns (1921) Washington Senators (1923)
Ice hockey career Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) Position Left wing Shot Left Played for Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Cougars Seattle Metropolitans Victoria Aristocrats Playing career 1915–1929

Playing career

Born in Bayfield, New Brunswick, Riley played 17 games in the National Hockey League and 90 games in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, as a member of the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Cougars, and Seattle Metropolitans. He won the Stanley Cup with Seattle in 1917. In 1922–23, he was named a PCHA First Team All-Star.

In addition, Riley played professional baseball for 12 seasons, from 1921 to 1932, mostly in the minor leagues. He started his career as a second baseman, and played in four games at that position for the 1921 St. Louis Browns of the American League, thus becoming the only athlete in sports history to play both Major League Baseball and in the National Hockey League.[1] After that season, he switched permanently to first base, and returned to the major leagues with the 1923 Washington Senators, playing two games with them, before resuming his career in the minors.

Riley died in Seguin, Texas, the day of his 74th birthday.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1914–15	Calgary Victorias	ASHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1915–16	Victoria Aristocrats	PCHA		12	4	1	5	14		—	—	—	—	—
1916–17	Seattle Metropolitans	PCHA		24	11	5	16	34		—	—	—	—	—
1916–17	Seattle Metropolitans	St-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		4	0	0	0	3
1919–20	Seattle Metropolitans	PCHA		22	11	4	15	49		2	1	2	3	0
1919–20	Seattle Metropolitans	St-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		5	0	1	1	0
1920–21	Seattle Metropolitans	PCHA		24	23	5	28	20		2	0	0	0	0
1921–22	Seattle Metropolitans	PCHA		24	16	2	18	27		2	0	0	0	3
1922–23	Seattle Metropolitans	PCHA		30	23	4	27	70		—	—	—	—	—
1923–24	Seattle Metropolitans	PCHA		13	2	2	4	1		2	0	1	1	2
1926–27	Dallas Ice Kings	Exhib		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1926–27	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1926–27	Detroit Cougars	NHL		6	0	2	2	14		—	—	—	—	—
1928–29	Los Angeles Richfields	Cal-Pro		—	2	2	4	—		—	—	—	—	—
PCHA totals				167	94	26	120	240		10	2	3	5	8
NHL totals				9	0	2	2	14		—	—	—	—	—

Notes

1. Legends of Hockey: Jim Riley

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Jim Riley bio from seattlehockey.net, previously published in The National Pastime

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)