Al Bridwell

Infobox MLB retired
name = Al Bridwell
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textcolor1 =
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width =150px
caption =Al Bridwell baseball card, 1911
position =Shortstop
birthdate =birth date|1884|1|4
deathdate =death date and age|1969|1|23|1884|1|4
bats =Left
throws = Right
debutdate =April 16
debutyear =1905
debutteam =Cincinnati Reds
finaldate =September 23
finalyear =1915
finalteam =St. Louis Terriers
stat1label =Batting average
stat1value =.255
stat2label =Home runs
stat2value =2
stat3label =Runs batted in
stat3value =348
teams =
*Cincinnati Reds (1905)
*Boston Beaneaters / Doves / Rustlers / Braves (1906-1907, 1911-1912)
*New York Giants (1908-1911)
*Chicago Cubs (1913)
*St. Louis Terriers (1914-1915)
highlights =
* Led league in fewest strikeout per at-bat in 1911, with 18 strikeouts
* Led shortstops in fielding percentage at .942 in 1907

Albert Henry Bridwell (January 4, 1884 in Friendship, Ohio - January 23, 1969 in Portsmouth, Ohio) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the a number of teams in the early 20th century, most notably the New York Giants, when the team was managed by John McGraw. Bridwell hit the single which caused the crucial "Merkle boner" running error of the by|1908 season against the Chicago Cubs. The error ended up costing the Giants the pennant. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed.

Bridwell never played in a World Series. Midway through the 1911 season, he was traded by the Giants, who would go on to play in the 1911 World Series, to the Boston Rustlers. He played his final two years in the Federal League.In 1252 career games, Bridwell batted .255 with 348 RBIs. He had 1064 hits, with 95 doubles and 32 triples in 4169 at bats.

Bridwell had this to say about the reason why John McGraw was a great manager: "he knew how to handle men, some players he rode and others he didn't. He got the most out of each man." Bridwell's pugnaciousness fit right in with McGraw's style of play. He once punched McGraw in the nose, earning a two game suspension. [cite book|last=Bak|first=Richard|title=New York Giants: A Baseball Album|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|date=1999|pages=pp. 36|isbn=0738503371] Bridwell is also profiled in Lawrence Ritter's book "The Glory of their Times". He died at age 85 and had one daughter.

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