SAUGUS — At the turn of the 20th century, the Bannon brothers, Jimmy and Tom, were raised in Saugus, and played professionally in baseball leagues at the time.
The Bannon brothers were both born in Amesbury, Massachusetts, but shortly soon after, relocated to Saugus.
Tom’s career in professional baseball began in 1891, playing in the Eastern League, a minor league, on the Scranton Coal Heavers, and then later the New York Giants for a short time.
Per batting rankings for the 1899 Eastern League, Tom was listed at the first spot, having an impressive 64 stolen bases, and Jimmy, the second spot, having a batting average of .341.
The Bannon brothers were both of short stature, Jimmy standing at 5’5” 160lbs. and Tom at 5’8” 175lbs., but by all accounts they were formidable forces on the field, Jimmy playing on the Boston Beaneaters holding his own alongside Hugh Duffy and Tommy McCarthy (both in the baseball Hall of Fame.)
Tom’s time in the major leagues was short lived, only playing two games for the Giants, spending the rest of his career in the minor leagues, playing on teams like the Middletown Jewels and the Montreal Royals until 1910, when he shifted his career to focus more on the management side of the sport. Tom managed various minor league teams in the early 1900s — the Lowell Tigers in 1909, the Middletown Jewels in 1910, and the Wilmington Chicks in 1911.
Additionally, Tom umpired various games in the Eastern, New England, and Ohio-Pennsylvania leagues until 1917, before switching gears and working within the supply department at the General Electric facility in Lynn.
Jimmy’s career mirrored Tom’s in many ways, shifting as well in 1910. After an interest at the managerial side of things fizzled out when Dave Shean got the job at the Providence Grays, Jimmy remained on the diamond as an umpire for several games, while also managing other minor league teams like the Haverhill Hustlers, Lawrence Colts, and the Binghamton Bingoes.
Once Jimmy left the diamond, he continued in the world of baseball, coaching the Lehigh and University of New Hampshire baseball teams, before serving as the President of the New England League.
Jimmy passed away aged 76 in Glen Rock, New Jersey in 1948, his brother living until 1950, passing at age 80 in Lynn, Massachusetts.
