Career
He would play for the Chicago Cubs, Boston Braves, Saint Louis Browns, Saint Louis Terriers, and Detroit Tigers. When his request for a salary increase for 1915 was rejected, Deal jumped to the Federal League, playing for the Saint Louis Terriers. Deal only played 65 games for the Terriers, due to being hospitalised with a bout of typhoid fever.
In 1917 Deal led the National League in sacrifice hits with 29.
He also proved to be very reliable defensively, leading National League third baseman in fielding three years in a row (1919–1921). Deal then played for several teams in the Pacific Coast League in the mid-1920s, before ending his career at Chattanooga in the Southern Association in 1927.