1.
National League
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Both leagues currently have 15 teams. The two league champions of 1903 arranged to compete against each other in the inaugural World Series, after the 1904 champions failed to reach a similar agreement, the two leagues formalized the World Series as an arrangement between the leagues. National League teams have won 48 of the 112 World Series contested from 1903 to 2016, the 2016 National League champions are the Chicago Cubs. By 1875, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was dangerously weak, additionally, Hulbert had a problem—five of his star players were threatened with expulsion from the NAPBBP because Hulbert had signed them to his club using what were considered questionable means. Hulbert had a vested interest in creating his own league. After recruiting St. Louis privately, four western clubs met in Louisville, Kentucky, Boston Red Stockings, the dominant team in the N. A. Hartford Dark Blues from the N. A. Mutual of New York from the N. A. St. Louis Brown Stockings from the N. A, the only strong club from 1875 excluded in 1876 was a second one in Philadelphia, often called the White Stockings or Phillies. The first game in National League history was played on April 22,1876, at Philadelphias Jefferson Street Grounds, 25th & Jefferson, the new leagues authority was tested after the first season. The National League operated with six clubs during 1877 and 1878, over the next several years, various teams joined and left the struggling league. By 1880, six of the eight members had folded. The two remaining original NL franchises, Boston and Chicago, remain in operation today as the Atlanta Braves, in 1883 the New York Gothams and Philadelphia Phillies began National League play. Both teams remain in the NL today, the Phillies in their original city, the NL encountered its first strong rival organization when the American Association began play in 1882. The A. A. played in cities where the NL did not have teams, offered Sunday games and alcoholic beverages in locales where permitted, the National League and the American Association participated in a version of the World Series seven times during their ten-year coexistence. These contests were less organized than the modern Series, lasting as few as three games and as many as fifteen, with two Series ending in disputed ties, the NL won four times and the A. A. only once, in 1886. Starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1887, the National League began to raid the American Association for franchises to replace NL teams that folded and this undercut the stability of the A. A. Other new leagues that rose to compete with the National League were the Union Association, the Union Association was established in 1884 and folded after playing only one season, its league champion St. Louis Maroons joining the NL. The NL suffered many defections of star players to the Players League, the Brooklyn, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York franchises of the NL absorbed their Players League counterparts. The labor strife of 1890 hastened the downfall of the American Association, after the 1891 season, the A. A. disbanded and merged with the NL, which became known legally for the next decade as the National League and American Association
2.
1876 in baseball
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After a tumultuous five-year existence, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players folded following the 1875 season. One of the new rules put into place by the new league was that all teams had to be located in cities that had a population of 75,000 or more. The initial NL season began with eight teams, and they were asked to play seventy games between April 22 and October 21, the NL is considered to be the first major league, although it has been argued that the NA can make that claim. National League, Chicago White Stockings Champions of the West, St. Louis Brown Stockings Four premier semi-professional teams were in play in 1876 and they were the Binghamton Crickets, the Columbus Buckeyes, the Pittsburgh Alleghenys and the Syracuse Stars. In competition against NL clubs these 4 semi-pro teams played 32 games – winning 16, losing 14, of the 60 players on these 4 semi-pro teams no fewer than 50 of them wound up playing in the National League over the next 5 seasons. Chicago White Stockings signed Cap Anson as a free agent, hartford Dark Blues signed Candy Cummings as a free agent. Boston Red Caps signed George Wright as a free agent, august 10,1876 – The New York Mutuals loaned Nealy Phelps to the Philadelphia Athletics. Phelps returned to the Mutuals on the same day, bryces Base Ball Guide General Ginsburg, Daniel E. The Fix Is in, A History of Baseball Gambling and Game Fixing Scandals, reiss, Steven A. Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball Clubs, Volume 1. Specific 1876 season at baseball-reference. com Charltons Baseball Chronology at BaseballLibrary. com Year by Year History at Baseball-Almanac. com Retrosheet. org
3.
South End Grounds
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South End Grounds refers to any one of three baseball parks on one site in Boston, Massachusetts. They were home to the franchise that became known as the Boston Braves, first in the National Association and later in the National League. At least in its edition, the formal name of the park. It was located on the northeast corner of Columbus Avenue and Walpole Street, accordingly, it was also known over the years as Walpole Street Grounds, two other names were Union Baseball Grounds and simply Boston Baseball Grounds. Over time the team acquired other informal nicknames, such as Beaneaters, Red Caps, Rustlers and this team eventually adopted the official nickname Braves, just a few years before abandoning South End Grounds. With its tight foul lines and expansive center field, like a version of the Polo Grounds, it was sometimes said that the South End had no right or left field. South End Grounds was rebuilt twice during its lifetime, the first time by choice, the first South End Grounds was opened on May 16,1871. The last game was played on September 10,1887, the ballparks stands were demolished later that month to make way for a new structure. The second South End Grounds was opened on May 25,1888, the medieval-style witchs cap turrets were a very popular decoration on public seating structures of the 1880s and 1890s. The ballpark seated 6,800 by one estimate and it was the only double-decked baseball stadium ever built in Boston, apart from the rooftop seating which has turned the single-decked Fenway Park into a de facto double-deck ballpark. During the rebuilding process, the Bostons played their games at Congress Street Grounds. The third South End Grounds was built in ten weeks on the site of the old stand, because the previous structure had not been sufficiently insured, there wasnt enough money to rebuild the stands according to its old plans, and a smaller structure was built. Few photographs of this ballpark seem to be in circulation and that image can be seen above this text. The Braves moved out of the South End Grounds after their game on August 11,1914 to accommodate larger crowds during the drive of the 1914 pennant race. The team continued to play at Fenway Park until Braves Field was completed during the 1915 season, the stadium was demolished after the Braves left. The parking lot between Northeastern Universitys Columbus Parking Garage and Ruggles Station of the Orange Line of the MBTA now stands on the site of the grandstand. The outfield was located where the garage stands
4.
Boston
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Boston is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. Boston is also the seat of Suffolk County, although the county government was disbanded on July 1,1999. The city proper covers 48 square miles with a population of 667,137 in 2015, making it the largest city in New England. Alternately, as a Combined Statistical Area, this wider commuting region is home to some 8.1 million people, One of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England. It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston. Upon U. S. independence from Great Britain, it continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub as well as a center for education, through land reclamation and municipal annexation, Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula. Its rich history attracts many tourists, with Faneuil Hall alone drawing over 20 million visitors per year, Bostons many firsts include the United States first public school, Boston Latin School, first subway system, the Tremont Street Subway, and first public park, Boston Common. Bostons economic base also includes finance, professional and business services, biotechnology, information technology, the city has one of the highest costs of living in the United States as it has undergone gentrification, though it remains high on world livability rankings. Bostons early European settlers had first called the area Trimountaine but later renamed it Boston after Boston, Lincolnshire, England, the renaming on September 7,1630 was by Puritan colonists from England who had moved over from Charlestown earlier that year in quest of fresh water. Their settlement was limited to the Shawmut Peninsula, at that time surrounded by the Massachusetts Bay and Charles River. The peninsula is thought to have been inhabited as early as 5000 BC, in 1629, the Massachusetts Bay Colonys first governor John Winthrop led the signing of the Cambridge Agreement, a key founding document of the city. Puritan ethics and their focus on education influenced its early history, over the next 130 years, the city participated in four French and Indian Wars, until the British defeated the French and their Indian allies in North America. Boston was the largest town in British America until Philadelphia grew larger in the mid-18th century, Bostons harbor activity was significantly curtailed by the Embargo Act of 1807 and the War of 1812. Foreign trade returned after these hostilities, but Bostons merchants had found alternatives for their investments in the interim. Manufacturing became an important component of the economy, and the citys industrial manufacturing overtook international trade in economic importance by the mid-19th century. Boston remained one of the nations largest manufacturing centers until the early 20th century, a network of small rivers bordering the city and connecting it to the surrounding region facilitated shipment of goods and led to a proliferation of mills and factories. Later, a network of railroads furthered the regions industry. Boston was a port of the Atlantic triangular slave trade in the New England colonies
5.
Arthur Soden
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Arthur H. Soden was an American executive in Major League Baseball who was the president/owner of the Boston Base Ball Club of the National League and a Civil War veteran. Soden was born on April 23,1843 in Framingham, Massachusetts, Soden served as a Hospital Steward with the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. After the war, Soden was a ball player of note. In 1874 he was part of the Boston club during their tour of England and he played center field in a game at the Kennington Oval. In 1876 Soden bought into the Boston Base Ball Club, billings later purchased controlling interest in the club and Soden became the teams president in 1877. In 1883, the number was increased to 11, which was a roster size in that era. In 1882, Soden served briefly as president of the National League following the death of William Hulbert, although Troy and Worcester objected to their removal, their attendance problems – drawing only 6 and 18 spectators in their final two games against one another – sealed their fate. Boston won 5 pennants between 1891 and 1898, Soden was known for being stingy, and catcher Boileryard Clarke observed after coming to the Beaneaters from Baltimore in 1899 that the team owner was also amazingly distant. Clarke later insisted that although he played for Boston for two years, Soden never knew he was on the team. After the American League emerged as a rival in the 20th century, many began deserting the NL for the new league. Outside of baseball, Soden ran a successful roofing business with his son and he resided in West Newton, Massachusetts. Soden died in Sunapee, New Hampshire at age 80, nemec, David, The Great Encyclopedia of 19th-Century Major League Baseball, Penguin. John L. Parker, Henry Wilsons Regiment, History of the Twenty-Second Massachusetts Infantry
6.
Frank Selee
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Frank Gibson Selee was an American Major League Baseball manager in the National League. In his sixteen-year Major League career, he managed the Boston Beaneaters for twelve seasons, and he was noted for his ability to assess and utilize talent, which gave his teams a great opportunity to be successful. His success is measurable in that he won five NL titles with the Beaneaters, including three years in a row from 1891 to 1893. After he left Boston, he went on to manage in Chicago where he built the basis for the Cubs later success by signing and utilizing the talents of Frank Chance, Joe Tinker and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 for his managerial achievements. Selee was born in Amherst, New Hampshire and he has been described as a balding little man with a modest demeanor and a formidable mustache that gave his face a melancholy cast, and shy and reticent in public. He left a job in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1884 to form a minor league team. His was success in the minors, which led his eventual move to the Major Leagues in 1890, noted for having a keen ability to assess talent, Selee managed the Boston Beaneaters and the Chicago Cubs. His Beaneaters captured five NL pennants during his tenure and his 1892 team, aided by the first 150-game schedule in history, became the first team to win 100 games in a season. In all, twelve of his players went on be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In June,1905, he became too ill to manage and surrendered his team to Chance, the last Cubs title under Chance in 1910, eight of top thirteen players from the 1905 team were still major contributors. In total, he had 1,284 victories in 2,180 games as manager during his 16-year career, Selee died of consumption at the age of 49 in Denver, Colorado, and was interred at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose, Massachusetts. In 1999, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee for his achievements as a manager and he is one of only two people from New Hampshire to inducted into the Hall of Fame. The other was Carlton Fisk, who was enshrined in 2000 and he was portrayed without his well-known mustache. Frank Selee at the Baseball Hall of Fame Baseball-Reference. com – managerial statistics and analysis Frank Selee at Find a Grave
7.
History of the Boston Braves
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The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, the Boston Franchise played at South End Grounds from 1871 to 1914 and at Braves Field from 1915 to 1952. Braves Field is now Nickerson Field of Boston University, the franchise, from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta, is the oldest continuous professional baseball franchise. The Cincinnati Red Stockings, established in 1869 as the first openly all-professional baseball team, the original Boston Red Stockings team and its successors can lay claim to being the oldest continuously playing team in American professional sports. Two young players hired away from the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois, turned out to be the biggest stars during the NAPBBP years, pitcher Al Spalding and second baseman Ross Barnes. Led by the Wright brothers, Barnes, and Spalding, the Red Stockings dominated the National Association, the team became one of the National Leagues charter franchises in 1876, sometimes called the Red Caps. Boston came to be called the Beaneaters by sportswriters in 1883, although somewhat stripped of talent in the National Leagues inaugural year, Boston bounced back to win the 1877 and 1878 pennants. The Red Caps/Beaneaters were one of the dominant teams during the 19th century. For most of time, their manager was Frank Selee. The 1898 team finished 102-47, a record for wins that would stand for almost a century. The team was decimated when the American Leagues new Boston entry set up shop in 1901, many of the Beaneaters stars jumped to the new team, which offered contracts that the Beaneaters owners didnt even bother to match. They only managed one winning season from 1900 to 1913, in 1907, the Beaneaters eliminated the last bit of red from their stockings because their manager thought the red dye could cause wounds to become infected. The American League clubs owner, Charles Taylor, wasted time in changing his teams name to the Red Sox in place of the generic Americans. The all-white outfits gave rise to the sobriquet Doves in 1907, however, clever monikers did nothing to change the National League clubs luck. The team adopted a name, the Braves, for the first time in 1912. Their owner, James Gaffney, was a member of New York Citys political machine, Tammany Hall, two years later, the Braves put together one of the most memorable seasons in baseball history. After a dismal 4-18 start, the Braves seemed to be on pace for a last place finish, on July 4,1914, the Braves lost both games of a doubleheader to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The consecutive losses put their record at 26-40 and the Braves were in last place,15 games behind the league-leading New York Giants, who had won the previous three league pennants
8.
Temple Cup
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The Temple Cup was a cup awarded to the winner of a best-of-seven, post-season championship series in the National League, from 1894 to 1897. The 30-inch-high silver cup cost $800, and was donated by coal, citrus, and lumber baron William Chase Temple, much like the Stanley Cup of ice hockey and the Temple Cups predecessor the Dauvray Cup, there was only one actual Temple Cup. There was only one major league at the time, so the series was played between the first- and second-place teams, the Temple Cup was also known as the Worlds Championship Series. If one team won three titles, that team would have permanent possession of the Cup, in 1893 the Pittsburgh Pirates finished second to the Boston Beaneaters. The Pirates president, William Chase Temple, felt that his team should have the option of having a series to claim the title. As a result, Temple had his $800 trophy minted and he donated it to the league, the revenue was to be split 65% to 35% between the winner and the loser, but the players of the first series agreed to split the money evenly. However, after the series the New York Giants cheated some Baltimore Orioles players out of their money, tainting the Cup and prompting Temple to sell the Pirates in disgust. Lack of enthusiasm on the part of the players doomed the series, their spread to the fans. Interest in the series faded quickly, as it seemed artificial, the Baltimore Orioles appeared in every Temple Cup series, winning the last two and thus coming the closest to gaining permanent possession of the trophy. The last Temple Cup series was played in 1897, however, the concept was revived in 1900 with the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup. After the Temple Cup series ended, the National League returned the trophy to Temple, in 1939, The Sporting News tracked down the Cup, finding it in the possession of a Temple family member in Florida. The Cup was displayed at the 1939 New York Worlds Fair, the Temple family later sold the Cup for $750 to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, where it remains today. com Temple Cup
9.
1897 Baltimore Orioles season
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The 1897 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. After three straight first-place finishes, the Orioles slipped to second place with a record of 90–40,2 games behind the National League-leading Boston Beaneaters. After the season, the two met in what would be the final Temple Cup competition, with the Orioles winning 4 games to 1. In all, Baltimore played in all four Temple Cups, losing the first two and winning the last two, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. baseball-almanac. com
10.
St. Louis Cardinals
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The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League Central division. Busch Stadium has been their home ballpark since 2006, with origins as one of the early professional baseball clubs in St. Upon the discontinuation of the AA, St. Louis joined the NL in 1892, at time, they were called the Browns. One of the most successful franchises in history, the Cardinals have won 11 World Series championships. Their 19 National League pennants rank third in NL history, in addition, St. Louis has won 13 division titles in the East and Central divisions. While still in the AA, St. Louis won four league championships, the Cardinals have won 105 or more games in four different seasons and won 100 or more a total of nine times. Cardinals players have won 20 league MVPs, four batting Triple Crowns, and three Cy Young Awards. Baseball Hall of Fame inductees include Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean, Bob Gibson, Whitey Herzog, Rogers Hornsby, Joe Medwick, Stan Musial, Branch Rickey, Red Schoendienst, Ozzie Smith, and Bruce Sutter. In 2016, Forbes valued the Cardinals at $1.6 billion, making them the 7th-most valuable franchise in MLB, their revenue the year was $300 million. Since their purchase in 1995, owner William DeWitt, Jr. s investment group has seen enormous growth from the $147 million purchase price, John Mozeliak is the general manager and Mike Matheny is the manager. Professional baseball began in St. Louis with the inception of the Brown Stockings in the National Association in 1875, the NA folded following that season, and the next season, St. Louis joined the National League as a charter member, finishing in third place at 45-19. George Bradley hurled the first no-hitter in Major League history, the NL expelled St. Louis from the league after 1877 due to a game-fixing scandal and the team went bankrupt. Without a league, they continued play as a barnstorming team through 1881. For the 1882 season, Chris von der Ahe purchased the team, reorganized it, and made it a member of the American Association. 1882 is generally considered to be the first year existence of the St. Louis Cardinals, the next season, St. Louis shortened their name to the Browns. Soon thereafter they became the dominant team in the AA, as manager Charlie Comiskey guided St. Louis to four pennants in a row from 1885 to 1888. Pitcher and outfielder Bob Caruthers led the league in ERA and wins in 1885 and he also led the AA in OBP and OPS in 1886 and finished fourth in batting average in 1886 and fifth in 1887
11.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, and operated by private interests. The Halls motto is Preserving History, Honoring Excellence, Connecting Generations, the word Cooperstown is often used as shorthand for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Hall of Fame was established in 1939 by Stephen Carlton Clark, Clark had sought to bring tourists to a city hurt by the Great Depression, which reduced the local tourist trade, and Prohibition, which devastated the local hops industry. A new building was constructed, and the Hall of Fame was dedicated on June 12,1939, the erroneous claim that U. S. Civil War hero Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown was instrumental in the early marketing of the Hall. An expanded library and research facility opened in 1994, dale Petroskey became the organizations president in 1999. In 2002, the Hall launched Baseball As America, an exhibit that toured ten American museums over six years. The Hall of Fame has since also sponsored educational programming on the Internet to bring the Hall of Fame to schoolchildren who might not visit, the Hall and Museum completed a series of renovations in spring 2005. The Hall of Fame also presents an annual exhibit at FanFest at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Jeff Idelson replaced Petroskey as president on April 16,2008. In 2012, Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed a law ordering the United States Mint to produce and sell commemorative, non-circulating coins to benefit the private, non-profit Hall. The bill, House Bill H. R.2527, was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Rep. Richard Hanna, a Republican from New York, the coins, which depict baseball gloves and balls, are the first concave designs produced by the Mint. The mintage included 50,000 gold coins,400,000 silver coins, the Mint released them on March 27,2014, and the gold and silver editions quickly sold out. The Hall receives money from surcharges included in the sale price,114 members of the Hall of Fame have been inducted posthumously, including four who died after their selection was announced. Of the 35 Negro league members,29 were inducted posthumously, the Hall of Fame includes one female member, Effa Manley. The newest inductees, enshrined on July 24,2016, are players Mike Piazza, the incoming class of 2017, to be formally enshrined on July 30, consists of executives John Schuerholz and Bud Selig and players Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, and Iván Rodríguez. In addition to honoring Hall of Fame inductees, the National Baseball Hall of Fame has presented 40 men with the Ford C, while Frick and Spink Award honorees are not members of the Hall of Fame, they are recognized in an exhibit in the Hall of Fames library. ONeil Award honorees are also not Hall of Fame members, but are listed alongside a permanent statue of the namesake and first recipient, Buck ONeil. From a final ballot typically including 25–40 candidates, each writer may vote for up to 10 players, until the late 1950s, any player named on 75% or more of all ballots cast is elected. A player who is named on fewer than 5% of ballots is dropped from future elections, players receiving 5% or more of the votes but fewer than 75% are reconsidered annually until a maximum of ten years of eligibility
12.
Kid Nichols
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Charles Augustus Kid Nichols was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Beaneaters, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies from 1890 to 1906. A switch hitter who threw right-handed, he was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 175 pounds and he is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Nichols played minor league baseball for three teams until September 1889, when he signed for the Boston Beaneaters, after making his debut the following season and spending twelve seasons with the Beaneaters, Nichols spent a two-year sojourn in the minor leagues. He was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1904 and subsequently played for the Philadelphia Phillies and he is most famous for being the youngest pitcher to join the 300 win club. Nichols was born on September 14,1869 in Madison, Wisconsin and his parents were Robert and Christina Nichols. His father had worked as a butcher and owned a store with several locations in Madison. Robert had at least four children from a marriage to a woman named Sarah. Robert and Christina had several children together, nicholss four-year-old sister Fannie died several years before Nichols was born, she accidentally set herself on fire while playing with matches. The family moved from Madison to Kansas City, Missouri when Nichols was a child, while his siblings worked in the family butcher shop, Nichols pursued baseball. Before he turned 18 years old, Nichols had debuted in the leagues with the 1887 Kansas City team in the Western League. He spent 1888 between Kansas City of the Western Association and Memphis of the Southern League, finishing the year with a combined 27-10 record, in 1889, he registered a 39-8 record for the Omaha Omahogs of the Western Association. Nichols entered the leagues in 1890 with the Boston Beaneaters. Nichols recorded a 27–19 win-loss record, a 2.23 ERA and 222 strikeouts, Nichols also had a major league record seven 30-win seasons in this time with a career high of 35 in 1892. The Beaneaters won several pennant races during Nichols tenure, finishing in first place five times between 1891 and 1898, the team had 102 wins per season in 1892 and 1898, which stood as franchise highs until 1998. Baseball-Reference. com calculates that Nichols led the team in wins above replacement in 1890 and 1892 through 1898, Nichols had his first losing season in 1900, when he went 13–16. He improved to 19–16 the following year, after the 1901 season, Nichols purchased an interest in a minor league franchise in Kansas City. He left the Beaneaters to manage and pitch for the Kansas City club, after a two-year hiatus from the major leagues, Nichols returned to the 20-win plateau for the eleventh and final time in his career in 1904 for a new team, the St. Louis Cardinals. He finished his career in 1906 with the Philadelphia Phillies, who picked him up off waivers in 1905, Nichols retired with 361 wins,208 losses,1,873 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA
13.
Jimmy Collins
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James Joseph Collins was an American professional baseball player. He played fourteen seasons in Major League Baseball, Collins was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945. Collins was especially regarded for his defense, as of 2012, he is second all-time in putouts by a third baseman behind Brooks Robinson. At the plate, Collins finished his career with 65 home runs,1055 runs scored,983 RBI, Collins was also the first manager of the Boston Red Sox franchise, then known as the Boston Americans. He was the manager in the first-ever World Series, as Boston defeated the Pittsburg Pirates in the 1903 World Series. Jimmy Collins was born in Niagara Falls, New York, after graduating St. Josephs Collegiate Institute he went to work for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad and played baseball in the Buffalo City League. Collins began his baseball career with the minor league Buffalo Bisons of the Eastern League. That season, he was used primarily as a shortstop, batting.286 in 76 games, in 1894, Collins was moved to the outfield by the Bisons. He batted.352 with nine runs in 125 games. Collins began his league career as a right fielder, playing ten games at the position with the Beaneaters in 1895. On May 19, he was loaned to the Louisville Colonels and he was soon made the teams starting third baseman, batting.279 over the remainder of the season. However, his impact was on defense, where he played in on the grass rather than back to cut down on the number of bunt hits. Collins was returned to the Beaneaters after the 1895 season, joe Harrington was the clubs starting third baseman at the beginning of the season, but Collins soon asserted himself as the starter, and Harrington was released in July. Collins asserted himself as a player in 1897 when he held a.346 batting average. He led the league in putouts and assists as well, a feat he would duplicate in 1900. He followed with an equally impressive 1898 season, in which he hit. 328—seventh in the league—drove in 111 runs and belted a league-high 15 home runs. Following the 1900 season, Collins, who was by now regarded as the best third baseman in the game, was offered the job with the Boston Americans of the new American League. He accepted the job, which came with a salary of $5,500, a $3,500 signing bonus, in 1902, Collins was limited to 108 games by injury, and the Americans finished third
14.
Billy Hamilton (baseball, born 1866)
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William Robert Sliding Billy Hamilton was a 19th-century Major League Baseball player who holds a number of baseball records. He played for the Kansas City Cowboys, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Beaneaters between 1888 and 1901 and he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1961. As of 2016, he is third on the all-time list of stolen bases leaders. Hamilton was born on February 16,1866 in Newark, New Jersey and his parents, Samuel and Mary Hamilton, had immigrated to New Jersey from Ireland. Biographer Roy Kerr writes that evidence suggests that Hamilton was descended from the Ulster Scots people, when Hamilton was a small child, his family moved to Clinton, Massachusetts. He worked in a Clinton cotton mill as a young teenager, Hamilton broke into the major leagues in the American Association with the Kansas City Cowboys in 1888. He established himself as a star the following season by batting.301 with 144 runs and 111 stolen bases, in 1890, the Cowboys, who were ceasing operations, sold Hamilton to the Philadelphia Phillies. The next year he led the NL in batting average, runs scored, for a third consecutive season, Hamilton led the NL in stolen bases. In 1892, Hamilton hit both a leadoff and game-ending home run in the same game, only Vic Power, Darin Erstad, Reed Johnson and Ian Kinsler have accomplished the same feat. He hit.380 in 1893, which led the major leagues, Philadelphia outfielders Hamilton, Sam Thompson, Ed Delahanty and Tuck Turner all hit over.400 in 1894. Hamilton also set the record for most stolen bases in one game and he set the record for most consecutive games scoring one or more runs, with 35 runs in 24 games in July–August 1894. Hamilton led the league in steals for a time in 1895. In 1896, Hamilton moved to Boston, for whom he played his six seasons. Although his numbers declined, Hamilton still scored over 100 runs in all, Hamilton retired after the 1901 season. Over his career he compiled 912 stolen bases, a.344 batting average and 1690 runs in 1591 games, he is one of only three players to average more than one run per game played. His.455 career on-base percentage ranks fourth all-time behind Ted Williams, Babe Ruth and John McGraw and he is the Philadelphia Phillies career leader in batting average, on-base percentage and stolen bases. He holds Phillies single-season records for on-base percentage, runs, stolen bases and times on base, though stolen bases were credited differently during Hamiltons career than they are in modern times, he was very proud of his stolen base marks. In 1937, Hamilton lambasted the Sporting News in a letter he wrote to them, stating, I was, I stole over 100 bases on many years and if they ever re-count the record I will get my just reward
15.
Hugh Duffy
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Hugh Duffy was an outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was a player or player-manager for the Chicago White Stockings, Chicago Pirates, Boston Reds, Boston Beaneaters, Milwaukee Brewers and he had his best years with the Beaneaters, including the 1894 season, when he set the MLB single-season record for batting average. He also managed the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox and spent several seasons coaching in collegiate baseball, later in life, he spent many years as a scout for the Red Sox. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 and he worked for Boston until 1953. He died of heart problems the next year, Duffy, born in Cranston, Rhode Island to Irish immigrant Michael Duffy and wife Margaret Duffy. He was a mill worker who had taken up baseball as a semipro for weekend diversion. Duffy entered the National League with Cap Ansons Chicago White Stockings in 1888 after receiving an offer of $2,000 from the club, anson initially was unimpressed with the 5 ft 7 in,150 pound Duffy, telling him, We already have a batboy. He shortly thereafter earned the reputation of an outfielder and powerful hitter. Duffy ended up replacing Billy Sunday as the regular right fielder. He switched leagues, joining the American Associations Boston Reds in 1891, he returned to the NL with the Boston Beaneaters in 1892. From 1891 through 1900, Duffy knocked in 100 runs or more eight times, in 1894 Duffy had one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, leading the league with 18 home runs, with 145 RBI and a.440 batting average. Duffys.440 average is the major league batting average record. At one point during the season, Duffy had a 26-game hitting streak and he was player-manager for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901. During the 1902 and 1903 seasons, Duffy was player-manager for the Western Leagues Milwaukee franchise, Duffy was a player-manager for the Phillies from 1904 to 1906. He finished his career in 1906 with 106 home runs which was, at the time, Duffy spent three years as manager of the Providence Grays. He made $2,000 in his last season as the Providence manager, during Duffys three seasons, Providence finished in third place, second place and third place, respectively. Duffy agreed to manage the Chicago White Sox in 1910 and he stayed with the team in 1911. He moved to the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association in 1912 and he turned down an offer to manage the 1913 St. Paul Saints, saying that he was hoping to work in the east
16.
Earned run average
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In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched, runs resulting from defensive errors are recorded as unearned runs and omitted from ERA calculations. Henry Chadwick is credited with devising the statistic, which caught on as a measure of pitching effectiveness after relief pitching came into vogue in the 1900s. Some criterion was needed to capture the apportionment of earned-run responsibility for a pitcher in games that saw contributions from other pitchers for the same team, a pitcher is assessed an earned run for each run scored by a batter who reaches base while batting against that pitcher. The National League first tabulated official earned run average statistics in 1912, recently written baseball encyclopedias display ERAs for earlier years, but these were computed retroactively. Negro League pitchers are often rated by RA, or total runs allowed, as with batting average, the definition of a good ERA varies from year to year. During the dead-ball era of the 1900s and 1910s, an ERA below 2.00 was considered good, in the 1960s, sub-2.00 ERAs returned, as other influences such as ballparks with different dimensions were introduced. Today, an ERA under 4.00 is again considered good, the all-time record for the lowest single season earned run average by a pitcher pitching 300 or more innings is 1.12, set by Bob Gibson in 1968. The record for the lowest career earned run average is 1.82, held by Ed Walsh, but a purported record based on so few innings pitched is highly misleading. Over the years, more than a dozen part-time pitchers have pitched 105 or more innings and had a run average lower than 0.86. Some sources may list players with infinite ERAs and this can happen if a pitcher allows one or more earned runs without retiring a batter. Additionally, an undefined ERA occasionally occurs at the beginning of a baseball season and it is sometimes incorrectly displayed as zero or as the lowest ranking ERA, even though it is more akin to the highest. At times it can be misleading to judge relief pitchers solely on ERA, because they are charged only for runs scored by batters who reached base while batting against them. Thus, if a pitcher enters the game with his team leading by 1 run, with 2 outs and the bases loaded. If he retires the batter, his ERA for that game will be 0.00 despite having surrendered the lead. Starting pitchers operate under the rules but are not called upon to start pitching with runners already on base. The relievers freedom to use their energy for a few innings, or even for just a few batters. ERA, taken by itself, can also be misleading when trying to objectively judge starting pitchers, the advent of the designated hitter rule in the American League in 1973 made the pitching environment significantly different
17.
Road (sports)
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A road game or away game is a sports game where the specified team is not the host and must travel to another venue. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions, each team has a location where it practices during the season and where it hosts games. When a team is not the host, it must travel to games. Thus, when a team is not hosting a game, the team is described as the team, the visiting team, or the away team. The venue in which the game is played is described as the stadium or the road. The host team is said to be the home team, major sporting events, if not held at a neutral venue, are often over several legs at each teams home ground, so that neither team has an advantage over the other. Occasionally, the team may not have to travel very far at all to a road game. These matches often become local derbies, a few times a year, a road team may even be lucky enough to have the road game played at their own home stadium or arena. This is prevalent in college athletics where many schools will play in regional leagues or groundshare. The related term true road game has seen increasing use in U. S. college sports in the 21st century, while regular-season tournaments and other special events have been part of college sports from their creation, the 21st century has seen a proliferation of such events. These are typically held at sites, with some of them taking place outside the contiguous U. S. or even outside the country entirely. In turn, this has led to the use of true road game to refer to contests played at one home venue. In some association football leagues, particularly in Europe, the teams fans sit in their own section. Depending on the stadium, they will either sit in a designated section or be separated from the home fans by a cordon of police officers. However, in the leagues in England, supporters may be free to mix. When games are played at a site, for instance the FA Cup final in England which is always played at Wembley Stadium. This results in each team occupying one half of the stadium and this is different from other sports, particularly in North America, where very few fans travel to games played away from their home stadium. Home and away fans are not separated at these games
18.
Charlie Hickman
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Charles Taylor Hickman was a professional baseball player. He died in Morgantown, West Virginia at the age of 58, Hickman was born in Taylortown, Pennsylvania and played one season of college baseball with the West Virginia Mountaineers in 1897. Despite being saddled with the nickname Piano Legs, Hickman was a base runner who amassed 91 career triples. He also had a range factor throughout his career. He helped the Beaneaters win the 1897 and 1898 National League pennants and he led the American League in hits and total bases in 1902 and at Bats per home run in 1903. Hickman coached the West Virginia Mountaineers baseball team for four season, in 1913, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference
19.
Fred Klobedanz
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Frederick Augustus Duke Klobedanz was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Boston Beaneaters in five seasons and had a major league win–loss record of 53–25. Klobedanz, a throwing, wild lefty, began playing semi-professional baseball in 1889, around the age of 17. He played in the New England League for the few years. During the 1895 season, Klobedanz married the former Annie L. Durfee of Fall River, in 1896, Klobedanz had another good season, going 25–6 with a 2.38 earned run average, leading the league in wins and batting.353. He was then purchased by the National Leagues Beaneaters that August, in 1897, Klobedanz went 26–7 to lead the majors in winning percentage. At one point, he won 14 consecutive games and his ERA was mediocre, but he was aided by the powerful Boston offense which provided league-leading run support, Klobedanz himself batted.324 that season. The Beaneaters won the pennant by two games, in 2004, baseball analyst Bill James wrote that Klobedanz had the second-luckiest pitcher season of all-time. According to James, Klobedanz actually deserved a win-loss record of 16–17, in 1898, Klobedanz had a record of 19–10, helping the team to another championship. He started off slow in 1899, however, and was sold to the Eastern League in May, besides another short stint with Boston in 1902, he remained in the minor leagues from 1900 to 1908. In 1902, he went 26–10 with a 1.29 ERA for the New England Leagues Lawrence Colts and his last winning season was 1906, when he went 18–10. Overall, Klobedanz won 234 games in the leagues to go along with his 53 major league victories. He died in 1940, in his hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
20.
Edward M. Lewis
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Lewis was born in 1872 in Machynlleth, Wales. He came to the United States in 1880, nicknamed The Pitching Professor and Parson, Lewis was an ordained minister who earned a masters degree from Williams College. He was one of three Welsh-born players to break into major league baseball in the U. S and he was 23 years old when he debuted with the Boston Beaneaters on 6 July 1896. Lewis pitched a season in 1897 and earned 21 wins. He was one of three Boston pitchers to finish the season more than 20 wins. Boston won the pennant that season and repeated as champions in 1898. His 26–8 win-loss record in 1898 amounted to a winning percentage. Lewis earned a 17–11 record in 1899, followed by a 13–12 record in 1900 and he finished the 1901 season with a 16–17 record and a 3.53 earned run average. Lewis finished his career with a 94–64 record and a 3.53 ERA, after the 1901 season, Lewis retired from baseball to teach full-time at Columbia University. He was Instructor of Elocution at Columbia until 1904, when he returned to Williams College as a public speaking instructor and was made an assistant professor. Lewis later left for Massachusetts Agricultural College, where he served as an English professor, department head and he was the president of MAC between 1924 and 1927, and when his liberal philosophy created disagreements with the colleges trustees, he submitted his resignation. Lewis became president of the University of New Hampshire in 1927, the university credits him with continuing the development of the school despite the difficulties associated with the Great Depression. He oversaw the construction of new buildings and athletic fields during his tenure, a recreational area known as Lewis Fields was constructed at UNH between 1933 and 1936 and was named in his honor. He remained at UNH until his 1936 death and he is buried in Durham Cemetery in Durham, New Hampshire. Lewis was friends with poet Robert Frost, who contributed a reading at Lewiss memorial service, ffaith Baseball Almanac Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
21.
Marty Bergen (baseball)
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Martin Marty Bergen was an American Major League Baseball player from 1896 to 1899. He played in 344 games during his career with the Boston Beaneaters,337 of them as their catcher. Bergen helped the Beaneaters to two straight National League pennants and a finish in 1899. A2001 article about him described him as a fielder with a bullwhip arm who could snap the ball to second base without so much as moving his feet. In 1900, future Hall of Fame outfielder Jesse Burkett characterized Bergen as the best catcher in baseball history, Bergen suffered from apparent mental illness. By 1899, he experienced hallucinations, had to be removed from a game due to odd behavior, on January 19,1900, he killed his wife and two children, then took his own life. Despite this, and the brevity of his career, he received one vote in both 1938 and 1939 to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame, born in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, Bergen attracted attention while playing for a series of teams from 1892 to 1895. Batting.372, Bergen left the Kansas City Blues suddenly in 1895 over a perceived slight, Boston had scouted him, and was quick to purchase his contract for $1,000. Within a year, Bergen had established a reputation for throwing out baserunners, Bergen played in 344 major league games for the Beaneaters teams, who won two straight National League pennants, and finished in second place in 1899. As a catcher, he had mixed results, as exemplified by the 1898 season, on the plus side, he had a Range factor of 5.17 in 1898—well above the league average of 4.60 for catchers. However, Bergen also led the leagues catchers with 24 errors and 38 passed balls and he had a career batting average of.258 with 69 extra base hits and 176 RBIs. Future Hall of Famer Jesse Burkett enthusiastically described Bergens skills in 1900, As a catcher, no man acted with more natural grace as a ballplayer. There was finish in every move he made and his eye was always true, and his movements so quick and accurate in throwing that the speediest base runners. Never took chances when Bergen was behind the bat, the teams mixed emotions were expressed by an anonymous Boston player quoted in the press, He has made trouble with a good many of the boys and we just give him a wide berth. But hes a ballplayer, and once we get into a game, personal feelings are set aside in admiration of the artist, Bergens condition worsened in 1899, which led to internal turmoil for the Beaneaters. He was having hallucinations that enemies were trying to poison him and his son died in April, and Bergen imagined that his teammates were making jokes behind his back about the death. He began sitting in particular positions, and walking sideways, so that he could spot assassins approaching from either side of him, bostons team president urged the other players to avoid Bergen, fearing what he might do. Some blamed his condition on heavy drink, but Bergen was regarded by others as a teetotaler, in mid-July 1899, Bergen silently walked off the teams train at the beginning of a road trip, leaving Boston with just a backup catcher during a heated pennant race
22.
Charlie Ganzel
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Charles William Charlie Ganzel was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1897. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a catcher and his most extensive playing time came with the Detroit Wolverines and Boston Beaneaters. He was a member of five teams that won National League pennants, one in Detroit, a right-handed batter and thrower, Ganzel appeared in 786 major league games,579 as a catcher,120 as an infielder and 100 as an outfielder. He compiled a.259 batting average with 774 hits and 412 RBIs and his total of 229 career errors as catcher is the 30th highest in major league history, and his total of 180 passed balls ranks 53rd. Ganzel was born in Waterford, Wisconsin, in 1862 and his parents, Charles Ganzel, Sr. and Elizabeth Ganzel, moved the family to Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1887. Ganzel reportedly played several years of independent baseball in the Midwest before his major career began in 1884. Ganzel began the 1884 season playing for the St. Paul Apostles in the Northwestern League and he appeared in 57 games for the Apostles,41 as a catcher, and compiled a.189 batting average in 212 at bats. Late in the 1884 season, the Apostles joined the short-lived Union Association as a replacement team, were renamed the St. Paul Saints and briefly became a major league team. Ganzel made his league debut on September 27,1884 with the newly renamed Saints and appeared in seven of the teams eight major league games. The Saints compiled a 2-6 major league record, and the Union Association disbanded at the end of the 1884 season, in 1885, Ganzel played with the Philadelphia Quakers managed by Harry Wright. Ganzel appeared in 33 games as catcher, sharing catching duties with Jack Clements who caught 41 games, Ganzel hit poorly for Philadelphia, compiling a.168 batting average that was 73 points below the National League average for 1885. Ganzel began the 1886 season with the Phillies, but the Phillies had acquired Deacon McGuire, accordingly, Ganzel was released after appearing in only one game with the 1886 Quakers. After Ganzels release by the Phillies, he was signed by manager Bill Watkins of the Detroit Wolverines, within days of the signing, Detroits correspondent to the Sporting Life was praising Ganzel and thanking Philadelphia, Philadelphia has earned Detroits sincere thanks. In Ganzel we have secured a first-class catcher and he is a jewel and will prove a splendid substitute for Charley Bennett. Ganzel was put in to catch the first game with Kansas City and he is an artistic catcher, and at once sprang into high favor with the audience. He accepted all his nine chances, threw Paul Rodford out at twice, made a timely hit. Ganzel remained with the Wolverines for three seasons, serving principally in a role to Charlie Bennett. Ganzel appeared in 45 games as catcher for the 1886 Detroit Wolverines team that compiled an 87-36 record, defensively, Ganzel struggled in his first season at Detroit, committing 37 errors in only 45 games as catcher—the fourth highest total among the leagues catchers
23.
Fred Lake
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Frederick Lovett Lake was a Canadian professional baseball catcher and Major League manager for Boston American and National leagues teams in the early 20th century. Lake hailed from Cornwallis Township, Kings County, Nova Scotia and his professional debut came with the Boston Beaneaters in 1891, but he was in and out of the Major Leagues, amassing a total of 125 at-bats in five seasons. He was hired as manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1908, shortly after, he was hired by the crosstown Boston Doves, but in his only season for them, he finished 53–100, 50½ games behind the pennant-winning Chicago Cubs. In addition, he played or managed in the Minor leagues in part of 11 seasons spanning 1896–1926, Lake was a long time resident of Boston, where he died at the age of 65. Lake was the child of Nova Scotians Wesley and Julia Lake. Before having Fred in 1866, the couple had given birth to their first child, Edgar James, their son, Rupert. The family moved to Boston in 1868, when Fred was 2, Wesley died sometime between 1872 and 1879, leaving Julia to raise her seven children alone in East Boston. As a young teenager, Fred was dependent on his mother as well as his two brothers who had jobs in a local pottery factory. He attended the elementary and high school where he learned to play baseball. Aptly nicknamed the baseball tourist, Fred Lake spent his career frequently changing both leagues and teams. He began his career at the age of 20 after joining the Salem Baseball Club and he did not stay for long, though, and moved on to teams in Dover, New Hampshire, and Hingham, Massachusetts. According to the Hingham Journal, his season with the team was the best one they had had up to that time, in 1890 he joined the New Brunswick Provincial League back in Canada and was hired as the captain and manager of the Moncton team. After a successful season, he was recruited for the National League Boston Beaneaters, after his first season in the major league with the Beaneaters, he went back to the minor league for two seasons with Milwaukee and Wilkes-Barre. He then rejoined the National League in 1894 with the Louisville Colonels, in 1895 he went back to the minor leagues with Toronto, followed by a season with Kansas City in 1896. In 1897 he rejoined the Beaneaters and played them for one season before joining the Pittsburg Pirates for the 1898 season. In 1899, he left the league again and played semi-pro for Lowell, Massachusetts. He stayed with the Lowell team until 1905, and then joined New Bedford, then Lawrence, in 1907 he played for Little Rock, Arkansas and became a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Lake was credited for discovering some great players such as Tris Speaker, Smokey Joe Wood, Harry Hooper and Bill Carrigan
24.
George Yeager
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George J. Doc Yeager was a professional baseball player. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball and he played for the Boston Beaneaters from 1896 to 1899, the Cleveland Blues in 1901, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1901, the New York Giants in 1902, and the Baltimore Orioles in 1902. During his career, he was measured at 5 ft 10 in, Yeager was born in Cincinnati, to Henry Yeager and the former Anna Leister. In his youth, he played on amateur baseball teams in the Cincinnati area, for most of the next three seasons, however, he played with the Pawtucket Phenoms of the New England League. In 1896, Yeager had a season at Pawtucket, batting.345 with 24 home runs and 36 stolen bases. He made his league debut with the Boston Beaneaters that September. Yeager was a catcher to Marty Bergen in 1897 and 1898. Led by several future Hall of Famers, the Beaneaters won the National League pennant both years, in 1899, Boston released Yeager, and he spent most of that season with the Eastern Leagues Worcester Farmers. In 1900, he signed with Connie Macks Milwaukee Brewers of the American League, Yeager started off hot at the plate and hit.387 through 19 games, by far the highest batting average of his career. However, he tore some ligaments in his knee and was sidelined for the rest of 1900. Yeager began 1901 with the Cleveland Blues, hit poorly, was released, in 1902, Yeager played for both the New York Giants and Baltimore Orioles, but he did not stick with those clubs, either. He played his last major league game on August 5,1902, from 1903 to 1909, Yeager was a catcher in the minor leagues. With the American Associations Minneapolis Millers, he batted over.300 for the last time in 1903 and he also played for the St. Paul Saints and Toledo Mud Hens. In 1907, he went to Des Moines of the Western League and his batting average fell to.212 the following season, and he retired soon afterwards. After his baseball career ended, Yeager became a tender for the Southern Rail Road Company. He was married to Tillie Stadtlander, Yeager died in 1940 of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
25.
Bob Allen (shortstop)
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Robert Gilman Allen was an American shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Beaneaters and the Cincinnati Reds, as well as a manager for two brief stints with the Phillies and Reds. He was born in Marion, Ohio, and as a youth, Allen made his NL debut in 1890 with the Phillies, and in his day was considered a power hitter, hitting a career high eight home runs in 1893. When Allens contract was up, he took a hiatus from baseball. His playing time diminished and he walked away from baseball again after the 1897 season, in 1900, he was hired as manager of the Reds, occasionally inserting himself into the game as a shortstop. He finished 62–77 and in seventh place and he was fired after one season at the helm. He died in Little Rock, Arkansas at age 75, list of Major League Baseball player–managers Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
26.
Herman Long (baseball)
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Long was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Cowboys, Boston Beaneaters, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies. Long was known for his fielding range as a shortstop. Born in 1866, Long was a native of Chicago and his parents are thought to have been German immigrants, as Long spoke fluent German. Little else is known about Longs life up until he began playing minor league baseball in 1887 for a team in Arkansas City and he played in Kansas City in 1888. After that season, the Kansas City team merged with the league team in the same city. Long played for the Kansas City Cowboys, Boston Beaneaters, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers, between 1904 and 1906, Long was a player and player-manager in minor league baseball. Long holds the league record for most errors in a career. Only three other players have more than 1,000 errors in their careers, Bill Dahlen, Deacon White. Longs total includes a record 1,070 errors committed while playing shortstop, despite the errors, Long actually fielded slightly better than the league average for a shortstop during his career, and he was considered an excellent fielder by his contemporaries. The seeming contradiction between a high rate and exceptional fielding skill is attributable to the fact that Long had a greater fielding range than most shortstops. Of the three other players charged with over 1,000 lifetime errors, Deacon White is in Baseballs Hall of Fame, tim Murnane, a former player-turned-baseball writer, wrote in 1894, Long is the most brilliant ball player on the field at the present time. In 1903, pitcher Kid Nichols said of Long, Herman Long is the greatest shortstop of them all and you can speak of your Jennings, and write of your Glasscocks all you want, but this man Long at his best had them beat by a city block. Jennings was a brilliant ball player, and without one of the leading players of the age. In August 1909, The New York Times reported that Long was very sick, several months earlier, he had moved to Denver, Colorado, because he was suffering from a lung condition. He died of tuberculosis the next month in Denver. com
27.
Bobby Lowe
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Robert Lincoln Bobby Lowe, nicknamed Link, was an American Major League Baseball player, coach and scout. He played for the Boston Beaneaters, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Lowe was the first player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game, a feat which he accomplished in May 1894. He also tied or set Major League records with 17 total bases in a single game, Lowe was a versatile player who played at every position but was principally known as a second baseman. When he retired in 1907, his career fielding average of.953 at second base was the highest in Major League history, Lowe also worked as a baseball manager, coach and scout. He was the player-manager of the Detroit Tigers during the last half of the 1904 season and he was also a player-manager for the Grand Rapids Wolverines in 1908, and coached college baseball in 1907 for the University of Michigan and from 1909 to 1910 for Washington & Jefferson College. Lowe was a scout for the Detroit Tigers in 1911 and 1912, Lowe was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in July 1865, two months after the end of the American Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His middle name Lincoln likely derives from the historic circumstances immediately preceding his birth, Lowes father, Robert L. Lowe, was a Pennsylvania native and a railroad engineer. His mother, Jane Lowe was an immigrant from Ireland, by 1880, Lowes father had died and at age 15 he was living with his mother and three siblings in Union Township. In 1881, Lowe was working as an office devil at the Newcastle Courant, in the summer of 1881, at age 16, he played in a baseball game between the printers and the doctors of New Castle. Charley Powers, who played minor league baseball, was working as a compositor at the Courant and was selected as the captain of the printers, Lowe pleaded for a place on the team, and Powers stationed him in right field. He later recalled that the kid carried off the honors both in the field and at the bat, I saw at once that he was a born ballplayer. In 1882, Lowe played with the Archie Reeds, a baseball club in New Castle. He left his job with the Courant in 1883 and, at age 18 and he was the sole support at the time for his mother and youngest sister, Olive, and gave up baseball for several years. Some accounts indicate he also played for Witherows plant baseball team, in 1886, Charley Powers organized a baseball club in New Castle and persuaded Lowes employer to allow him to play with the club occasionally. He played catcher and third base for New Castle in 1886, Powers and Lowe both signed to play with the Eau Claire, Wisconsin team in the Northwestern League during the summer of 1887. Powers later recalled that the manager of the Eau Claire club, Abe Devine, ran a saloon and refused to use Lowe because he refused to patronize his saloon. Devine sent him back to New Castle, declaring, That boy cant play ball, Lowe was put into the lineup in a game against Milwaukee and drew cheers from the crowd for his defensive play at third base. In his first at bat, he hit a home run off Varney Anderson that sailed far over the center field fence
28.
Fred Tenney
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Over his career, Tenney compiled a batting average of.294,1,278 runs scored,2,231 hits,22 home runs, and 688 runs batted in in 1,994 games played. Born in Georgetown, Massachusetts, Tenney was one of the first players to enter the league after graduating college, signing with the Beaneaters, Tenney spent the next 14 seasons with the team, including a three-year managerial stint from 1905–1907. After retiring from baseball, Tenney worked for the Equitable Life Insurance Society before his death in Boston on July 3,1952, Tenney was born in Georgetown, Massachusetts, the third of five children to Charles William and Sarah Lambert Tenney. Charles Tenney attended Dummer Academy from 1850 to 1853, and served for the 50th Massachusetts Regiment in the Civil War, growing up, Fred led his class in drawing and sketching. He reportedly started playing baseball around 1880, in 1892, Tenney played his first professional game for the Binghamton Bingos of the Eastern League, going 1 for 4 with a single. He played as Brown Universitys catcher for the 1893 and 1894 seasons, in 1894, the team had a 23–8 record and were selected as national champions by Harpers Weekly. In his MLB debut on June 16,1894, Tenney had to be removed from the game in the fifth inning due to a finger on his throwing hand from a foul tip. After Tenney had his finger addressed, James Billings, an owner of the Beaneaters, Tenney, later writing about the day, stated, I thought they were trying to have a little joke with me, and I concluded that I could do a little kidding myself. So I thought I would call their bluff by asking for some advance money, I screwed up my courage and asked Mr. Billings whether, if I signed the contract at once, I could get some advance money. He asked how much I wanted, and I thought I would mention a big sum in order to call their bluff good and strong. He consulted with Mr. Conant, another Director, and said that I could have the money all right and he returned to the team a month later, and finished the year batting.395 in 27 games. The following season, Tenney moved to the due to an erratic throwing arm behind the plate. For the season, he hit.272 in 49 games, in 1896, Tenney again caught and played outfield, offensively, however, Tenney hit.336 in nearly double the games from the previous year despite playing in the minors for the Springfield Ponies. In 1897, Tenney moved to first base to replace the aging Tom Tucker, according to Alfred Henry Spink, within two weeks of the move it was evident that Tenney had become one of the finest first sackers that the game ever seen. On June 14,1897, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Boston again won the NL in 1898 while Tenney hit.328 with 62 RBIs. In 1899 he collected 209 hits, fifth most in MLB, in 1900 Tenney, at age 28, batted.279 over 112 games played. He began a streak of seven seasons where he led the NL in assists in 1901, he holds the record for most seasons leading a league in assists, with eight. For the season, he hit.313, with 41 RBIs, in 1904, Tenney again led his team in walks and on-base percentage, as he tied for the team lead in runs with Ed Abbaticchio
