- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AA)
- League: American Association
Walter Arlington Latham (1860-1952). Nicknamed “The Freshest Man on Earth” for his comedic personality, Latham was a 3rd baseman for 6 teams over 17 seasons & is credited as the 1st full-time base coach in history. Latham’s antics of distraction while coaching 3rd base inspired Major League Baseball to implement the coaching box.
- At age 49, became the oldest player to steal a base
- Ranks 8th all-time in SBs: 739
- Holds career record for errors at 3rd base: 822
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AA)
- League: American Association
Charles Frederick Koenig (1863-1927). An excellent pitcher for 7 teams over 10 seasons, King was one of the 1st pitchers to use a sidearm delivery and was especially unique in that he threw without winding up. In his career, King won 203 games, striking out 1,229 batters with a 3.18 ERA. Currently, King ranks 93rd in career WAR for pitchers, higher than 15 HOF pitchers. Silver was pretty good.
- AA Wins champ: 1888
- AA ERA Chap: 1888
- PL ERA Champ: 1890
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AA)
- League: American Association
William Benjamin Fuller (1867-1904) played shortstop for the Washington Statesmen (Senators), St Louis Browns and NY Giants from 1888-1896. For one day in 1891, Shorty‘s brother Harry joined him with the Browns for his only MLB game. Blessed with a keen eye at the plate, Shorty struck out only 198 times while receiving 444 bases on balls.
- Fuller’s knack for walks boosted his anemic career BA of .235 to an OBP of .322
- Stint with the Browns included their final year in the AA (’91) and 1st in the NL (’92)
- Washington sold Shorty to the Browns after the ’88 season for $800
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AA)
- League: American Association
Julius Benjamin Freeman (1868-1921) was just 19 years old when he got his first and last chance to pitch in the major leagues. The date was October 10, 1888 when he took the mound for the St Louis Browns, then in the American Association. Julie lasted six and a third innings, surrendering seven hits and five runs, three of which were earned. He walked four and struck out only one batter, making one wild pitch. Such is the glory of America’s Game that over a century later, such details survive about a seemingly obscure effort. Freeman was a walk-on in the cavalcade of baseball, but history allows us to relive many of the details of his one moment in “the Show.” He lost that contest to the Louisville Colonels but goes down in the record books with a “lifetime” .333 batting average, by virtue of his single that autumn afternoon.
- Freeman’s player-manager was Charlie Comiskey, prepping for his storied career in Chicago en route to the Hall of Fame
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AA)
- League: American Association
Charles Edward Duffee (1866-1894) was an outfielder for four clubs from 1889 through 1893, beginning with the St Louis Browns for two seasons, then playing during one year each for the Columbus Solons, Washington Senators and Cincinnati Reds. That last assignment was very short-lived, as Duffee played only four games in April, 1893.
- Duffee’s career BA was .267 with 35 HRs and 33 triples
- “Home Run” Duffee hit 16 in his rookie season, third in the AA
- Duffee’s career was cut short by ill health, and he died of “consumption” Christmas Eve, 1894
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