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Mickey Hughes

Pitcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Bridegrooms
  • League: American Association

Michael J. Hughes (1866-1931) got 25 of his three-year career total 39 wins for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in his rookie season, 1888. That performance earned Hughes the opening day start for Brooklyn in 1889, but he fell to a lackluster 9-8 record that year. Hughes was traded to the Athletics in 1890, finishing his brief ML tenure going 1-3 in six games.

  • In Brooklyn’s final year in the American Association, Hughes went 1-0 in the 1889 Series against the NY Giants, won by NY 6 games to 3

Auction History

Bill Holbert

Catcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Bridegrooms
  • League: American Association

William Henry Holbert (1855-1935). Holbert was a catcher for 6 teams over 12 seasons and is perhaps best known as the player with the most career at bats without a home run (2,335). While a good defender, Bill was a weak hitter compiling a career BA of .208, with .228 OBP, .232 SLG, and an OPS+ of 47.

  • One of the original umpires of the Player’s League in 1890
  • Of his 486 hits, only 48 were for extra bases

Auction History

Dave Foutz

Pitcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Bridegrooms
  • League: American Association

David Luther Foutz (1856-1897) compiled the 2nd highest winning % of all time (.690) for the St. Louis Browns & Brooklyn Bridegrooms over a 13 year career. A fine batsman, he hit .357 for Brooklyn in ’87 & won 25 games on the mound. Foutz was so highly prized that Browns’ owner Chris Von der Ahe bought the Bay City, MI franchise to get him.

  • Was sold to the Bridegrooms in 1888 for $13.5k, then led Brooklyn to pennants in ’89 & ‘90
  • Ended his career as player-manager for the Bridegrooms from 1893-1896
  • Forced to retire due to ill health, Foutz succumbed to asthma at the age of 40
  • Foutz' uniform color in this card was changed from blue to red in March, 2017 to reflect recent reliable research conducted by Craig Brown and friends at Threads of Our Game. Six cards had been previously released featuring a blue uniform.

Auction History

Bob Caruthers

Pitcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Bridegrooms
  • League: American Association

Robert Lee Caruthers (1864-1911) was a star pitcher, primarily for the Browns and Bridegrooms, leading his teams to five pennants in his 10-year career. Caruthers had the distinction of helping Brooklyn capture titles in consecutive seasons in two leagues: the AA in ’89 and the NL in ’90. One of the hardest working players of his day, Caruthers pitched in 340 games and played outfield in 366 as well as filling in occasionally at first and second. In 1886 while winning 30 games for St Louis, Caruthers had a league high .448 on base percentage, a pattern of plate and mound prowess that characterized this versatile dynamo.

  • Caruthers won 40 for the Bridegrooms in ’89 and 23 the next year in the Senior Circuit
  • Only Whitey Ford (barely) edged Caruthers in winning percentage for those with 200+ games
  • No player who spent most of his career in the AA has made the Hall of Fame
  • Caruthers' uniform color on this card was changed in January, 2017 from blue to red to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Nine cards had been previously released featuring a blue uniform.

Auction History

Doc Bushong

Catcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Bridegrooms
  • League: American Association

Albert John Bushong (1856-1908). A poor hitter, Doc’s 16 year career and presence on 5 pennant winning teams are evidence of his defensive prowess. Bushong was so highly regarded that he was one of the first baseball players to endorse a product and even had a town in Kansas named for him: Bushong, Kansas: pop. 34.

  • 5x pennant winner
  • Some sources credit him with the invention of the catcher’s mitt
  • Earned the nickname Doc because he was a dentist

Auction History