- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Indianapolis
- Team: Hoosiers (NL)
- League: National League
John J. Healy (1866-1899) hailed from Cairo, IL and was also nicknamed “Long John” for his slender 6’2” frame. He began in pro ball with the St. Louis Maroons, the only close-to-ML-quality team in the Union Association’s only season. His career was marked by being the best pitcher on poor teams, including the AA’s Toledo Maumees and the Indianapolis Hoosiers.
- The “ace” of the Hoosiers in ’87 with a 12-29 record, most losses in the NL
- Recognized by Albert Spalding for his talent, joined the “world tour” of 1888-89
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Indianapolis
- Team: Hoosiers (NL)
- League: National League
John Wesley Glasscock (1857-1947) was the premier shortstop of the 19th century. Some of his records (fielding % & assists) stood until Ozzie Smith a century later. No slouch at the plate, Glasscock averaged .290 and led the NL in ’90 for the Giants.
- In ’89, discovered the young Amos Rusie and signed him for the Hoosiers’ final season
- Went 6 for 6 on 9/27/90 to secure the batting title over Billy Hamilton
- One of the toughest to strikeout of his era, averaging one every 33 ABs
- Was selected as SABR's Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend for 2016
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Indianapolis
- Team: Hoosiers (NL)
- League: National League
Jeremiah Dennis Denny (1859-1927) was a rare ambidextrous third baseman who played professionally for over 20 years, 13 in the majors. He was the last position player to play his entire career without a glove, which would have hindered his ability to use his left hand when the play required. Denny broke in with the Providence Grays and led them to the first inter-league post-season tournament championship as the NL beat the AA in 1884. Jerry teamed with Arthur Irwin at short to create a formidable combination on the left side. He won the first-ever “series” game with a three-run homer off Tim Keefe of the Metropolitans. Providence closed down and Jerry moved to the Maroons in St. Louis for a year and then on to Indianapolis when the team relocated. A reliable batter with good power, Denny compiled a .260 career average and 74 HRs.
- Holds the MLB record for chances by a third baseman in a game: 16 on 8/17/82
- Denny was a pseudonym, adopted while in college in Phoenix to mask his semi-pro forays that were barred to amateurs. His birth name was Eldridge
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Indianapolis
- Team: Hoosiers (NL)
- League: National League
Lawrence J. Corcoran (1859-1891) was a shining star who left a short trail through the baseball heavens before flaming out in ill-health and an exhausted right arm. He could even use the left one and did pitch ambidextrously on at least one occasion. Few players of any era could have better fulfilled media prophecy: on Sept 13, 1879 the NY Clipper predicted that with good catching support “it would be difficult to get a base hit from his pitching.” Only two others would exceed Larry’s rookie 43 win total. By 1884 Corcoran would hurl his third no-hitter. He was the first to accomplish the feat and it wasn’t matched until Koufax many decades later. For five glorious years with Anson’s White Stockings, Corcoran was phenomenal: 170 wins, 246 CG and the no-nos.
- Unsurprisingly, the arm wearied. His body, afflicted by Bright’s disease, failed too, at age 32
- Per his SABR biographer: “Corcoran possessed all the attributes of greatness except durability”
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Indianapolis
- Team: Hoosiers (NL)
- League: National League
John Patrick Parnell Cahill (1865-1901) never did much damage to major league pitching but he hit well in the minors. Patsy’s brief stint in the big leagues included stops in Columbus, St. Louis and Indianapolis where the outfielder’s average was an anemic .205. A broken ankle with the Buckeyes ended his rookie season and may have been an omen that this gutty player belonged home in California. He had some great seasons out West, and the story gets retold that Ernest Thayer was so impressed by Patsy’s presence at the plate in a Stockton contest that he penned “Casey at the Bat” with him in mind. (The classic poem was published in 1888, the year before Cahill made it back to his home state). Patsy concluded his pro-ball in Texas with the Fort Worth Panthers in 1896.
- Cahill was versatile, even pitching several games and has been noted to have been part of the game’s first four-man rotation (for Columbus in ‘84 alongside the original “southpaw” Ed Morris)
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