• Card series: Beginnings: 1880's
• City: Indianapolis
• Team: Hoosiers (NL)
• League: National League

Samuel R. Moffett (1857-1907) had one of the most dismal starts to his ML career as anyone ever has. He came up with the Cleveland Blues in 1884 and went 3-19 for the seventh place club. Only four rookies in all of baseball have had poorer seasons. Perhaps that led to Sam’s decision to try another venture. He literally struck gold with his brothers in Montana, taking over $200K out of the ground in ’85. He gave baseball another shot in 1887-88 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers, but his 1-5 record in ’87 coupled with a .122 BA sent him back west.

• The strapping Moffett (6’, 175 lbs) managed only a .169 career BA and went 6-29 on the mound
• Sam’s kid brother Joe was a fellow big-leaguer who played one year for the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association in 1884