• Card series: 1880s: Diamond Duos
• City: Louisville
• Team: Colonels
• League: American Association

Paul Cook:

Paul Cook (1863-1905) got into three games at catcher for Harry Wright’s struggling Philadelphia Quakers at the end of the 1884 season. He returned to the minors before getting picked up by the Louisville Colonels where he stayed four years before jumping to Ward’s Wonders for the Players’ League season of 1890. Cook finished up the following year with three teams, back in Kentucky, then the Lincoln Rustlers and, finally, the St. Louis Browns. During his five years with the Colonels, Cook batted a mere .219 with no power.

• In his early days, Cook played for Muskegon in the Northwestern League, the Toledo Avengers of the Western League, and the Washington Nationals of the Eastern League
• Paul played in D.C. for manager Mike Scanlon who would lead the club in ‘86 as they joined the National League

Joe Werrick:

Joseph Abraham Werrick (1861-1943) broke into minor-league ball in 1884 with the Winona Clippers of the Northwestern League, moving to their St Paul franchise later that summer. Joe became a major-leaguer almost by accident as the Apostles of the Twin Cities became a late entry into the Union Association that September as the White Caps. Hitting less than a buck in nine games sent Werrick to the Nashville Americans of the Southern League in ‘85. The Louisville Colonels took him on in ‘86 and Joe rewarded them the following year with a terrific output: .285 BA, 99 RBI and 49 steals. Unfortunately, his average plummeted to .215 in ‘88 and Werrick sought the shelter of the minors for the remainder of his lengthy tenure. He played for various teams in the Virginia and Interstate Leagues, finishing up with the Mansfield Haymakers in 1899 showing he still had power with 11 HRs and a .297 average.

• In his short-lived debut, Joe participated in a unique “record.” St Paul was a last-minute fill-in for the moribund Union Assoc and played only nine road games–a “major league” team that never played a home game