- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
William Jefferson Sowders (1864-1951) pitched for the Boston Beaneaters in 1888 and ’89, moved that year to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys and left MLB after the 1890 season. He compiled a 29-30 record, striking out 205 with a 3.34 ERA. Nicknamed “Little Bill,” this 6’ right-hander was a head taller than most of his peers. Bill was the middle of three Sowders brothers to play in the major leagues. Elder brother Len pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in ’86 and John played for the Hoosiers, the KC Cowboys and Ward’s Wonders of Brooklyn over three seasons.
- Played two minor league seasons (’87 & 91) in the Northwestern League for St. Paul and Joliet of the Illinois-Iowa League
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
- Hall: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Charles Marv Smith (1856-1927). From Nova Scotia, Canada, Smith was an infielder for 10 different teams over 12 professional seasons. On April 17, 1890, Smith walked his first 5 times up at bat and was hit by a pitch the 6th time, becoming the 1st player in Major League history to come to bat 6 times in a game and not record an official At Bat.
- Elected to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame: 2005
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Charles Gardner Radbourn (1854-1897). An elite pitcher for 5 teams over 12 seasons, Radbourn owns the single-season Wins record with either 59 or 60 (sources vary) in 1884 – the year in which he became baseball’s 2nd triple Crown winner with 441 Ks & a 1.38 ERA. In 1884, Radbourn started 40 of his team’s last 43 games and won 36 of them. In the 1884 World Series, Radbourn started and won all three games, giving up only 3 runs. Including the postseason, Old Hoss won 62-63 games in 1884 and threw over 700 innings.
- NL Triple Crown: 1884
- NL Wins champ: 1883, 1884
- 309 career Wins
- Pitched no-hitter: 1883
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1939
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
William Mitchell Nash (1865-1929) made one invaluable contribution to baseball: he scouted & recruited Napoleon Lajoie, bringing him to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1896. By that time, Nash had mostly played out his ML career as a steady-hitting 3rd baseman for the Boston Beaneaters. He compiled a respectable .275 lifetime average and, in 1895, was declared by Sporting Life magazine “the best fielding third baseman in the League.” Traded for future Hall of Famer Billy Hamilton to the Phillies, Nash was player-manager when he found Lajoie who was pounding the ball for the Fall River Indians in the New England League.
- Nash broke into the majors with his hometown Richmond Virginians of the old AA in 1884 before finding a home wih the NL Beaneaters
- Best year was 1887: .295 AVG with 84 RBI
- Bill James ranks Nash 49th amongst third basemen all-time
- Sporting Life touted his $7500 compensation in ’91 as money well-spent
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
John Francis Morrill (1855-1932) was a successful player/manager, primarily for the Beaneaters, in a career spanning 1876-90. His team’s third pennant came in ’83, the year after he took over as manager at Boston. “Honest John” hit .319, played six positions, and piloted the club to victory, winning 33 of its final 44 games.
- Batted .260 over his 15 year career
- Received a 5-minute ovation upon his return to Boston after a brief stint w/Washington
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