- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Quakers
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Thomas Francis Michael McCarthy (1863-1922) failed as a pitcher, but established himself as a fast and intelligent outfielder and base runner over 13 professional seasons. While with the Boston Beaneaters from 1892-1895, he and Hugh Duffy were called the “Heavenly Twins” as they comprised one of the best outfield tandems of the era.
- Had a .292 lifetime average
- Although records are incomplete, he probably stole 500+ bases
- Introduced the Hit & Run play
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
Robert T. Mathews (1851-1898) won the 1st Nat’l Assoc game on May 4, 1871. Over 20 years, Mathews became the only man to win 50+ games in each of the 3 early major leagues: NAPBB, the NL, and the AA. His resume includes an NL and an AA title with the Providence Grays and Phil. Athletics respectively. Stands 25th among winningest pitchers in MLB history.
- Won 297 games, more than any other pitcher NOT inducted into the Hall of Fame
- One of the first to use the spitball and execute the curve
- Although the Old Judge series features three known poses of Bobby Mathews, I could not find one of suitable quality for this project. This image is taken from an Old Judge (Gypsy Queen) proof taken at the same time as Mathews' other OJ images and may represent an as-of-yet undiscovered pose.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
Henry E. Larkin (1860-1942). A good first baseman and an excellent hitter for 3 teams over 10 professional seasons, Larkin retired with a .303 lifetime batting average. Larkin batted over .300 6 times in his career and retired with an OPS+ of 142. His best season may have been 1890, when he hit .330, scored 93 runs and knocked in another 112 with an OPS of .901.
- Hit for the cycle: 1885
- Hit 4 doubles in one game – a record tied many times but never broken
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Quakers
- League: National League
Charles H. Kelly (18??-????). Perhaps the most obscure player in this set, Charlie was a third baseman who made two brief major league appearances: he played in 2 games for the Philadelphia Quakers in 1883 and 1 game for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1886.
For his career, Kelly made one hit in 10 at bats. It was a triple and he did score a run. Perhaps his undoing was his defense, as he made 7 errors in 16 chances.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Quakers
- League: National League
- Hall: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Doc, Sandy, Cutrate, Foxy (1863-1927). Born in Canada, Arthur Irwin was: the 1st position player to wear a glove; a winning participant in the 1st interleague series to crown a "World Champion" club, the 1884 Providence Grays; a college coach; an MLB scout & an MLB business manager; a minor league owner; a major & minor league manager; the president of the 1st professional U.S. soccer league; an owner of cycling tracks; the inventor of a football scorecard; and an umpire of 50 National League games. Arthur Irwin is also a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. After contracting stomach cancer, Irwin committed suicide by jumping over board a ship. It was soon discovered that Arthur Irwin had two unwitting wives, 1 in Boston, 1 in New York.
- In 1907, NY Highlanders' manager George Stallings rented a flat overlooking Hilltop Park and, equipping Irwin with binoculars and mirrors, had Irwin steal signs from NY's opponents and reflect them back to Stallings in the dugout.
- Irwin signed Lou Gehrig to his first professional contract, with the Hartford Senators in 1921. Although Gehrig used the alias "Lou Lewis" to hide his professional status from Columbia University, the ruse was discovered and Lou was forced to sit out a year of college ball.
- Irwin managed the Washington Nationals (1889), Boston Reds (1891), Philadelphia Phillies (1894-1895), NY Giants (1896) & the Washington Senators (1898-1899)
- While with the Providence Grays in 1883, Irwin broke two fingers on his left hand. Determined not to miss any games, Irwin got a buckskin glove, added padding and sewed two fingers together to allow his bandaged fingers to fit. After his injuries healed, Irwin kept with the glove. John Motgomery Ward soon followed. By the next season, 1884, most professional players were using the Irwin Glove.
- Elected to Canadian BB Hall of Fame: 1989
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