- Series: Spearheads
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Pirates
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. (1862-1956). An average catcher with strong leadership skills for 11 professional seasons (1886-1896), Mack then owned (1901-1954) and managed (1901-1950) the Philadelphia Athletics for half a century, establishing many managerial records and a unique place in the pantheon of baseball icons in the 20th century.
- 5x World Series Champion
- Most Managerial Wins: 3,731
- Most Managerial Losses: 3,948
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937
Auction History
Cartophilia
- W.S. Kimball (N184) Canvas:
Dell Darling, Champion Base Ball Catcher
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Alleghenys
- League: National League
George Frederick Miller (1864-1909) had an outstanding ten-year career in Pittsburgh before closing his ML tenure with his best offensive years. He played from age 18 with Harrisburg until 38 as player-manager for the Dayton Veterans of the Central League. As a big-league catcher, Miller proved a formidable batter, defender and runner. He could also bring a certain “tenth-man” quality to the field, attested by his nickname “Foghorn.” Miller harassed opponents (and umps) mercilessly from near the on-deck circle. And he was versatile, playing substantial innings at third and in the outfield. Doggie compiled an excellent .267 average lifetime, but had terrific years at the plate after leaving the Steel City for the Browns in 1894-95, hitting .339 and .291. He was sold to the Louisville Colonels the following year for $400.
- Per the NY Clipper, Nov 16, 1889: “Miller is one of the most promising and popular young players in the profession and he certainly has a very bright future before him.”
- Other than Doggie and Foghorn, Miller also enjoyed Calliope as a nickname
- Miller has five known Old Judge poses
- Miller’s uniform color on this card was changed in August, 2017 from black to red to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Six cards were previously released featuring a black uniform.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Alleghenys
- League: National League
Albert Joseph Maul (1865-1958) pitched in 15 seasons for ten teams from 1884-1901. His career highlight was winning the NL ERA title in 1895 with 2.95. In 13 years in the NL, he compiled an ERA of 4.56, winning 68 and losing 67. In 1898 with the Orioles, Smiling Al went 20-7 with a 2.10 ERA.
- The New York Times said of Maul’s come-back year in ’98: “The most remarkable case on record of a restored glass arm.”
- Ned Hanlon had made Maul his reclamation project in ’98 and took the veteran to Brooklyn the next year, but neither could re-ignite the old magic
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Alleghenys
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
James Francis Galvin (1856-1902) sported some colorful nicknames: Pud, Gentle Jeems and The Little Steam Engine, indicative of his renown. Pud was baseball’s first 300-game winner. He pitched for six teams over 15 years, and remains the only player to win 20+ games in ten seasons and not win a pennant. Only Cy Young pitched more innings or hurled more complete games, a testimony to the extraordinary demands placed on starters in the 19th century. Perhaps no pitcher of any era accomplished so much by overcoming a distinct physical limitation. In Galvin’s case, it was his small hands which left him unable to completely grip a baseball. He couldn’t throw the curve so he adapted, becoming an expert in “drops, straight balls and the different artifices known to pitchers to deceive the batter” as he told a friend. As his steam engine nickname suggests, Pud just rolled right at the hitter with power and durability yet with amazing finesse, especially in holding runners on base. Buck Ewing was a great admirer and said he wouldn’t have had anyone attempting steals with Galvin on the mound.
- Galvin threw no-hitters in 1880 and ‘84
- Began and ended his long career in St Louis with the NA’s Brown Stockings and NL’s Browns
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1965
- Galvin's uniform color on this card was changed in April, 2017 from black to red to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Nine cards had been previously released featuring a black uniform.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Alleghenys
- League: National League
Frederick C. Dunlap (1859-1902) strode the heights of baseball throughout the 1880s as the “king of second basemen.” Highest-paid, adored by fans, sought by clubs who needed to win, the slick-fielding, sharp-eyed batsman could write his own ticket, and did. When Detroit (which had paid a record price to secure him from St. Louis) wanted to sell him to Pittsburgh, “Sure-Shot” demanded and nearly got half the proceeds. Despite never using a glove, this graceful fielder consistently ranked as the best at his position. In 1910, the founder of The Sporting News said he had seen them all and Dunlap was “the greatest that ever lived.” Yet his fall equaled his rise: forced out by a broken leg, a decade later his fortune was gone, as were his friends and health. “King Fred” died in 1902 “clean broke” without enough to carry his coffin.
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