- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
Curtis Benton Welch (1862-1896). Primarily a center fielder for 10 professional seasons, Welch was a fast runner with great instincts. His “$15,000 slide” into home clinched the 1886 World Series for the St. Louis Browns. It has been called the most famous play of the 19th century.
- Top 10 in steals 6 years in a row
- Currently ranks 51st all-time in steals (453)
- Alleged to have hidden beer behind billboards so he could drink during games
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Louisville
- Team: Colonels
- League: American Association
William B. Weaver (1865-1943) was a proficient outfielder, steady hitter and all-around player who could catch when needed. Possessing keen baseball acumen, Weaver’s major league tenure lasted from 1888 to 1894 where he produced a solid .278 average. Earned a second nickname “Buck” in comparison to Buck Ewing in recognition of his prowess with the bat in his Texas League debut. Signed by Louisville, Weaver quickly impressed with his fine hitting and as a “splendid fielder and base-runner.” He experienced incredible highs and lows on field and off: in 1889 the team became first to lose 100 games, but next year won the pennant; then became one of a handful of major leaguers to go to prison for fathering a child with a minor, but lead prison teams to such accomplishments as to earn an early release.
- Recorded two once-in-a-century entries in the annals: only player until 1989 to lead league in fielding %, POs and assists; and went 6-for-6 hitting the cycle, not done again until 2009
- Shares a strange link with the other Buck Weaver of Chicago “Black Sox” infamy by coaching his integrated KS prison team – officially known as the Black Sox
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AA)
- League: American Association
Christian Friedrich Wilhelm von der Ahe (1851-1913) put the beer in the “beer and whiskey league” as the American Association came to be known, perjoratively by National League purists and proudly by the upstart organization’s devotees. Von der Ahe had emigrated from Germany, bringing a zeal for making it big in the New World. His saloon in St. Louis hosted so many baseball fans that Chris decided to buy the bankrupt Brown Stockings. Perhaps recognizing his ignorance of the game, Chris had the sense to hire Charles Comiskey to play and eventually manage the club which went on to a string of pennants from 1885-88. The boss’s meddling hurt (Comiskey left) but his showmanship helped as a carnival atmosphere brought in the “fans” (possibly coined by von der Ahe.) The big, bluff German was always a center of controversy and drama. He lost the team in ‘98 after a ballpark fire following an earlier fire sale of the players to Brooklyn. After a year as the Perfectos, the team would ever after be known as the Cardinals.
- Von der Ahe was the first to promote baseball to the great unwashed of his adopted country’s midsection, the blue-collar heartland of the game
- While von der Ahe does have one pose in the Old Judge series, this image was taken from a Guerin Studio cabinet photo
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Brooklyn
- Team: Bridegrooms
- League: American Association
Joseph Paul Visner (1859-1945). An outfielder and catcher over 4 major league seasons for 5 different teams, Visner was one of the few Native Americans to play professional baseball in the 19th century. His best year was 1890 for the Pittsburgh Burghers, when he hit .267, with 22 triples, 76 BB, 71 RBI, and scored 110 Runs.
- Won a pennant with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1889
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Louisville
- Team: Colonels
- League: American Association
Harry Francis Vaughn (1864-1914). A catcher for 13 professional seasons, Vaughn played for 6 different teams: Cincinnati Red Stockings, Louisville Colonels, New York Giants (PL), Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers, Milwaukee Brewers, & Cincinnati Reds.
- Amassed 946 hits
- Compiled a .274 lifetime batting average
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