American Association

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Henry Larkin

First Base
  • 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

Auction History

Silver King

Pitcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: St. Louis
  • Team: Browns (AA)
  • League: American Association

Charles Frederick Koenig (1863-1927). An excellent pitcher for 7 teams over 10 seasons, King was one of the 1st pitchers to use a sidearm delivery and was especially unique in that he threw without winding up. In his career, King won 203 games, striking out 1,229 batters with a 3.18 ERA. Currently, King ranks 93rd in career WAR for pitchers, higher than 15 HOF pitchers. Silver was pretty good.

  • AA Wins champ: 1888
  • AA ERA Chap: 1888
  • PL ERA Champ: 1890

Auction History

Matt Kilroy

Pitcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Baltimore
  • Team: Orioles
  • League: American Association

Matthew Aloysius Kilroy (1866-1940). Kilroy pitched for 6 teams over 10 seasons; most famously for the Baltimore Orioles. Did you know that Matt Kilroy is the single season record holder with 513 Ks in 1886? That’s 72 Ks more than the next closest total. Kilroy’s 1st 2 years: 75-53, 137 GS, 132 CG, 730 Ks & 3.22 ERA. After his sophomore year, Kilroy would win 20+ games once more, but then descended into mediocrity – going 20-34 over the last 6 years of his career.

  • Pitched a no-hitter: 10.6.86

Auction History

Jim Keenan

Catcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Cincinnati
  • Team: Red Stockings (AA)
  • League: American Association

James William Keenan (1858-1926) had a substantial major league career as a decent hitting catcher, primarily for Cincinnati. He got his start at the dawn of pro ball with his hometown entry in the National Association in 1875, its final season. The New Haven Elm Cities struggled to a 9th place finish but Keenan was on his way. He played minor league ball until the Buffalo Bisons of the NL hired him in 1880. After brief appearances with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys & Indianapolis Hoosiers, Jim caught on as a regular catcher with Cincinnati, 5 years with their AA team and his last two with the NL version, the Reds. A lifetime .240 average testifies to his skills at the plate in a rugged era for catchers. He played other positions and even gets his name in the record books: per the Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers he is one of 41 receivers to pitch in major league games and his 2.37 ERA places him first all-time among his cohorts (he hurled 19 innings and was 0-1).

  • As an emergency replacement at catcher for New Haven, Jim witnessed teammate Billy Geer make seven errors in one inning at second base

Auction History

Billy Hamilton

Outfield
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Kansas City
  • Team: Cowboys
  • League: American Association
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Permanent Outtake: Alternate batting pose.

After finding an alternate pose with better detail, I retired this version and made a new one. You can find the new card here.

Auction History