- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Stockings
- League: National League
James McCormick (1856-1918) was the first Scotsman to make his adopted country’s major leagues. A pitcher, Jim debuted with the Indianapolis Blues in 1878, their only season in the National League. He had a losing record but an eye-catching 1.69 ERA. He moved to Cleveland’s Blues in ‘79 and stayed until he made the jump to the Union Association in ‘84. Twice with Cleveland McCormick led the NL in wins and once in ERA. A brief term with Providence in 1885 led him to the White Stockings for the balance of ‘85 and the ‘86 season. In Chicago, Jim bonded with King Kelly. Together they helped the club to pennants both years. The battery produced 51 victories with McCormick going 20-4 in ‘85 and 31-11 in ‘86. Perhaps coincidentally (but fittingly), Jim gained a lasting place in baseball card history with his partner Mike Kelly as Goodwin & Co. honored each with ten different poses following the ‘86 championship season. Typical of the era, a contract feud led to McCormick’s sale to Pittsburgh in ‘87 when owner Al Spalding overruled Cap Anson who very much wanted to keep the sturdy hurler.
- McCormick compiled one of the great lifetime records on the mound: 264-214 with a 2.43 ERA (33rd all-time)
- McCormick's uniform color on this card was changed in April, 2017 from black to blue to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Two cards had been previously released featuring a black uniform.
- Series: 1880s: Diamond Duos
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Buck Ewing:
William Ewing (1859-1906) was the premier catcher of the 19th century, honored for decades after his early death as even, perhaps, the greatest player of all time. A scourge at bat, Buck hit over .300 ten times. He played behind the plate with courage and style, crouching close to the hitter so as to shave precious seconds off his inerrant throws. Ewing had debuted with the remarkable Troy Trojans in 1880 and joined four future Hall-of-Famers in moving to NYC in ‘83. The sturdy catcher may have been the primary inspiration for Jim Mutrie’s “my Giants!” exclamation that led to the new identity of the Gothams. An arm injury on a raw spring day curtailed his tenure behind the plate from 1891 on. Such a magnetic figure couldn’t escape the turmoil of the Players’ League controversies and Ewing was sometimes pilloried for lax effort. Despite such caviling, Ewing left as indelible a mark on the game’s first century as anyone. Upon his induction to Cooperstown (among the first six of the “pre-modern” era), he was hailed by Connie Mack as the greatest catcher he had seen and he had seen most.
- “Buck” was a derivative of “Buckingham,” bestowed on the budding star by an admiring scribe who wanted to add gravitas to the youngster’s reputation
- Played all nine positions and managed 3 different teams over 7 seasons
- Was the first catcher elected to the Hall of Fame; and the second 19th century player elected (after Cap Anson)
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1939
Willie Breslin:
Master William Breslin was one in a line of NY Giants’ mascots in the 1880s, primarily due to HOF catcher Buck Ewing’s love of “hoodoos.” Superstition is still alive and well in baseball and goes back to its roots. In the old days it wasn’t rally monkeys, tomahawks or Phanatics–it was young boys recruited from the mean streets by ball players desperate for an edge. Lads such as “masters” Betsie and Preston prowled the NY dugout in 1886, preceded by an unknown “colored boy” that year. Any charm could do, though. Ewing seized on a yellow mutt, a ring-tailed monkey named “Mose,” or a toy barking dog. But no mascot seems to have gained the popularity and fame of Willie Breslin. He wasn’t the first to be given an Old Judge card (that was Willie Hahm in 1887), but he is the only one to have his own card as well as a famous pose with Ewing in a photo taken in 1884 and used on the OJ series of 1889. One of Buck’s proteges was Fred Boldt, a Chicago waif the team picked up on the road. Back in NY, young Fred ran up an account at a diner near the Polo Grounds and absconded with Cannonball Titcomb’s shoes.
- The Breslin Old Judge cards have become highly prized
- Sadly, biographical data for Willie and his cohorts is lacking. We trust he turned out better than young Boldt
Auction History
Cartophilia
Old Judge Pose: 149-11
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
William Henry Watkins’ (1858-1937) playing career was cut short in his first season by a bean ball that nearly killed him. The rookie had already been named manager, demonstrating leadership skills he would display his long and productive life. Led the Wolverines from the cellar to the top in only 3 yrs (1887).
- Was embroiled in the struggles to est. a 2nd ML as owner/mgr of Indianapolis in 1901
- Went on to a successful business career in Marysville MI, a town he helped found
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
Jeremiah J. Murray (1865-1922) officiated more big league games than he played as a catcher. He began in organized ball in 1883 in the Interstate Association with the Reading Actives for whom he caught nine games before playing briefly with the league champion Brooklyn Greys. This was the year before Brooklyn would join the American Association as the Atlantics. Throughout his time in baseball, Murray would alternate short stints with major league clubs between longer periods in the minors. He made it to the Providence Grays of the National League in ‘84, the Louisville Colonels of the AA in ‘85, then back with the Washington Nationals in ‘88, returning to D.C. with the Statesmen during their sole year in the AA, 1891. Four years later Murray came up as a NL umpire, handling 112 games and recording seven ejections. He continued sporadically to fill in through the 1905 season.
- Murray was blessed to debut with Old Hoss Radbourn’s famed Providence team and, despite his very brief time as a September reserve, was included in the team honors bestowed by manager Frank Bancroft which included a fine gold badge emblazoned with Champions 1884 in blue
- In all, Miah played a mere 34 games over his decade around major league ball
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
John Irwin (1861-1934) followed elder brother Arthur out of Toronto and into American baseball, joining Art’s Worcester Ruby Legs when they were a National League entry in 1882. Art had been with the team since 1880 and was an established star when John debuted, getting into a single game that season. The younger Irwin played his most substantial year in ‘84 with the upstart Union Association’s Boston Reds under the tutelage of George Wright. John played third base, and hit .234 over 105 games in the UA’s only season. He would never see that much playing time again. Staying on the margins of big-time pro-ball, John saw action in all of the leagues of his day. He was with the NL’s Washington team in ‘87,the Players’ League’s Buffalo Bisons in ‘90, and then back with another Boston team called the Reds, this time in the American Association in 1891 with a final stint with the AA’s Louisville Colonels that same year.
- John’s appetite for the game was undiminished by his mediocre record. He played for various, primarily New England, teams through the 1899 season
- Big brother Art’s innovation of the fielder’s glove and scandalous demise amid bigamy revelations overshadowed John’s more mundane career but he outlived Art by 13 years
- Irwin’s uniform color on this card was changed in May, 2017 from blue to red to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Two cards had been previously released featuring a blue uniform.
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