- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
John Henry Sharrott (1869-1927) debuted in professional ball at the top, with the New York Giants in 1890, winning 11 games. In ‘93 Jack moved to the Phillies where he ended his ML tenure going 4-2. He won 20 games in his four years with a respectable 3.12 ERA before turning to the minors and a managerial career. He led the Bangor team in 1894-95 and came back with the Ilion Typewriters (no kidding) in 1904 before ending his pro experience in Wilkes-Barre, also of the NY State League, in 1905-06. Jack was a spot starter in the outfield for various minor league teams where he compiled a .300 average in nine seasons. His best year was with the Bangor Millionaires (so ahead of their time) in 1894 where he hit .328 with ten HRs.
- Jack relieved old friend Jack Taylor in a Philadelphia/Brooklyn contest on July 27, 1893. A rookie came to bat and singled. The kid was George Sharrott and the writers were abuzz with the story of a first: “Brother gets a hit against brother in MLB debut.” Unfortunately, George was Jack’s cousin so the “record” lost some of its shine
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Frank Gibson Selee (1859-1909) was on the way to becoming the greatest baseball manager of all time when tuberculosis drove him out of the game he had mastered. For sixteen years, 1890-1905, Selee molded teams that found ways to win. He placed players on the field like a chess grandmaster, using their talents in ways they didn’t even recognize in themselves. He treated his players fairly and as men, not cogs in a machine. And they responded to him, setting records for games won. Frank’s Beaneaters won five titles. He went out to Chicago and rebuilt a floundering squad, recruiting the likes of Mordecai Brown and carefully putting together the pieces of a legendary infield. Illness forced him to pass the baton to Frank Chance, but it is clear that Chicago’s four pennants were a testament to Selee’s managerial acumen.
- Frank’s genius was in organizing men to get the best results from them. His players hit for power unlike any until the Babe’s Yankees yet also innovated many of the finesse plays: hit and run, hitting behind the runner, double-plays
- A dozen of Selee’s charges would precede him into Cooperstown
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1999
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Indianapolis
- Team: Hoosiers (NL)
- League: National League
John Emmett Seery (1861-1930) played the outfield for and with some of the game’s most colorful characters in the early era of baseball. He debuted with the Baltimore Monumentals in 1884. Seery led his Union League team in batting with a .311 BA. Played under John Montgomery Ward (Ward’s Wonders of Brooklyn) and Mike “King” Kelly (Kelly’s Killers of Cincinnati) during a tumultuous age as teams and leagues were starting and folding abruptly.
- In ’86 with the St Louis Maroons, led the league in games played with 126
- Followed the team’s owner, Henry Lucas, to Indianapolis with the Hoosiers for 3 years
- Demonstrating a good eye, consistently ranked in the top 10 in walks
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Quakers
- League: National League
Alexander Bennett Sanders (1865-1930) pitched for the Quakers, Athletics and Colonels over a 5 year career. His odd delivery left him facing 2nd base and vulnerable to the bunt. Nevertheless, Sanders went 80-70 with a 3.24 ERA. Perhaps his fielding limitations led to his yielding 2 runs despite hurling a no-hitter against the Orioles on 8/22/92 — the 1st no-no where the loser scored.
- Sanders joined the ill-fated Player’s League with Philadelphia in 1890
- As a rookie, nearly achieved a 2nd no-hitter, giving up a one-out single in the 9th
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
“The Hoosier Thunderbolt” (1871-1942). In a 10 year career: (8) 20-win & (4) 30-win seasons; 5x strikeout & 2x ERA leader; won pitching’s Triple Crown in 1894. Rusie threw hard for the era, once hitting HOFer Hughie Jennings in the head, inducing a 4-day coma. This event was influential in increasing the pitching distance to 60’6″ from its original 50 feet.
- Once was traded for Christy Mathewson
- Suffered hearing loss due to line drive to the head
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1977
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