- Series: 1888 Champion New York Giants
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Patrick J. Murphy (1857-1927) was a right-handed catcher for the New York Giants from 1887-1990. This Massachusetts native had a career batting average of .220 and hit one home run in the “Dead Ball” era. He played in one “world series” in 1888, going one for 10 and scoring a run in three games against the St Louis Browns. The Giants prevailed six games to four. The contest was marked by the great future Hall of Famer Tim Keefe’s four victories over the Browns.
- Murphy was a grizzled 30 years of age when he broke in with the Giants
- Murphy’s sole hit in the ’88 series was good for an RBI
- In 1889 Murphy’s salary was $1800
- Series: 1888 Champion New York Giants
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Smiling Tim, Sir Timothy (1857-1933). A dominant pitcher for 5 teams over 14 seasons, Keefe’s 1st season was the last in which pitchers threw from 45′ & his last season was the 1st in which they threw from 60’6″. In an extraordinary career, Keefe won 20+ gms 7x; 30+ gms 6x; 40+ gms 2x; 200+ Ks 6x; 300+ Ks 2x; & posted lowest ERA in history: 0.86 in 1880.
- Won Triple Crown: 1888
- ERA Champ: ’80, ’85, ’88
- 342 career Wins
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1964
- Series: 1888 Champion New York Giants
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Smiling Mickey (1859-1941). An elite pitcher for 13 professional seasons, Welch was the 3rd pitcher to reach 300 wins. Mickey was a 20-game winner 9 times in his career, 7 times in succession. He also won 30+ games 4 times and 40+ games once. Shared pitching duties with HOFers John Ward & Tim Keefe.
- 1st pinch hitter in Major League history: 9.10.89, when he pinch hit for fellow HOFer Hank O’Day
- Still holds record for consecutive K’s to start a game: 9
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1973
- Series: 1888 Champion New York Giants
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Gilbert Hatfield (1855-1921). A pitcher and infielder for 6 teams over 8 seasons, Hatfield did not break into the majors until the age of 30 – then played sporadically across the next decade – actually getting into 5 games with Louisville at the age of 40.
Hatfield was a member of the 1888 World Series Champion New York Giants. As a hitter, Hatfield went 2-8 in the series with 1 BB, 1 RBI & 1 Run. As a pitcher, Hatfield made 1 relief appearance, giving up 12 hits & 12 runs (7 earned) in 5 innings.
- Series: 1888 Champion New York Giants
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Edward Nicholas Crane (1862-1896) began in major league ball with the notorious Boston Reds of the Union Association - a hard-drinking crew. It appears that big Ed avoided the bottle that would eventually kill him years later when he joined Al Spalding’s world exhibition tour. That he even made that trip was highly unlikely as Cannonball had labored in anonymity for years until the 1889 “World Series,” where Jim Mutrie played a hunch and decided his Giants could best the Bridegrooms with fastballs. Crane was tapped for five starts, won four and the Series. Cannonball could always throw hard and was famed for a 406’ long-toss, but such post-season heroics were virtually unheard of. The seeds of Ed’s doom had been planted on that tour, nourished by the vices of Paris. All too soon he would spiral into alcoholism and an early death. While the coroner ruled Crane's death an accidental overdose, rumors persisted that he had taken his own life by drinking acid.
- Ed had one of the great seasons of any pitcher for the Toronto Maple Leafs in ‘87 with 33 wins and an eye-popping .428 BA (when walks counted as hits)
- Other firsts: 1st NY Giant to hurl no-hitter; 1st pitcher with four Ks in an inning
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