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John Morrill

First Base
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Beaneaters
  • League: National League

John Francis Morrill (1855-1932) was a successful player/manager, primarily for the Beaneaters, in a career spanning 1876-90. His team’s third pennant came in ’83, the year after he took over as manager at Boston. “Honest John” hit .319, played six positions, and piloted the club to victory, winning 33 of its final 44 games.

  • Batted .260 over his 15 year career
  • Received a 5-minute ovation upon his return to Boston after a brief stint w/Washington

Auction History

Dan Minnehan

First Base
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Minneapolis
  • Team: Millers
  • League: Western Association

Daniel Joseph Minnehan (1865-1929) played a lot of pro ball in the 1880s and 1890s but only got into seven of the last eight games of the Louisville Colonels’ 1895 season for his only stint in the major leagues. Dan did make the most of his brief tenure, however, as he hit .382 giving him an enviable “career” average. His six runs scored and six RBI also gave him a production record that would get the attention of any scout. Sadly, it was back to the Syracuse Stars the following year followed by a dwindling number of plate appearances for several Pennsylvania and northeastern clubs until Minnehan finished his time in professional ball with the Schenectady Electricians in 1899.

  • Minnehan was born in Troy NY months after the Civil War ended and died there months before the onset of the Great Depression–a life bookended by the darkest days of the nation and blessed to play ball in some of the Republic’s most golden era
  • Perhaps Dan’s claim to fame is that he was hired by Louisville to replace Jimmy Collins who was moving on to a Hall of Fame career with the Boston Beaneaters

Auction History

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

Roger Connor

First Base
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: New York
  • Team: Giants
  • League: National League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Permanent Outtake: Alternate fielding 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

Sid Farrar

First Base
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Philadelphia
  • Team: Quakers
  • League: National League

Sidney Douglas Farrar (1859-1935) played his entire ML career in Philadelphia for the Quakers (Phillies) and Athletics. Farrar averaged .246 over his eight years. He started at 1B every year. As a rookie in 1883, he endured the fledgling franchise’s inaugural season with a NL-worst record of 17-81. He moved to the ill-starred Players’ League in 1890 and retired after the league folded.

  • A devoted father, Farrar and his teammates scrimped to pay for his daughter Geraldine’s music education
  • Geraldine went on to a world-renowned opera career, touring with Toscanini and Caruso

Auction History