- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Des Moines
- Team: Prohibitionists
- League: Western Association
James Wear Holliday (1867-1910) had a knack for beginnings. He began in big league baseball at its pinnacle: game five of the 1885 post-season series. He wouldn’t play in a regular-season game until 1889, but again reached an apex by leading the league in home runs as a rookie. Bug’s sophomore season began with another bang: an opening game HR. Holliday played exclusively for Cincinnati and during his six prime years was second only to Roger Connor in home runs. His peak productivity came in 1894 when he hit .372, scoring and driving in 119 runs. Thereafter, health took a sad toll. Following an appendectomy in ‘95 Bug was never the same and his life ended too early due to a fatal infection.
- At 5’11” “Bug” was not tiny, but he struck some as such way out in center field and got the nickname
- His unlikely debut came about when Cap Anson was desperate for a right-fielder in the St. Louis Series. Young Bug fared poorly and headed to the minors for seasoning.
- Holliday’s uniform color on this card was changed in June, 2017 from black to blue to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Six cards were previously released featuring a black uniform.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
Paul Aloysius Hines (1855-1935). A hearing-impaired center fielder for 16 professional seasons, Hines accumulated the most hits in the first 5 years of National League history and, upon his retirement in 1891, was 3rd all-time in hits behind Cap Anson & Jim O’Rourke.
- Won baseball’s 1st Triple Crown: 1878
- May have recorded the 1st unassisted triple-play in history
- Twice won the batting title
- Hines' uniform color in this card was changed from black to blue in May, 2017 to reflect recent reliable research conducted by Craig Brown and friends at Threads of Our Game. Nine cards had been previously released featuring a black uniform.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Edward Hugh Hanlon (1857-1937). A fast and skilled center fielder over 13 seasons with 6 different teams, Ned made his mark as a manager over 19 seasons. Hanlon compiled a 1313-1164 managerial record & lead his teams through 7 consecutive seasons with .600+ winning percentages.
- 26th all-time in managerial wins
- Hanlon’s “piratical” signing of Lou Bierbauer in 1891 inspired the name Pittsburgh Pirates
- Won 6 NL pennants, 5 as a manager: 1
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1996
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Kansas City
- Team: Cowboys
- League: American Association
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
William Robert Hamilton (1866-1940). An outfielder for 3 teams over 14 ML seasons, Sliding Billy was an elite hitter & one of the greatest base runners in history. In 1894, Billy scored a record 198 runs. He ranks 4th all-time in OBP (.455) & 3rd in stolen bases. Billy has a career .344 BA & is 1/3 players to avg 1+ runs scored per game.
- 1 of 5 players to hit a lead-off & walk-off HR in same game
- Was a member of Philly all-.400 outfield in 1894 (.404)
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1961
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Baltimore
- Team: Orioles
- League: American Association
Michael Joseph Griffin (1865-1908) was an accomplished center fielder for the AA’s Orioles, the Players’ League’s Athletics and the NL’s Bridegrooms over 12 seasons. He batted over .300 six times, scored 100+ runs ten times and stole 473 bases. On 4/16/87 he became the 1st ML player to hit a HR in his first plate appearance. Ended his career as player-mgr for Brooklyn.
- Caught up in the Baltimore/Brooklyn merger in ’98, won a salary judgment of $2,300 and retired
- Managed local Utica breweries until his death from pneumonia at 43
- Griffin’s uniform color on this card was changed in May, 2017 from black to blue/red to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Nine cards had been previously released featuring a black uniform.
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