- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Cincinnati
- Team: Red Stockings (AA)
- League: American Association
Anthony John Mullane (1859-1944) won 284 games over a 13 year career with 7 teams, primarily in the AA. In 2010 he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds’ Hall of Fame. When the NL added 10.5 feet from mound to plate, Mullane was never the same pitcher. The next year (’94) he surrendered 16 first inning runs to the Beaneaters.
- Ambidextrous, Mullane held the ball in both hands, disguising his intended offering
- Lost a season (’85) to suspension amidst his string of five 30-win years
- Mullane was voted SABR's Overlooked 19th Century Legend for 2015
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Syracuse
- Team: Stars (NL)
- League: National League
Patrick Henry McCormick (1855-1889) was a pitcher for the Syracuse Stars, Worcester Ruby Legs, and Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1879-83. His record of 41-58 belied his fine ERA of 2.66. On 7/26/79 Harry hit a 1st inning HR and then shut out Boston 1-0, a feat that will likely never be duplicated.
- That home run was the only one of his brief career
- McCormick died in his hometown of Syracuse at age 33
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Chicago
- Team: Colts
- League: National League
John Perkins Luby (1869-1899) pitched for the Chicago Colts and Louisville Colonels from 1890-95, compiling a 40-41 record. In his rookie season for Cap Anson’s Colts, Luby won 18 straight lifting the club to a 2nd place finish. This flash of brilliance was followed by a steady decline due to alcohol abuse, and a very early death at 30.
- Luby still holds the dubious record of three hit-batters in an inning.
- Playing in a tempestuous era, Luby lost one victory in ’92 by forfeit due to a home fan riot
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Brooklyn
- Team: Bridegrooms
- League: American Association
Michael J. Hughes (1866-1931) got 25 of his three-year career total 39 wins for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in his rookie season, 1888. That performance earned Hughes the opening day start for Brooklyn in 1889 but he fell to a lackluster 9-8 record that year. Hughes was traded to the Athletics in 1890, finishing his brief ML tenure going 1-3 in six games.
- In Brooklyn’s final year in the American Association, Hughes went 1-0 in the 1889 Series against the NY Giants, won by NY 6 games to 3
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Pirates
- League: National League
Emerson Pink Hawley (1872-1938) was a good enough pitcher to be the opening day starter for 3 teams: the Cardinals, Pirates and Reds. In 10 years, Hawley went 167-179 with a 3.96 ERA for 5 clubs. A workhorse, Hawley had 297 complete games, including 44 in 1895 for Pittsburgh and a league-leading 34 in 1900 for the Giants.
- Called “a king of speedball artists,” the “Duke of Pittsburgh” even had a cigar named for him
- That fastball sometimes strayed as Hawley ranks 3rd all time in hit batsmen with 210
- On May 9, 1896 Hawley hit five Washington batsmen
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