- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
Harry Duffield Stovey (nee Stowe) (1856-1937) was a prolific slugger and base stealer. He was the 1st in MLB to get to 100 HRs, leading the league 5 times. Stovey began his career with the Worcester Ruby Legs in 1880 and retired as a player with the Bridegrooms in ’93. Considered the premier base thief of his era, Stovey was said to have innovated the feet-first slide.
- Harry didn’t want his mother reading of him in the press as she objected to his baseball ambitions, hence the name Stovey
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Louisville
- Team: Colonels
- League: American Association
Chilton Scott Stratton (1869-1939) pitched for four teams over eight years, from 1888-1895. He played primarily for the Louisville Colonels, a stint interrupted in 1891 by a partial season with the Pirates where he lost his only two games. Scott’s stand-out year was 1890 with the Colonels, winning 34 games and leading the league in win-loss % and ERA with 2.36. He set a major league record that still stands starting 25 consecutive games in which his team won. His team won the AA pennant that year as well. Stratton had one more 20-win season in Louisville in ’92 going 21-19. Overall, his career record was 97-114 with an ERA of 3.87.
- Stratton’s career year in 1890 included a 34-14 record in 49 starts and one relief appearance
- He was also a good enough hitter to play OF on his off days, compiling a lifetime .274 BA
- Stratton’s uniform color on this card was changed in February, 2017 from blue to maroon to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Six cards had been previously released featuring a blue uniform
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Omaha
- Team: Omahogs
- League: Western Association
Joseph Strauss (1858-1906) was a fixture in minor league outfields from age 25 to 39 and got a a brief turn in the majors with 3 clubs from 1884-86. He entered MLB with the KC Cowboys the year they played in the short-lived Union Association, playing in only 16 games in ’84. The following season proved even slimmer pickings for “Dutch” as he was picked up by the Louisville Colonels in the AA, but appeared in only 2 games. His 1-for-6 performance must have showed them something, however, as Louisville brought Joe back the next year. He got into 74 games & hit .215 in nearly 300 at-bats. Joe’s lot improved a bit late that season when he was purchased by the competing, and stronger, Brooklyn Grays. Brooklyn would go on to a third-place finish. Strauss appeared in 9 games & hit .250 in his final experience in the big leagues. Undeterred by his mediocre showing at the top level, Joe continued his extensive minor-league career that included at least 15 teams, finishing up with Rock Island in the Western Association in 1898.
- Strauss made two relief appearances for the Colonels in ’86, saving one game. The scant data for bullpen achievement in that era records that Joe tied for the AA lead in saves that year with four other hurlers
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Spiders
- League: National League
John A. Stricker (nee Streaker) (1859-1937) played second base over an eleven year career in the majors. The native Philadelphian broke in with his hometown Athletics in 1882 and stayed for four seasons. He never caught fire in Philly, batting a meager .239 during his tenure there. The Athletics consigned Cub to the Southern Association’s Atlanta squad before the 1886 season. The following year Stricker was dealt to Cleveland. During his time on the shores of Lake Erie, Stricker saw the team morph from the American Association’s Blues to the NL’s Spiders and, in the 1890 uprising of the Players’ League, Cub became an Infant. He boosted his average a bit and was much more productive on offense overall. He emerged as a fairly adept base-stealer, swiping 86 in his first year with the Blues, his best on the basepaths for his career. Having never been a regular with the Athletics, Stricker was an everyday player throughout his time in Ohio and continued that pattern in 1891 when he moved to Boston with the AA’s Reds. Thereafter, Cub’s performance and plate appearances dwindled rapidly and he bounced from club to club for the remainder of his big league experience. Two episodes late in his career give evidence of a fiery temperament that made Stricker a durable competitor and even gave him a shot at managing while sometimes exposing a darker side. On at least two occasions Cub couldn’t resist the baiting of rowdy fans. His tour as manager of the Browns ended when, after a losing streak, Stricker leaped into the stands to punch a heckler. With the Senators in ‘93, in a game back home in Philadelphia, he couldn’t abide the fans’ jeers. He claimed later that the ball he loosed into the stands was meant to hit only the low fence. Unfortunately, it bounced into the stands and broke the nose of a paying customer, leading to Stricker’s arrest.
- Out of the majors following his contretemps, Cub played minor league ball for several more years, primarily in Providence for the Clamdiggers/Grays into 1896. He had a final go of it with Chester of the Pennsylvania State League in 1901 at the ripe age of 42
- Stricker received the nickname Cub due to his diminutive stature
- Stricker enjoys four known poses in the Old Judge canon, but is credited with six different cards as two cards are known in two different cropped-image variations each.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Stockings
- League: National League
Martin C. Sullivan (1862-1894) played outfield for four teams over five years from 1887-91. His first two seasons were with the Chicago White Stockings where he got into 190 games and even pitched in relief in one. He moved on to the Indianapolis Hoosiers in 1889, spent part of the next two seasons with the Beaneaters before ending his ML tenure with one game for the Cleveland Spiders.
- His lifetime BA is variously reported as .256, .273 and .288 showing the variance in data in that era
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
Michael Joseph Sullivan (1860-1929) didn't play the hot corner as poorly as that ancient mariner (“he stoppeth one in three”), but let's just say that Mike made other third-basemen of his era look pretty good. Despite a respectable ability at the plate, it was defense that proved offensive to his management, leading to an abbreviated time in the major leagues. Mike lasted all of 28 games before Philadelphia sent him up to Syracuse where, four games later, his pro ball career was over. Sullivan had started out in New England playing for three teams in 1884: Meriden, Worcester and Lawrence. He stayed in the neighborhood in '85 and '87 (no record of his play in 1886). He was with Springfield and back to Meriden in '85 and Hartford in '87 before his call-up to the American Association's Athletics.
- Sullivan actually split his time between outfield and third. But it was in the infield he did his real damage. The Brooklyn Eagle eagerly recorded the game on May 13 when the hapless Sullivan played the goat, making three errors including the one that led to the Bridegrooms' victory over the Athletics
- Mike's debut that season had been at third where he made two errors subbing for Denny Lyons. He went on to make ten more miscues in his next nine games before being exiled to left field where his ability to track down the ball wasn't much improved. Despite having a slugging average that ranked behind only John Reilly and Harry Stovey among AA hitters with a minimum 100 at-bats, his bosses couldn't abide his .726 fielding percentage
- A native of Webster, Massachusetts, Mike was born on the eve of the first great national calamity, the Civil War, and died there just before the onset of the worst economic calamity, the Great Depression.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Stockings
- League: National League
William Ashley Sunday (1862-1935) was born into extreme poverty and rose to become a beloved pro player making a handsome salary. In 1891 he gave that all up to pursue Christian ministry, cutting his income by two-thirds. Al Spalding had signed Sunday to his Chicago White Stockings on the recommendation of Cap Anson in 1883. His speed was his greatest asset.
- In ’85 Chicago held an exhibition with Sunday racing the speediest AA player. Billy won easily.
- His integrity and popularity led Anson to name Sunday the team’s business manager
- Sunday was recruited for the Players’ League in 1890, but remained loyal to his employer
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Spiders
- League: National League
Elmer Ellsworth Sutcliffe (1862-1893) asked the famed Cap Anson for a tryout as a catcher. The Wheaton, IL native impressed “Uncle” Cap but wasn’t going to be a pushover. When Anson asked what he’d want to be paid, he is said to have replied “Well, Cap, I’ve been getting a dollar a day working out in Wheaton and I can’t afford to play ball for any less!” The 22-year-old signed on with the White Stockings for 2 years. Then, typical for the era, bounced from team to team: the Maroons, Wolverines, Spiders, Infants, Senators & finally, the Orioles in 1892. His lifetime BA of .288 was a composite of highs & lows. Sy’s best years were with Cleveland’s Infants (.329 in ’90) & .353 for the Senators in ’91 (the franchise’s 1st year, known then as the Statesmen).
- Although signed as a catcher, Sutcliffe had the versatility to play 1B, SS, and the outfield
- Sadly, the strapping 6’2” left-hander’s health gave out and he died at age 30, just months after his final game with Baltimore
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
Ezra Ballou Sutton (1849-1907). A 3rd baseman & shortstop, Sutton played for 5 teams over 20 seasons. Ezra was the 1st player to hit a home run in Major League baseball and became the 1st player to hit 2 HRs in one game when he hit his second that day (in a losing effort). Sutton was also one of the 1st ball players to collect 1,000 career hits.
- Played in 1st National Association game: 5.4.71
- Played in 1st National League game: 4.22.76
- Lifetime .294 batting average
- Sutton is tied with 17 other players as the first player in major league baseball history
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Kansas City
- Team: Blues (WA)
- League: Western Association
Parke B. Swartzel (1865-1940) pitched for seven years in organized ball but only played one year at the major league level—for the Kansas City Cowboys in 1889. Swartzel won the team’s season-opener and their final game that year. All told he made 48 appearances, starting 47 games and completing 45. During this busy year, Swartzel allowed a league-high 481 hits, going 19-27 for a struggling team.
- Played for five minor league teams including the Lincoln Tree Planters of the Western League
- Also gave up a league high 21 home runs as one of the workhorses of the American Association
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
Edward Christopher Tate (1860-1932) made his ML debut with the Boston Beaneaters at the end of the 1885 season. He stayed as a catcher for three more seasons before moving to the Orioles where his big league career ended in 1890. Tate went on to play four more years in the minors. His career batting average was .218 and he had two HRs.
- Tate played nine games in the outfield for Boston and subbed at 1B for Baltimore
- In 1926 Tate’s home town fans re-named Island Park in Richmond, VA Tate Field to honor one of their first baseball heroes
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Stockings
- League: National League
Oliver Wendell Tebeau (1864-1918) played first and third-base for five ML teams from 1887-1900. He was player-manager for three of those clubs 11 of his 13 seasons, squaring off with his arch-rival John McGraw and his Orioles. Tebeau led Cleveland during the rough-and-tumble era closing the 19th century. His obituary said he belonged to “the blood and iron brigade of baseball.” It was said that when the Spiders and Orioles met, “wild war raged up and down the field.” The august founding father of the game, Henry Chadwick, wrote in 1896 that Tebeau “degraded the game more than any player of the previous quarter century.” But the Cleveland fans loved Patsy and the League’s attempts to silence him soon faded.
- After retiring from the diamond, Tebeau ran a successful saloon in St. Louis
- Patsy couldn’t endure his wife’s decision to leave him and take the kids back to Cleveland. After his death at his own hand the local paper headlined: “Patsy Tebeau Acts as His Own Umpire”
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Stockings
- League: National League
John K. Tener (1863-1946). Born in Ireland, Tener won 25 games for 3 teams over 4 seasons. In 1888, on Spalding’s world baseball tour, John was chosen to explain baseball to the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. At home, Tener was elected Secretary of John Ward’s pioneering player’s union, the Brotherhood of Professional Players. John became the 25th Governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 1911-15 & also served as NL president from 1913-18.
- Organized 1st Congressional Baseball Game, now an annual tradition
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
“Big Sam” (1860-1922). An outfielder over 15 seasons for 3 different teams, Thompson was one of the great hitters of the 19th century. Sam was the 1st player with 20 steals & 20 HRs in a season. In 1894, he was one of 4 Philly OFs to hit over .400.
- His 61 RBI in 1 month is a record
- Only 19th c. player to amass 150 RBI in a season & he did it 2x
- .923 RBI/AB ranks 1st all-time
- Back problems shortened his career; but he returned after 10 years to play 8 games for Detroit in 1906
- Elected to hall of Fame: 1974
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Michael Joseph Tiernan (1867-1918) overcame early miscues (a still-MLB-record 5 errors in a game & giving up a 10-run 10th inning in relief) to become a model of stability and decorum for the NY Giants, playing exclusively for them his entire 13-yr career. His bat trumped all else. “Silent Mike” was 4th in 19th Century HRs and batted .311 lifetime.
- Tiernan’s bat was key to the NY triumphs in the ’88-89 “world series”
- His outstanding year in ’91 silenced any animosity felt by returning teammates who had formed the ill-fated Players’ League
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Ledell Titcomb (1866-1950). A pitcher for 5 professional seasons, Titcomb won a total of 30 games in his career while playing for 4 different clubs: Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Athletics, New York Giants & Rochester Broncos. His best season was 1888, when he went 14-8 with a 2.24 ERA and 22 complete games for the New York Giants.
- Threw a no-hitter against the Syracuse Stars while pitching for the Rochester Broncos: 9.15.90
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Louisville
- Team: Colonels
- League: American Association
Philip H. Tomney (1863-1892) was born on the banks of the Schuylkill River in the coal country of eastern Pennsylvania mere days before America’s bloodiest conflict would ensue at nearby Gettysburg. His short life would end just 28 years later when he succumbed to the pernicious effects of consumption, endemic to the area of his origins. “Buster” would devote nearly all of his brief adult life to the game of baseball, excelling to such a degree that in his nine year professional career, he would spend three at the pinnacle of the sport: the “big leagues.” Phil was a shortstop during his ML stint, all of it with the Louisville Colonels toward the end of their years in the American Association: 1888-90. It is reasonable to suppose that Tomney’s health drove him from the game. His final season stats indicate his best year with a .277 batting average in a career-high 386 ABs over 108 games. He drove in a solid total of 58 runs with an OBP that year of .357.
- Slightly built at 5’7″ and 155 lbs, the right-hander’s final game was Oct 14, 1890
- Died March 18, 1892 in his hometown of Reading
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
George Hodgson Townsend (1867-1930) must have been a catcher to his core. He began in pro ball in 1887 with Reading and moved up to the Philadelphia Athletics the same year, which was also the first and only year hitters got to look at four strikes. This must have made for longer days for the pitchers and catchers, but even such a temporary advantage for the batter was lost on George who could muster only a .193 average. He slumped to .155 the next year and moved down to Baltimore in ‘90 where he hit .239. One more sub-.200 campaign followed before Townsend returned to the minors for one year in the Eastern League with the Binghamton Bings and Rochester Flour Cities. Such was the life of the hard-working, much put-upon receivers of the eighties: mangled hands and slumping batting averages.
- George had come by the “tools of ignorance” via America’s higher education: he makes the honor roll as one of 13 NYU Violets in the major leagues
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: St. Paul
- Team: Apostles
- League: Western Association
George W. Treadway (1866-1928) hit .328 with 26 triples and 102 RBI for the Brooklyn Grooms in 1894. That was the high-water-mark of a brief 3+ year ML career. Treadway knocked around the minors for several more years before retiring in California from the Pacific Coast League. Treadway was a target of racial slurs and rumors that he was passing for white. The gossip was printed by a Louisville paper and may have caused his trade from Baltimore to Brooklyn. If it was a spiteful move, Treadway commanded a high price: he and another player were traded for Hall of Famers Dan Brouthers and Willie Keeler.
- A noted biography of Joe Jackson asserted Treadway was “driven out of baseball” by the accusations—belied by the lengthy minor league career he pursued until age 37
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Minneapolis
- Team: Millers
- League: Western Association
George Turner is a mystery man. He is the subject of five Old Judge cards in the 1889 series. He wears a Minneapolis Millers (Western Assoc.) uniform and is identified as a center fielder. He strikes a left-handed batting pose in two portraits. Miller, Gonsowski and Masson, in their compilation of Goodwin and Co. cards for 1886-90 state that Turner played for the WA Denver Grizzlies in the same year. There is a Thomas Turner on the Denver roster and a “Lone” Turner on the Millers, shown as a CF-Pitcher. No other information is recorded for this enigmatic player.
- Turner’s Old Judge poses show two with the bat and three with bare-hand catching poses
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
Lawrence Grant Twitchell (1864-1930) spent the afternoon of August 15, 1889 having himself a grand day out. The box score would read: six for six, plus a walk; a homer, three triples, a double and a single; five runs scored; and 16 total bases. Had he not led off three innings he might have had more than his three RBI. Oh, and the outfielder even relieved in the second inning. The Cleveland Leader said of their home team's effort: “Twenty-seven hits for a total of forty-eight bases doesn't grow on every tree and never grew in Cleveland before, that's for sure.” Remarkably, it took a mere five years for Larry's total-bases mark to be eclipsed by Bobby Lowe of the Beaneaters. That mid-summer feat was the highlight, but far from the whole story of Twitchell's career. He was a strong fielder and is purported to have thrown a ball 407' - the longest throw on record in the 19th century. He played for seven MLB clubs over his nine-year career. Prior to returning to his hometown Spiders, Larry had starred for the Wolverines, his first team, from 1886-88 including the '87 “world series” title versus the Browns. That championship season saw Twitchell hit .333 while taking the “mound” in 15 games (twelve as a starter) and going 11-1. Ironically, Twitchell's teammate in Detroit, the renowned slugger Dan Brouthers, had set the NL record for total bases in 1886 with 15. After leaving the Spiders for Cleveland's Players' League entry in 1890, Larry migrated to other teams and lesser performance. It must have been satisfying when he was invited to a Cleveland Old Timer's game in 1921, playing alongside fellow sandlot veterans Cy Young, Chief Zimmer, Nap Lajoie and Elmer Flick.
- Twitchell's only blemish as a pitcher in '87 came in a 14-inning one-hitter loss
- His five extra-base hit day wasn't equalled until Josh Hamilton did it in 2012. In 2015, Jackie Bradley, Jr. also tied that mark
- Inducted into Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame: 1980
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Quakers
- League: National League
James Alexander Tyng (1856-1931). Jim is credited as the 1st player to wear a catcher’s mask, playing for Harvard in 1877. In 1879, Tyng became the 1st Harvard player selected to play in the majors, when he was picked up by Harry Wright & the Boston Red Caps as an emergency pitcher. Tyng defeated the 1st-place Providence Grays to draw the Red Caps within 2 games of the Grays. It was the only victory in his major league career.
- Career 1-2 record; 4.94 ERA
- .333 batting average (5 for 15)
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Stockings
- League: National League
George Edward Martin Van Haltren (1866-1945). Primarily an outfielder who also pitched in 93 games, Van Haltren is oftentimes mentioned as a player who may deserve better HOF consideration. George played for 5 teams over 17 seasons, compiling some impressive numbers. George still holds the NL record for reaching base in 60 consecutive games.
- 2,532 hits; .316 BA; .386 OBP
- Batted .300+ in 12 seasons
- Ranks 20th all-time in SBs: 583
- Scored 100+ Runs in 11 seasons
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Louisville
- Team: Colonels
- League: American Association
Harry Francis Vaughn (1864-1914). A catcher for 13 professional seasons, Vaughn played for 6 different teams: Cincinnati Red Stockings, Louisville Colonels, New York Giants (PL), Cincinnati Kelly’s Killers, Milwaukee Brewers, & Cincinnati Reds.
- Amassed 946 hits
- Compiled a .274 lifetime batting average
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Brooklyn
- Team: Bridegrooms
- League: American Association
Joseph Paul Visner (1859-1945). An outfielder and catcher over 4 major league seasons for 5 different teams, Visner was one of the few Native Americans to play professional baseball in the 19th century. His best year was 1890 for the Pittsburgh Burghers, when he hit .267, with 22 triples, 76 BB, 71 RBI, and scored 110 Runs.
- Won a pennant with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1889
Ars Longa Store
Newsletter
