- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Boston
- Team: Beaneaters
- League: National League
- 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)
- Won 6 NL pennants, 5 as a manager
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1961
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- 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
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1996
- 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
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AA)
- League: American Association
Sargent Perry “Sadie” Houck (1856-1919) was a much-traveled shortstop, playing for seven teams over his eight year career. A native of Washington D. C., Houck debuted with the Boston Red Caps in 1879 and closed his playing days with the New York Metropolitans in 1887. Houck was among the first players to be blacklisted by the National League owners as management combined to assert its dominance over the then-unorganized players.
- Houck led the American Association in fielding percentage in 1884
- Houck’s salary as a Red Caps rookie was $600
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Cincinnati
- Team: Reds (NL)
- League: National League
William Ellsworth Hoy (1862-1961) was a renowned outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds & other clubs over a 15 year career. Hoy was rendered deaf by a childhood illness. He was not the 1st deaf player in the majors, but he was the most accomplished, using his speed and small stature (5’4”) to generate walks and steals. Hoy retired in 1902 holding the career record for outfield chances.
- Hoy’s record three outfield assists to the plate in one game were all to his catcher Connie Mack
- Teamed with player-manager Charles Comiskey in the final season of the American Association
- At his death in 1961 he was the longest lived major league player at 99 years of age
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
William Ambrose Hulbert (1832-1882) was Chicago through and through: “I’d rather be a lamppost in Chicago than a millionaire in any other city.” President of the White Stockings, Hulbert joined Al Spalding in founding the “senior circuit” NL in 1876. Repulsed by misbehavior of players and intrigue by “Eastern” owners, Hulbert worked hard to bring order and integrity to the game. Morgan Bulkeley served as first NL leader for one year before Hulbert took over the office until his death. He gave the NL authority to set schedules and hire umpires, wresting real control when he ousted the NY and Philadelphia franchises in a show of strength that solidified his leadership.
- Made the first serious moves to deal with the scourge of gambling, banning 4 Louisville players for life
- His ban of Cincinnati for beer-selling led to the formation of rival American Assoc in ‘82
- Although Spalding called him the “man who saved the game!” Hulbert was denied a plaque in Cooperstown for nearly 60 years
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1995
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