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Lynn Mills

Catcher
  • Series: 1880s: Loving Paupers
  • City: Milwaukee
  • Team: Creams
  • League: Western Association

Lynn Mills (1862-1937) was a native of Whitewater, WI. He moved to nearby Milwaukee to begin his professional baseball career with the Brewers in 1886. The team was also known as the Cream Citys or Creams after the distinctive local bricks made from a light-colored clay. We lack data on Mills' rookie season, but his performance in '87 was very positive. He batted .290, splitting time as a reserve at short and third. In 1888 the club transitioned from the Northwestern League to the Western Association and Lynn stayed with them through the '89 campaign. He got more playing time, but his average subsided a bit to .260 in '88 and .266  in '89. The following year Mills moved way out west to play for Spokane in the Pacific Northwest League where he had his most prolific year in all offensive categories. He hit .284 and had 103 base hits including 14 doubles as the regular catcher, a position he had played in Milwaukee. Sketchy minor league records indicate Mills returned to the midwest for the 1891 season with the Terre Haute Hottentots of the Northwestern League, but individual stats aren't available. Baseball Reference even shows him returning to Spokane, this time with the Indians of the Pacific National League in 1903, where the then 41-year-old is on the roster but with no record of positions played or batting statistics. It seems unlikely that Mills would have remained out of pro ball for a decade after showing good promise at the plate, especially for a catcher. It also seems unlikely that a youngster of his talent would have had no professional experience prior to age 24, when he is first shown to be with the Cream Citys. Sadly, extant minor league statistics leave too many gaps in our knowledge of the real contributions of stalwarts such as Lynn Mills.

  • The Goodwin editors assert that Mills struggled with his defense in Milwaukee to the extent that, for the 1889 season, he ranked next-to-last in the Northwestern League in defense among catchers. Nevertheless, his ability to hit consistently would have assured him a job behind the plate for many teams in an era that devoured receivers who braved the job with little protective equipment
  • Mills enjoys six known poses in the Old Judge canon

Auction History

Cartophilia

Old Judge Pose: 326-1

George McVey

Catcher
  • Series: 1880s: Loving Paupers
  • City: Milwaukee
  • Team: Creams
  • League: Western Association

George William McVey (1865-1896) had a much-traveled professional career in baseball, almost all of it in the minors. He played for 20 different franchises beginning in 1884 with the Chillicothe Logans of the Ohio State League and ending with the Quincy Browns of the Western Association in 1895. Along the way he made stops in the Southern League/Association, Tri-State, Texas-Southern, Central Interstate, Pacific Northwest/Interstate and Ohio-Michigan Leagues. George’s sole chance to see action in the major leagues came with the Brooklyn Grays of the American Association in 1885. He played catcher and first base for Brooklyn, but only got into six games where his .143 average led to his return to the minors. That same season saw “Big George” back in Atlanta where he caught the attention of The Sporting News who reported on September 23 that he had “made quite a reputation as a catcher and outfielder in the Southern League.” The sturdy McVey stood 6’1” and, by the end of his career, was known for his size as noted in another Sporting News item from August, 1895: “Big George McVey is playing a good game at first . . . and is hitting at a four hundred gait.” Tragically, this would be his last and best ball. He was reported in April ‘96 to be suffering bowel troubles. He died the following month in Quincy, Illinois.

  • A clue to McVey’s peripatetic sojourn in baseball comes from a report in the Milwaukee Sentinel on May 9, 1889 where it was stated that George and Creams teammate Billy Klusman “were released for getting on a spree in St. Joseph.” If this was indicative of a dissolute lifestyle, McVey would hardly be the first of his era’s players to succumb to the temptations and deprivations of the times that shortened far too many careers

 

Auction History

Cartophilia

Old Judge Pose: 321-3

Bobby Lowe

Outfield
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Milwaukee
  • Team: Creams
  • League: Western Association

Robert Lincoln Lowe (1865-1951) played a dozen years for the Boston Beaneaters, then a half dozen more for Chicago, Pittsburgh and Detroit. He could play every position and set several batting records in a long and illustrious major league career. Upon his retirement he held the best fielding average of all-time at second base, proving his value in all aspects of the game. Orphaned at 15, Lowe was a hard-working young man supporting his family in the Pittsburgh area. Friends convinced his employers to give Bobby time to play the game he clearly excelled at, leading to a chance with Eau Claire of the Northwestern League in 1887. After a couple seasons in the Western Associaton, Boston bought his contract, a deal once called “one of baseball's biggest bargains.” Lowe established himself as perhaps the best second-baseman of the 19th century and helped lead the team to five pennants. As the starter at second for eight straight seasons, Lowe formed a great double-play combo with Herman Long. With Fred Tenney at first and Jimmy Collins at third, the infield was touted by some as the best ever. When he moved to the Orphans (Cubs) in 1902, manager Frank Selee knew he had a leader and made Bobby the captain. Relegated to backing up Johnny Evers in '03, Lowe moved on to Detroit via a one-game stint with the Pirates and was named manager of the Tigers in '04. Upon his retirement from the majors, the Detroit News lauded Bobby's character: “There is no better type of the gentleman in baseball and no one ever heard ought but words of praise for him.”

  • Among Lowe's batting accomplishments: first to hit four home runs in a game, first to hit for 17 total bases in a game, went six-for-six in another game, scored six times in yet another, batted over .300 five straight seasons
  • Hit a solid .273 lifetime, with 74 home runs

Auction History

Clark Griffith

Pitcher
  • Series: Beginnings: 1880's
  • City: Milwaukee
  • Team: Creams
  • League: Western Association
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Clark Calvin Griffith (1869-1955) was a successful pitcher for over 20 years but had only just begun his baseball career. AL founder Ban Johnson prevailed on Griffith to take the helm of the NY entry into the new league in 1903. That began a tenure as manager and owner that lasted until Griffith’s death in 1955. With a showman’s touch and a veteran player’s savvy, Griffith turned around the D.C. franchise.

  • Only one in history to be a player, manager and owner for over 20 years in each role
  • Counted eight U.S. presidents as friends during his long tenure as owner of the Senators
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
  • Griffith's uniform color in this card was changed from blue to red in March, 2017 to reflect recent reliable research conducted by Craig Brown and friends at Threads of Our Game. Three cards had been previously released featuring a blue uniform.

Auction History