- Series: 1880s: Loving Paupers
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
Peter Jay Sweeney (1863-1901) played infield and outfield on the west coast beginning at the tender age of 15 with two San Francisco clubs. He moved across the bay to Oakland in 1881, then came back to Baghdad by the Bay with the SF Haverlys in 1884-85. At age 24, Pete got his big chance, joining the Washington Nationals in '88. He returned to D.C. the following season and was moved to the St. Louis Browns later in '89. They demoted him briefly to the St. Paul Apostles, but brought Sweeney back in 1890 before trading him to the Philadelphia Athletics who sent him later the same season to the Louisville Colonels. His major league tenure ended in Louisville with Pete seeing action for four clubs in a mere three years. He was far from finished with baseball, however. Sweeney had a coast-to-coast season in 1891, playing back home for Oakland and finishing the year with the Rochester Hop Bitters in the Eastern Association. Thereafter, this wanderer would roam from California League teams to the east coast and even a season with the Nashville Tigers of the Southern League. Having begun in 1879, this lifer didn't hang 'em up until concluding the 1897 campaign with the Sunbury Pirates of the Central Pennsylvania League. There was a reason he spent most of his time in the minors: he couldn't hit big league pitching. Pete's average for his four MLB clubs was a paltry .209. Yet, he could thrive in the lower levels of the game. When he left the big leagues for Rochester, Sweeney led the Eastern Association in home runs.
- Not a lot of native Californians got to play in the majors in the nineteenth century, but while playing for the San Francisco Knickerbockers in 1879, Sweeney did play alongside one early luminary: The Only Nolan. A pitcher, perhaps from Canada, Edward Nolan sported one of the great appellations in the game
- Only one teammate from the Haverlys made it to the majors: John Smith. He had a cup of coffee in 1882 with the Troy Trojans and Worcester Ruby Legs, then of the National League
Auction History
Cartophilia
Old Judge Pose: 451-1
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
Walter Robert Wilmot (1865-1929) was a switch-hitting outfielder who played for three teams over a ten-season major league career. The high-point of his tenure came in 1894, a wondrous year for hitters in general. The second season after the mound moved to 60' 6'' saw output the likes of which have not been seen before or since. Wilmot far exceeded his normal average, hits and RBI and scored 136 runs - a total that would have placed him in the NL's top-ten any other year of the decade and beyond. But the likes of Hugh Duffy, Billy Hamilton, Joe Kelley and Wee Willie Keeler were setting baseball's world on fire.
That year Hamilton's Phillies fielded the strongest-hitting outfield of all-time, averaging over .400 with sub Tuck Turner exceeding even Billy, Ed Delahanty and Sam Thompson. So where did the mighty slugging Phil's wind up? In fourth place trailing the legendary Orioles by 18 games. But it was in runs-scored that '94 stood out. In most years of the era, one or two teams might barely plate a thousand runners. But in 1894 five teams blew past that mark and four others nearly hit it. Overall, the National League squads averaged an all-time high 7.36 runs per game.
All of this left Wilmot with an outstanding also-ran year for the ages, batting .330 with 197 hits, 134 runs and 130 RBI in just 133 games. Walt broke in with Washington in 1888, spent the first half of the nineties in Chicago and wrapped up with the Giants in 1897-98. He led the NL in triples in '89 and the following campaign tied for the HR lead.
- Wilmot was the first batter to walk six times in a game (8.22.1891)
- He played beside Dummy Hoy in D.C.'s outfield
- In addition to his decade in the majors, Walt played eight minor league seasons beginning with St. Paul in 1886 and ending in Butte, MT of the Pacific National League in 1904
- His MLB stats include a .276 average with 92 triples
- Wilmot’s uniform color on this card was changed in July, 2017 from blue to red to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. One card was previously released featuring a blue uniform.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
George Quintus Shoch (1859-1937) had a decade-long career in the majors, beginning in 1886 with the Washington Nationals and ending in 1897 with the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. He compiled a respectable career average of .265. George was a valuable utility man, playing outfield, short and 2nd. He demonstrated good plate discipline, striking out only 129 times in 2,924 plate appearances. George's best year was his first in Brooklyn, 1894, where he hit .317 and struck out a mere six times in 65 games. At the close of his big league tenure, Shoch showed his usual consistency, playing in 85 games for the Bridegrooms and hitting .278. Durability and consistency were hallmarks of Shoch's career.
George began pro ball in 1885 with the Eastern League's Wilmington Blue Hens, who also played in Atlantic City, and with the Hartford Babies of the Southern New England League. He remained in the game until age 46, closing out with Binghamton and Amsterdam of the New York State League. Shoch’s last games were with the tri-city team of Amsterdam/Gloversville/Johnstown where the Jags shared their talents for three seasons in three upstate NY towns.
- For one season, 1900, George was player-manager for the Philadelphia Athletics/Harrisburg Ponies of the Atlantic League
- Henry Chadwick wrote that Shoch was “the most versatile utility man the Brooklyn club has ever had”
- Shoch's uniform color on this card was changed in July, 2017 from black to blue to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. One card had been previously released featuring a black uniform.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
William Frederick Krieg (1859-1930) was a powerhouse in the minors, but barely left an impression in the big leagues. Coming out of Notre Dame, Krieg joined the Northwestern League's Springfield and Peoria teams in 1883. The following season he got a chance at the big time as the Union Association multiplied opportunities for young pro players. He signed on with the bi-city Chicago/Pittsburgh entry as their catcher, playing in 71 games with a .247 average. Over the next three seasons, Bill would roam among three other major league clubs and various minor league teams. His stints in the American Association and National League were brief and his output paltry.
When he finally resigned himself to play in the minors permanently, Krieg came into his own. In 1887 with the Minneapolis Millers he batted .402, second in the Northwestern League. He then became a terror in the Western Association, hitting .324 with St. Joseph in '89 and .339 with Milwaukee in ‘92, good for his first batting title. His second title was historically good, when he ravaged WA pitchers for an astounding .452 performance with the Rockford Forest Citys in 1895. He was the team's slugger, tallying 15 triples and 12 home runs.
While Krieg's time in the majors was brief, he showed remarkable durability in the game. He finally retired as a player in 1901 at age 42, but served one more season as manager for the Southern League Chattanooga squad. Bill even returned for one last hurrah as manager of Muscatine of the Central Association in 1912.
- Series: 1880s: Diamond Duos
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Nationals
- League: National League
Jack Farrell:
John A. Farrell (1857-1914). Known as Moose, Farrell played 2nd base for 5 teams over 11 seasons. Jack also served as player/manager for the 1881 Providence Grays and achieved a 24-27 record before quitting as the captain. A light hitter, Jack’s defense was excellent and he either led or finished near the lead in many defensive categories for second basemen throughout his career.
- Led NL in assists with 365 in 1883
- Led NL in assists for 2B twice: 1881 & 1883
- Led NL in double plays for 2B in 1883
- Led NL in FLDG% for 2B in 1883 with .924
- Ranks 26th all-time in range factor at 2B
Paul Hines:
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
Artist's Note:
- The uniform colors on this card were changed in April, 2017 from black to blue to reflect recent reliable research by Craig Brown & friends at Threads of Our Game. Two cards were previously released featuring black uniforms.
Auction History
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Old Judge Pose: 154-3
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