A Jumbo McGinnis Rumor

Reports that Geo. McGinnis, of the Browns, had jumped his contract with the St. Louis Club and joined the Kansas City Unions, were in circulation last night.  They could not, however, be traced to any authentic source.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 24, 1884


Sullivan wished he could get a player of McGinnis' caliber.  He had been talking to the guys in the press about how he was going to upgrade the KC roster but all Sullivan ended up doing was signing a couple of guys from Evansville.   

Hitting Wind

There was a lot of other stuff going on during the 1883/84 offseason besides the Maroons putting together a team and I've mostly glossed over it in a desperate attempt to get to the 1884 season itself. If I remember correctly, I wanted to cover the Maroons' 1884 season but having spent months now covering the (very interesting) offseason, I've forgotten what it is that I'm really doing.

Regardless, one of the more interesting events of that offseason was the Von der Ahe/Oberbeck trial, which I've probably mentioned at one time or another over the years. On March 1, 1884, the case went to the jury and, during this period, there was a great deal of coverage about it in the Globe. While I don't really want to get into the details of the case, there was some testimony from the trial that appeared in the Globe on March 2nd and I thought I'd pass it along:

Thomas Dolan testified that Oberbeck was a very weak batsman; that "he hit wind nearly all the time."

"Mr. Dolan,"

Did You Ever Hit Wind?"

asked Newton Crane, sarcastically. Dolan replied: "Well, yes; but not all the time." Dolan's testimony was corroborated by George McGinnis, the pitcher.

I love the fact that Jumbo McGinnis had to corroborate Dolan's testimony. But was he corroborating the fact that Henry Oberbeck was a lousy hitter or that he was a worse hitter than Dolan? And really, Tom Dolan (a career .204/.242/.256 hitter) didn't have any room to be calling anybody a lousy hitter. Glass houses, rocks and all that.

A Man Who Would Sell His Soul For Money

One hundred dollars was what made Mullane break his contract. Lucas had promised to pay him $2,500 for the season. Toledo gives him $2,600. In the St. Louis Club last year Mullane was looked upon as the closest fisted man in the team. He was never known to spend a cent, and he never refused anything, from a cigar down to a bottle of soda. Money brought him into the Lucas Club, and money drew him away from that organization. By his comrades he was looked upon as a man who would sell his soul for money; and, while he has not done that yet, he has bartered away what little honor he possessed, and for a very small sum. This is a true picture of the man who grew George McGinnis' salary last year and his own, but who is not worthy to rank with that player, either in nerve, skill or character.-[St. Louis Critic.]

-Cleveland Herald, February 25, 1884

Jumbo McGinnis' Grave

I really did just kind of accidently stumble upon these photos.

Jumbo McGinnis died on May 18, 1934 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. The grave photo was taken by the incomparable Connie Nisinger. I've never had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Nisinger but I'm a huge fan. Her work documenting the graves of historical figures is just extraordinary.

Tom Dolan

"Thomas J. Dolan, at one time one of the very best known catchers in the National League, now drives a fuel wagon for the St. Louis Fire Department.

Dolan learned to play ball with the old St. Louis 'Reds' and he was graduated from there to the Buffalo National League team, where he handled the terrific delivery of Jimmy Galvin.

Ted Sullivan brought Dolan back to St. Louis in 1883 to play with the St. Louis Browns and he left the latter team in the middle of the playing season of 1884 to play with the St. Louis Unions.

On the Browns, Dolan caught the speedy pitching of George McGinnis, Silver King, Elton Chamberlain and Tony Mullane and for the Unions he caught Boyle and Healy.

Before then Dolan faced the best League pitchers and had won a reputation of being one of the best and most reliable receivers in America."

-From The National Game

A couple of quick notes:

• I've yet to find a baseball player or person that Al Spink didn't just love and praise to high heaven. But I'm still looking and will be highly amused when I find the player that Al Spink didn't like.
  
• Happy 87th birthday to Stan Musial, the one and only. Baseball's perfect warrior, baseball's perfect knight.


• I read in the paper today that there is a global shortage of hops. This is nothing but bad. Combine this with a poor global barley harvest and the price of beer is going to go through the roof. These are dark days indeed.


• Things are probably going to be a little slow around TGOG the next day or two with the holiday and all that. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and a perfect time to reflect on all the things that God has given us-plus there's lots to eat and football on tv. The only thing that would make Thanksgiving better is if we held it in early October and we had a baseball playoff tripleheader. But I'm thankful for what I have.