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List of 19th-century Major League Baseball players with unidentified given names

(Redirected from Booth (baseball))

Thirty-one individuals who played professional baseball at the major league level before 1900 lack identified given names (there are hundreds of other players of which this is true from the twentieth-century Negro leagues). All 31 played between 1872 and 1892; 17 played in the National Association, which folded in 1875. Identification of players remains difficult due to a lack of biographical information. A Brooklyn, New York, directory, for instance, lists more than 30 men who could be the professional player "Stoddard".[1] Philadelphia Athletics manager Bill Sharsig signed three of the 31, "local players" McBride, Stafford and Sweigert, for Philadelphia's last game of the season against the Syracuse Stars on October 12, 1890. McBride, Philadelphia's center fielder, and Stafford, the team's right fielder, both failed to reach base, but left fielder Sweigert reached base on a walk and stole a base. Society for American Baseball Research writer Bill Carle "doubt[s] we will ever be able to identify them".[2] David Nemec has commented on this phenomenon with both major league and minor league players, noting, for example, that a McGuire (not on this list because he was a minor league player) is probably the player with an unknown first name whose appearances came closest to the twentieth century.[3]

Despite their relative anonymity, several of these players received media coverage describing their games. In 1872, The New York Times described O'Rourke as a new player on Eckford of Brooklyn who "appear[ed] to be an improvement over the recent incumbents": in his only game, the pitcher allowed 15 runs to score in a complete game against the Troy Trojans.[1] Lewis received a mention in Sporting Life (pictured) that recapped his performance, and another in the Pittsburgh Press, with a synopsis that summarized the game as "one of the greatest slugging matches ever seen since curve pitching came into vogue".[4][5]

Of the 31 athletes with an unidentified given name, Baltimore Monumentals right fielder Scott played in the most games at the major league level, with 13, followed by Wills with 9. Scott also has the most hits among these players, with 12, followed by both Wills and Jones with 5 each. Among pitchers, Lewis has the highest earned run average, 60.00,[6] whereas Edwards has the lowest, 4.50.

Players without identified given names

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A faded clipping from Sporting Life, dated July 19, 1890.
A Sporting Life clip that describes Lewis as a "much disgusted ball tosser", taken from an article dated July 19, 1890.[4]

National Association

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1872–1874

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1875

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Name Position Team League Year Ref
BolandThird basemanBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[12]
Summary:
BoothShortstopNew Haven Elm CitysNational Association1875[13]
Summary:
EdwardsCenter fielder / PitcherBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[14]
Summary:
EvansLeft fielderNew Haven Elm CitysNational Association1875[15]
Summary:
HellingsSecond basemanBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[16]
Summary:
QuinnOutfielder / ShortstopBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[17]
Summary:
ShafferRight fielderBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[18]
Summary:
SheridanLeft fielderBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[19]
Summary:
D. SmithSecond basemanBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[20]
Summary:

Misidentified until 2023 as Thomas N. Smith[21]

StoddardOutfielderBrooklyn AtlanticsNational Association1875[22]
Summary:
SullivanRight fielderNew Haven Elm CitysNational Association1875[23]
Summary:

Union Association, American Association and Players' League

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1884–1885

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Name Position Team League Year Ref
CarrollLeft fielderWashington NationalsUnion Association1884[24]
Summary:
FranklinCenter fielderWashington NationalsUnion Association1884[25]
Summary:
JonesLeft fielderWashington NationalsAmerican Association1884[26]
Summary:
McRemerRight fielderWashington NationalsUnion Association1884[27]
Summary:
MurphyCatcher / Left fielderBoston RedsUnion Association1884[28]
Summary:
ScottRight fielder / Third basemanBaltimore MonumentalsUnion Association1884[29]
Summary:
SmithPitcher / Right fielderBaltimore MonumentalsUnion Association1884[30]
Summary:
WillsCenter fielderWashington NationalsAmerican Association
Kansas City Cowboys (UA)		1884[31]
Summary:
JonesThird basemanNew York MetropolitansAmerican Association1885[32]
Summary:

1890–1892

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Name Position Team League Year Ref
LewisLeft fielder / PitcherBuffalo BisonsPlayers' League1890[33]
Summary:
MaceyCatcherPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican Association1890[34]
Summary:
McBrideCenter fielderPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican Association1890[35]
Summary:
StaffordRight fielderPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican Association1890[36]
Summary:
SweigertLeft fielderPhiladelphia AthleticsAmerican Association1890[37]
Summary:
LeonardRight fielderSt. Louis BrownsAmerican Association1892[38]
Summary:

References

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  1. 1 2 Batesel, Paul (2012). Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871–1875. McFarland & Company. pp. 101, 123. ISBN 978-0-7864-7012-9.
  2. ↑ Bill Carle (2007). "SABR Biographical Research Committee September/October 2007 Report". Society for American Baseball Research. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  3. ↑ Nemec, David (2012). The rank and file of 19th century major league baseball : biographies of 1,084 players, owners, managers and umpires. Jefferson: McFarland & Co. p. 60. ISBN 9780786490448.
  4. 1 2 "Base Ball: Players' League" (PDF). Sporting Life. Vol. 15, no. 16. July 19, 1890. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 12, 2014 – via LA84 Foundation.
  5. ↑ "A Disastrous Experiment". The Pittsburgh Press. July 13, 1890. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  6. ↑ There is a problem with this number, however. The game's box score (q.v.) reveals that at least six (and possibly as many as fourteen) of the 20 runs Lewis allowed in his single stint on the mound must have been unearned, giving Lewis an actual ERA somewhere between 18.00 and 42.00, not 60.00.
  7. ↑ "Higby". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  8. ↑ "O'Rourke". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Spencer". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Quinlan". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Wood". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Boland". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Booth". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Edwards". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Evans". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Hellings". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Quinn". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Shaffer". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Sheridan". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  20. ↑ "D. Smith Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  21. ↑ "Want a Challenge?" (PDF). SABR Biographical Research Committee Report (May/June 2024): 1–2. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Stoddard". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Sullivan". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Carroll". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Franklin". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Jones". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  27. ↑ "McRemer". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Murphy". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Scott". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Smith". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Wills". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Jones". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Lewis". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Macey". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  35. ↑ "McBride". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Stafford". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Sweigert". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Leonard". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
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