Here lies Jimmy Wood, an early baseball star and one of the organizers of Chicago’s first-ever professional baseball team. His playing career might have lasted a good bit longer if not for an unfortunate attempt at home surgery. Wood played in the National Association for the Chicago White Stockings (1871), Troy Haymakers (1872), Brooklyn Eckfords … Continue reading Grave Story: Jimmy Wood (1843-1927)
Here lies William Hulbert, a baseball pioneer who helped launch the National League and navigated the league through its early growing pains. He also happens to have one of the most famous grave markers of anybody in the baseball world. William Ambrose Hulbert was born on October 23, 1832, in Burlington Flats, N.Y. – about … Continue reading Grave Story: William Hulbert (1832-1882)
Jim Keenan typifies the experience of the earliest professional baseball player. He played for five teams in three professional leagues for 11 seasons over a span of 17 years. Oh, and he played at seven different positions during that time, too. Major League Baseball is professional, regimented, orderly and specialized now, but that hides its … Continue reading Grave Story: Jim Keenan (1856-1926)
Here lies Fred Waterman, the third baseman on the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, baseball’s first openly professional team. He also had a productive career in baseball before and after the Red Stockings. Sadly, he died in poverty and largely forgotten in the city where he helped make baseball history. Waterman played in the National Association … Continue reading Grave Story: Fred Waterman (1845-1899)
Here lies Fred Cone, an outfielder who played in the first season of the first ever professional baseball league. He was a pioneer in another sense as well; he was one of the earliest players to complain that baseball just wasn’t as good as it was back in his day. Cone played for the Boston … Continue reading Grave Story: Fred Cone (1848-1909)
RIP Baseball 