About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 27. Chapters: Asa Brainard, Baltimore Canaries all-time roster, Bill Barrett (utility player), Bill Craver, Bill Smiley, Bobby Mathews, Cal McVey, Candy Cummings, Charlie Gould, Charlie Sweasy, Cherokee Fisher, Davy Force, Dick Higham, Everett Mills, Frank Sellman, Frederick Boardman, George Hall (baseball), Harry Deane, Henry Kohler, Henry Reville, Hugh Reid, Jack Manning (baseball), Joe Gerhardt, Johnny Ryan (baseball), John Radcliff, John Smith (shortstop), Levin Jones, Lew Carl, Lip Pike, Lou Say, Oscar Bielaski, Pop Snyder, Robert Brown (baseball), Scott Hastings (baseball), Tom Carey (shortstop), Tom York (baseball), Warren White (baseball), Wood (baseball), Zachary Taylor (baseball). Excerpt: Lipman Emanuel "Lip" Pike (May 25, 1845 - October 10, 1893) the "Iron Batter," was one of the stars of 19th century baseball in the United States. He was the first player to be revealed as a professional (meaning he was paid money to play), as well as the first Jewish player. His brother, Jay Pike, played briefly for the Hartford Dark Blues during the 1877 season. His family was of Dutch background who moved to Brooklyn, New York when he was young, and his father was a haberdasher. Pike was one of the premier players of his day. He was a great slugger and one of the best home run hitters, so much so that stories about balls he hit were told for quite some time after he stopped playing. Pike began in baseball a week after his bar mitzvah. Pike first rose to prominence playing for the Philadelphia Athletics, whom he joined in 1866. He brought an impressive blend of power and speed to the team, hitting many home runs as well as being one of the fastest players around. He was a star who in one game hit 6 home runs; the final score was 67-25. However, it was soon brought to light that he and two other Philadelphia players were being given $20 a week to play. Since all baseball players were ostensibly amateurs (though many were, like Pike, accepting money under the table), a hearing was set up by the sport's governing body, the National Association of Base Ball Players. In the end, no one showed up to the hearing, and the matter was dropped. By 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first openly professional team, and Pike's hearing, farcical as it seems to have been, paved the way for Harry Wright's professionalization of baseball. The Athletics were very successful, but Pike was dropped from the team in 1867, because he was from New York, and thus a 'foreigner, ' calling his loyalty into question. He moved on to the Irvington, New Jersey club and later in 1867 to the New York Mutuals, always a leading team, where he returned for 1868, having caught the eye of Boss
