Not so much weird but worthy of note…
Scott Fennessy, who is beginning his 1883 BBW season, says, “I just started opening day, and as I finished the last of my lineups I suddenly realized who this guy was.”
| Year | Tm | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 | STL | 96 | 412 | 401 | 87 | 118 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 64 | 11 | .294 | .313 | .397 |
Charlie Comiskey actually had a pretty decent career as a firstbaseman in the 19th century before he became a money-grubbing, greedy tycoon or a shrewd baseball businessman, depending on your opinion. He played 13 years and hit as high as .335 for the old St. Louis Browns.
As anyone who has replayed deadball (or the 1968 season) knows, baseball is a relative thing. Comiskey’s .335 batting average in 1887 ranked 8th in the American Association. In 1883 though (the card you see above), Comiskey’s .294 mark ranked just 10th.
Thanks Scott and good luck with the ‘83 replay! Keep an eye on the Ol’ Roman!
A good book to read about Comiskey is “Turning the Black Sox White”. I’ve read it and recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about Comiskey or the early Chicago Whitesox team.