1894 by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Page 72

Duffy spent the 1887 season on tour of Massachusetts, as the clubs that he joined twice folded financially. He began the season with the Springfield Horsemen of the Eastern League, and was batting .350 in 17 games when the circuit abandoned play in late May. Duffy then moved on to the New England League, which he positively tore up. In 27 games with the unfortunately named Salem Fairies, he batted a torrid .461. When Salem disbanded in early July, Duffy transferred to another New England League team, the Lowell Lions, or Magicians. With new acquisition Duffy leading the way; a .475 BA, with 30 extra base hits and 71 runs scored in 49 games; Lowell, 71-33, surged from middle of the pack to the NEL pennant.

Duffy’s scintillating stick work had been closely observed by major league agents, and soon a bidding war broke out for his services. A shrewd, hard-nosed businessman even as a 21 year old, Hugh leveraged competitive interest in him into a handsome $2,000 contract with a $500 advance from the National League Chicago White Stockings. For the remainder of his long life, Duffy relished telling the story of his introduction to Cap Anson, the brusque, oversized field leader of the White Stockings. Taking his first look at the small, boyish looking Duffy, Anson exclaimed; “What are you doing here? We already have a batboy.” Anson was dumbfounded when informed that Duffy

1894