Random Wednesday: John Hayes
February 27, 2008 by Geoff Young
Filed under News
Today’s bit of randomness goes back a few years. Like 1876.
John Hayes played five games for the New York Mutuals that year, going 3-for-21 with two triples. Hayes was born in January 1855 and died in May 1904.
The Mutuals finished 21-35 in 1876, good for sixth place in the National League, 26 games back of the champion Chicago White Stockings. Other cities represented in the NL that year include Hartford and Louisville. The poor Cincinnati Reds went 9-56.
The game was a little different back then. The Mutuals used three pitchers all season. Bobby Matthews started all but one of his team’s games, with right fielder Eddie Booth relieving him once. The other start went to rookie Terry Larkin, an interesting fellow, to say the least. From page 51 of The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract:
One day in 1883 his wife, Catherine, got on him for coming home drunk. He pulled a pistol from his hip pocket and shot her, afterwards (a) threatening to kill anyone who came near him, and (b) cutting his own throat with a razor. He was arrested and held in a hospital where, under the impression that his wife would die, he again attempted suicide, this time by banging his head against a steam register, causing an ugly gash. Restrained, he begged a policeman to “For God’s sake hit me in the head and put an end to my suffering.
So, yeah, there were nutjobs way before steroids. And I wish to heck I could have found something more about Hayes. Did I mention that he hit two triples?
Well, at least Larkin shot his wife after his career was over. Otherwise, it would have been embarrassing for the league. Then again, the umpires may have looked at his pitching differently if he had done it as a player. Hmmmm.
Maybe Hayes knew Larkin was loopy and left the game because he didn’t want to get shot????? Like you said, the game was a little different back then.
What’s the 19th century equivalent for leaving a cell phone message saying “You dead, dawg”? Sending a threatening telegram in Deadwood-speak?
Doug: Different, indeed…
Anthony: That’s an excellent question. Telegram seems like a possibility. Maybe smoke signals or semaphores?