1875 St. Louis Brown Stockings season

In the fall of 1874, a group of civic boosters in St. Louis raised $20,000 to organize the creation of the cities first professional ball club.

The Brown Stockings joined the National League as a founding team and thus inspired what is now a rich baseball history in the city of St. Louis.

C. Orrick Bishop, a local St. Louis lawyer, was named as the Brown Stockings Vice President and given the task of going east to recruit top talent.

In and around Philadelphia, Bishop added Ned Cuthbert, Reddy Miller, George Bradley, Bill Hague, and Joe Battin.

[2] Lip Pike was known as the leagues most athletic hitter and for good reason as he is rumored to have raced a trotting horse and won.

Top row from left to right: Joe Blong , right field and change pitcher; George Bradley , pitcher; John Clapp , catcher; Dickey Pearce , short fielder. Bottom row from left to right: Joe Battin , third base; George Seward , substitute and change catcher; John Chapman , right field; Lip Pike , right; Edgar Cuthbert , center; Michael McGeary , second base; Denny Mack , short fielder and general utility man.