[2] Sweeney is often incorrectly listed as playing one game with the National League's Providence Grays in 1882; he did not join the team until 1883.

This created a lot of tension between the two, as Sweeney was seemingly stealing the limelight from the hobbled but proud "Old Hoss."

The arm trouble may have been a result of his reliance on the "fadeaway", or screwball, which involves turning the wrist outward as the pitch is delivered.

Though most players in the day were held to temperance clauses during the season, Grays manager Frank Bancroft was left with little choice but to pitch his drunkard ace.

After five effective innings, Bancroft signaled for the team captain Joe Start to make a pitching change.

Before the start of the eighth inning, Bancroft insisted that Sweeney vacate the pitcher's box and move to right field.

Possibly still drunk, as well as the prevailing sentiment of 1880s baseball being that finishing a game a pitcher started was a question of manhood, Sweeney flatly refused.

Sweeney spent the rest of the game watching from the field in street clothes and left with two women, presumably prostitutes.

The case went to trial, and Sweeney was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison.

He then began working as an umpire in the California League, and in August he got into an argument at a game, assaulted someone, and was arrested.