During his eight seasons with the White Stockings, they won the league title five times, including appearances in two World Series.

Although he had statistics that put him consistently among the seasonal league leaders, he reportedly had a poor work ethic resulting from an active social life outside of baseball.

This behavior did not endear him to his team captain, Cap Anson, which caused them to feud during Gore's time in Chicago.

Warren Paper Mill in Westbrook, Maine, his skills caught the attention of pro scouts and in 1877 he signed a contract with a team in Fall River, Massachusetts of the New England League.

After the game, White Stockings owner Albert Spalding offered him a contract to play for his team, and Gore signed.

[citation needed] The White Stockings failed to finish the 1883 season in first place, after having captured league titles the previous three years.

[5] Gore's production did not decline despite his team's sinking performance as he was again among the top players in several offensive categories over the next two seasons, including a league-leading 61 walks in 1884.

[1] On July 9, 1885, in a game against the Providence Grays and their pitcher Charles Radbourn, he gathered five extra-base hits, three doubles and two triples.

[6][7] In 1886, Gore established career highs in bases on balls with 102 (the first player to reach 100 walks in a season), which also led the NL, and runs scored with 150, while the White Stockings again finished in first place.

[9] King Kelly had the reputation as being the hardest drinker, as well as the having the most active social life, which management tolerated due to his stellar play.

As an instance of their friendly relations, Anson says Gore applied to him for work this Winter, and the big Chicago captain promised him employment on the toboggan slides at the White Stocking Park whenever he wanted it.

Also, "Women and wine brought about his downfall, however, and the last time that I saw him in New York he was broken down, both in heart and pocket, and willing to work at anything that would yield him the bare necessities of life.

"[citation needed] Gore joined a New York Giants team that had a roster that contained no less than six future Baseball Hall of Famers: John Montgomery Ward, Roger Connor, Buck Ewing, Tim Keefe, Mickey Welch, and Jim O'Rourke.

[10][11] Gore played well that first season in New York, batting .290 and scoring 95 runs, but the team finished in fourth place in the National League.

[13] Gore's popularity waned early into the season, so much so that on May 3, New York fans screamed at on-field captain Ewing to play Mike Slattery instead.

New York was declared the victor, winning six games, and Gore contributed five hits in eleven at-bats for a .455 batting average during the series.

[17][18] Again, Gore split his playing time between left and center field with both Slattery and O'Rourke, but did finish the season appearing in 93 of the team's 132 games, and batted .318 with 132 runs.

They finished third among the league's eight teams, with Gore as their starting center fielder, while O'Rourke had moved to left due to the departure of Slattery.

[3] Gore began the 1892 season as the starting center fielder of the Giants, but through an unknown transaction, had moved on to the position of player-manager for the St. Louis Browns of the NL.