[1] Prior to joining the 1871 Forest Citys, Hastings played for the independent Lone Star club of New Orleans, including in an exhibition game on April 16, 1871 against the Chicago White Stockings.

After the season, Rockford's four wins during that period, including a June 15 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics that came just a day before Hastings would have been eligible to play, were changed to forfeit losses.

Since two of Rockford's four forfeits came against the league champion Athletics, who finished just two games in front of the Boston Red Stockings, Hastings had an outsize impact on the 1871 pennant race.

However, he lost the job of manager to Deacon White after the team played poorly, especially defensively,[6]: 68  on an abortive eastern road trip in May.

[1] Hastings remained with the Canaries for the 1873 season, and batted .281 while rotating with two other players (Cal McVey and Bill Craver) at the catching position, as well as filling in as a fourth outfielder.

[10] The Hartford Dark Blues signed Hastings in advance of the 1874 season, in part due to his familiarity with pitcher Cherokee Fisher.

[4] No National League team attempted to sign Hastings before the 1877 season, so he began the year playing for the Guelph Maple Leafs of the International Association for Professional Base Ball Players.

[4] He eventually moved to Santa Cruz, California, where he worked at various times for an electric company, as a box maker, and as a laborer in a powder mill.