The Big Four Come to Detroit

On September 17, 1885, the owners of the Buffalo Bisons of the National League shocked the baseball world by selling their entire team to the Detroit Wolverines. Detroit was in its fifth year in the League and had never been in contention. Frederick K. Stearns, a wholesale druggist who was a Detroit director (and later club president), was determined to change that. From their first year in the league in 1881, the Wolverines had only three solid performers-center fielder Ned Hanlon, an outstanding fielder and team leader although only an average hitter; Charlie Bennett, generally regarded as one of the top catchers of the nineteenth century, and George Wood, a good hitting outfielder.

In 1884 Detroit had finished dead last with only twenty-eight wins, but during the second half of the 1885 season prospects began looking up. Young pitchers Charles (Lady) Baldwin and Charlie Getzien started winning and would account for more than half of Buffalo’s forty-one wins, giving promise of a solid pitching staff for 1886. In mid-season, Bill Watkins re.placed Charlie Morton as manager. Also joining the Wolverines in mid-year was Big Sam Thompson, a six-foot-two slugging outfielder destined for the Hall of Fame, who had started his professional career only a year earlier, playing for $2.50 a game for Evansville of the Northwestern League.

Big Four II

Even with Hanlon, Bennett, Wood, Thompson, and the two young hurlers, Stearns realized he needed three or four more established players to bring a pennant to Detroit. He set his sights on the Big Four of Buffalo: first baseman and premier slugger Dan Brouthers; hard-hitting second baseman.outfielder Hardie Richardson; versatile shortstop/catcher Jack Rowe, and veteran third baseman James (Deacon) White. One of the quartet, White, had been a member of the original Big Four, along with Al Spalding, Ross Barnes, and Cal McVey, when Chicago owner William Hulbert raided the Boston team late in the 1875 season to give the White Stockings a strong entry in the new National League he was planning. Before the end of the 1885 season, Stearns reviewed his plans with the other directors and received the blessing of president Joseph Marsh to go ahead.

Stearns decided to take the direct approach, and immediately went to Buffalo. The Bisons were losing money. They need an attendance of 800 a game to break even but were bringing in only 500. There were rumors that the team might disband, and Stearns envisioned picking up the Big Four for Detroit for the balance of 1885 and also for 1886. Buffalo chose to hold together until the end of the season but Stearns, with the assistance of Detroit center fielder and captain Ned Hanlon, who was a close friend of Brouthers, received verbal agreement from the Big Four to join the Wolverines for 1886.

In early September Detroit went to Buffalo for a series with the Bisons. Stearns, with several other Detroit officials, accompanied the team. He signed the Big Four to contracts for 1886 at figures well above their Buffalo salaries. Brouthers and Richardson would receive $4,000 each, and White and Rowe $3,500. Stearns, manager Watkins, and captain Hanlon were confident that the acquisition of the Big Four would help Detroit attract one or two other big stars for 1886 and make the Wolverines an instant pennant contender. The most prominent name mentioned was that of St. Louis second baseman Fred Dunlap. Rumors also named two Providence stars, pitcher Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn and outfielder Paul Hines.

On September 15, two days before the sale, Buffalo defeated Philadelphia, 7-3. Buffalo’s seventh season in the National League was coming to a close, and this contest proved to be the team’s final victory. The Phillies won the final two games of the series.

After the game Stearns made his offer to buy the Big Four. Buffalo management was interested, but suggested that Detroit buy the entire franchise, digging Buffalo out of debt. For $7,000, the deal was completed later that night.

The fuss

It had been common knowledge that Buffalo was in financial trouble, but the baseball world was stunned by the unprecedented transaction. A number of clubs (particularly Boston) were known to be interested in acquiring one or more of the Big Four for 1886, and Detroit’s bold stroke caught most baseball men by surprise. A. G. Spalding, president of the Chicago White Stockings, was probably not one of this group. His team had dominated the National League during the 1880s, and he had expressed concern about the lack of competition from the other teams. Some ob.servers now charged him with being involved behind the scenes to help create a worthy opponent-and good gates-for his White Stockings.

The provisions set down in a secret meeting of committees of the National League and American Association held in Saratoga, New York, a month earlier had given the baseball fraternity a false sense of security. The conferees then had drawn up rules setting salary limits for 1886 and outlining certain restrictions involving the transfer of players. One of these stated that no team could negotiate with new players for 1886 prior to October 20, 1885. It was apparent that the Detroit club had decided to ignore that agreement. Management wanted a winner and was prepared to employ whatever means necessary.

The terms of the sale provided that Buffalo was to pay all its debts, but that Detroit would be responsible for salaries and expenses for the balance of the 1885 season. President Josiah Jewett of Buffalo announced that Detroit would assume control of the Bisons after the game with Philadelphia on Saturday, September 19, and that the new owners had agreed that Buffalo would finish the League season, but had made no commitment for 1886.

It was expected that the Big Four would play their last game for Buffalo against Philadelphia on Saturday, then join Detroit for a game against Philadelphia on Monday (there was no Sunday baseball in the National League). But now that the deal had been announced, Detroit decided that it wanted the Big Four in the lineup immediately, and won its point by paying an additional $100 for the early release of the four Buffalo stars. On Friday manager Watkins entrained for Detroit with Brouthers, Richardson, Rowe, and White.

After their arrival in Detroit, it was announced that the four players had signed contracts for the balance of the season and would be reserved for the 1886 season (actually the players had agreed to finish the season under the terms of their contracts with Buffalo). In explaining the acquisitions, Detroit management pointed out that the group of four wanted to continue to play together and that this could be done only in Detroit as no other team had room for all of them. It was announced that the four would play in Saturday’s game against New York-Brouthers at first in place of McQuery, Richardson at second instead of Crane, Rowe at shortstop for Manning, and White at third base replacing Donnelly.

New York was in the midst of a great pennant fight with Chicago, and was not pleased with the prospect of taking on a Detroit team that was much tougher than the one they had already beaten in two of the first three games of the current series. New York president John Day recognized the purchase as a clever move on the part of Detroit, but would have preferred it had taken place earlier. Without the new men, Detroit had lost three out of four to Chicago in late August to give Spalding’s team a half-game lead over the Giants going into the September stretch drive.

Day advised manager Jim Mutrie not to take the field if Detroit fielded the new players, or to play the game under protest. Looking ahead, however, both Day and Mutrie must have been pleased with the prospect of a five-game series with weakened Buffalo beginning on Monday. The series was scheduled for Buffalo, but the Giants hoped to get the games transferred to New York for a consideration of $1,500.

Temporary setback

Meanwhile, protests from around the country were coming into the office of NL president Nick Young, some calling for the expulsion of Detroit from the league. Young ruled that the Big Four were still members of the Buffalo team and ordered umpire Bob Ferguson to forfeit the game if they took the field for Detroit on Saturday. Detroit was forced to play with its regular team, and was defeated, 6-5, by the Giants on a two-run rally in the ninth.

After Young voided their sale, the Big Four refused to play out the season with the Bisons. They did return to Buffalo briefly, but then scattered—Brouthers to Chicago, White to his farm in Corning, New York, Rowe to Colorado, and Richardson on a hunting expedition. They announced they would put themselves on the market after October 20. A week later they announced they would play for Detroit in 1886.

With neither the Big Four nor any replacements from Detroit, the Bisons were forced to finish the sea.son with a makeshift team. They lost their remaining fourteen games, many by lopsided scores: 12-2, 10-0, 17-2, 15-1, 13-2, and 18-0. They were shut out four times and scored an average of less than two runs per game. The last four games of the season were unique in that they consisted of two doubleheaders against Providence (October 7 and October 10) in which Frederick “Dupee” Shaw hurled four complete game victories for Providence, including a 4-0 no-hitter. It should be pointed out that three of the games were five innings and one six innings. The games of October 7 were played in Buffalo, but the games of October 10, while scheduled for Buffalo, were played in Elmira. The losing pitcher in all four games was Pete Conway.

As soon as Detroit closed its season with a 3-2 win over Boston and a sixth place finish (forty-four games out), captain Ned Hanlon entrained for St. Louis to make an effort to sign Fred Dunlap. Dunlap was a sure-handed fielder (even without a glove) and a strong hitter. The incentives for Dunlap were an increase in salary and an opportunity to join the Big Four on what was certain to be one of the standout teams in the National League. Hanlon was unsuccessful, perhaps because rumors were circulating that the Big Four were to be broken up. The word was that Brouthers was headed for Chicago to replace Anson, who would retire, and Richardson would go to the Philadelphia Athletics in the American Association.

On October 18 the National League and the American Association held a joint meeting in New York and confirmed the Saratoga agreement of August. The maximum salary for 1886 (destined to be ignored) was to be $2,000 and the minimum $1,000. It was also agreed that a player released by a club could go only to another club in the same circuit unless no one claimed him within ten days.

After the meeting the Big Four were still listed as the property of Buffalo, and Dunlap, who was not getting along with Henry Lucas, owner of the St. Louis club, was rumored to be headed for Chicago. The league called another meeting for mid-November. Buffalo was represented by Stearns, also a director of Detroit. De.tails of the meeting were not made public, but the “inside” story as reported by Sporting Life, was that Detroit would retain the Big Four but would surrender the Buffalo franchise to the league.

By now it was generally accepted that the Big Four would play with Detroit in 1886. Arthur Soden, who had coveted at least one of the stars for Boston, gave up and bought out the Providence Grays, primarily to obtain pitcher Radbourn and catcher Daily.

In early January the Big Four were listed as being under contract to Detroit. Also in January, Washington was formally admitted to the league, and a month later Kansas City was added as the eighth team. The new entries replaced Buffalo and Providence.
The first season

On April 30, 1886, the Detroit Wolverines, under new president Fred Stearns, opened the season in St. Louis against the Maroons. With the addition of the Big Four Detroit was one of the favorites to win the league championship, and 5,000 fans turned out to see the home nine take a 9-2 drubbing. The Big Four manned the infield—Brouthers at first base, bat.ting second; Richardson at second base, hitting third; Rowe at shortstop in the fifth slot; and White at third base, following Rowe. They were joined by Ned Hanlon, leading off and playing center field; cleanup hitter Sam Thompson in right field; Charlie Bennett, the “perfect” catcher; left fielder Jimmy Manning, and pitcher Charles (Lady) Baldwin whose opening day win was the first of his forty-two victories for the year. It was only one game, but the Big Four gave every indication that Detroit had made a master stroke. Rowe and White had three hits each, and Brouthers and Richardson chipped in with one apiece.

Detroit went on to win twenty of twenty-four games in May, but that put them only one game ahead of de.fending champion Chicago. The Wolverines continued their strong play through July, ending the month with a record of 55-14 (.797) and a four-and-a-half game lead over Chicago. A poor August (10-13) put them two-and-a-half games back entering September.

In an effort to bolster the team for the stretch run, the Wolverines finally got Dunlap in August, purchasing him from St. Louis in time for the stretch run for $4, 700—a steep price in those days. Dunlap took over at second base, and Richardson moved to left field, replacing Manning. The Wolverines won twenty-two of their last thirty-one games but the poor August cost them the pennant. They finished 87-36 (.707), two-and-a-half games behind Chicago.

Brouthers (.370) and Richardson (.351) finished among the top five hitters in the League, while Rowe batted .303 and White .288. Brouthers led in doubles and slugging percentage, and tied Richardson for the home run lead, while Richardson led in hits. Baldwin won forty-two games and Getzien thirty. When these two tired in August, rookie Bill Smith and Pete Conway, obtained from Kansas City, helped out.

A pennant

The Wolverines got off to another fast start in 1887 and led all the way, winning the pennant with a record of 79-45 (.637), three-and-a-half games ahead of Philadelphia and six-and-a-half games in front of Chicago. They went on to beat the strong St. Louis Browns, American Association pennant winners, in the World Series, ten games to five.

Brouthers’ batting mark dropped to .338, but he led the league in runs scored, doubles and on base percentage. Richardson hit .328, Rowe .318 and White .303. Thompson was the big gun, leading the league in batting, slugging, hits, triples, and runs batted in. Getzien led the pitchers with twenty-nine wins. Baldwin, who won only thirteen games during the regular season, won four of Detroit’s victories over St. Louis in the World Series.

After a poor start in 1888, the Wolverines got hot in June and July and entered August in a tie for first place with New York. The season went down the drain in August again, with a sixteen-game losing streak. The slump continued in September, and the Wolverines finished fifth.

Injuries killed Detroit’s pennant hopes. Both Richardson and Thompson played less than half the scheduled games, and Rowe missed more than twenty games. The averages of the Big Four all dropped, with Brouthers hitting .307, Richardson .289, Rowe .277, and White .298. Conway led the pitchers with thirty wins. Attendance fell off. The team with one of the highest payrolls in the league lost money. Manager Watkins was replaced by Bob Leadly in late August, and Stearns gave up the presidency to Charles W. Smith, co-owner of a shoe company. After the season, Smith, Stearns and the other Detroit directors decided to sell off their stars and end their city’s eight-year stay in the National League.

Breaking up the Big Four

Brouthers, Richardson, Rowe and White played together for eight years—five in Buffalo and three in Detroit. During that time Brouthers hit .345, Richardson .312, White .299 and Rowe .298. By the end of the 1888 season Brouthers had the highest career National League average, and the other three were all in the top ten. Brouthers was also the career home run leader.

With the end of the Detroit franchise the Big Four split up. Brouthers and Richardson went to Boston where they played in the National League in 1889, the Players’ League in 1890, and the American Association in 1891, helping their PL and AA teams to pennants. Richardson wound up his career with Washington and New York in 1892. Brouthers played five more years—with Brooklyn, Baltimore, Louisville, and Philadelphia—ending his major league career in 1896 (except for two games with the New York Giants in 1904). After leaving Philadelphia, he hit .415 for Springfield in the Eastern League in 1897 and also batted .373 in 1904 for Poughkeepsie in the Hudson River League, winning his final batting title at the age of forty-six. Richardson played two more years and then spent many years with the New York Giants as a scout, watchman and press box attendant. Rowe and White finished their careers together, with Pittsburgh in the National League in 1889 and Buffalo in the Players’ League in 1890.

Rowe died at the age of fifty-three in 1911, but the other three all lived long lives. Richardson was seventy-five when he died in 1931. Brouthers passed away a year later at seventy-four, and White lived until 1939, when he died at ninety-one.

Brouthers, the top National League hitter (and slugger) of the nineteeth century, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945. White, who had five outstanding years in the National Association prior to the start of the National League, is certainly more deserving than many who are in the Hall.

It is now more than 100 years since the Big Four played their last game together, but in all that time only one quartet of position players has played together longer. Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey covered the infield for the Los Angeles Dodgers 1972-81.

The late RALPH HORTON was for many years one of SABR’s key players and strong supports. Researcher, writer, publisher, and friend, Ralph will be sorely missed by the organization and by hundreds of its members, whose lives he touched directly through his personal kindness and indirectly through his work.