July 28, 1875: Joe Borden throws professional baseball’s first no-hitter

The story surrounding Joe Borden’s first no-hitter in professional baseball history is a microcosm of the state of baseball in 1875.

Midway through the season, the Boston Red Stockings were steaming toward a 71-8-3 record and a fourth straight National Association pennant. Yet, the topic that dominated the sporting world was news of their looming breakup, with several key players allegedly signing contracts to play in Chicago in 1876.

For 1875 the National Association had expanded from eight to 13 clubs, including two from St. Louis and three from Philadelphia. But the newly founded Centennial of Philadelphia1 found it difficult to compete directly with its more established city brethren the Philadelphias and Athletics; they folded at the end of May.2 Two more new clubs – the Westerns of Keokuk3 and the Washington Nationals4 – disbanded during the season while another, the St. Louis Red Stockings, decided not to complete their league schedule after July 4.

The phrase “expect the unexpected” describes these events well. Joe Borden’s arrival on the professional scene, his phenomenal rise, and subsequent no-hitter were all unexpected.

Philadelphias pitcher Cherokee Fisher was in the midst of his finest season in 1875 before he was released on July 24 for “insubordination and conduct unbecoming a player.”5 More plainly, Fisher – who had a 22-19 record and a 1.99 ERA while starting the Philadelphias’ first 41 games of the season – was let go for intoxication and also charged with poor performance and throwing a game.6

Reports circulated about three potential replacements for Fisher. Joe Blong and Asa Brainard were two players with professional experience who were linked to the open position.7 Borden, a prominent Philadelphia amateur with the Doerr Club, was the third potential replacement.8 As it happened, Blong declined and Brainard was announced as the interim starting pitcher.9

The Chicago White Stockings arrived in Philadelphia near the end of an 18-game July road trip and occupied fifth place in the National Association standings, 20 games behind Boston. They were scheduled to play three games in Philadelphia: two against the Philadelphias and one against the Athletics. The Philadelphias returned home for three games – two with Chicago and one with the Athletics – and were in sixth place in the standings, a half-game behind the White Stockings for fifth.

Although Brainard was expected to replace Fisher beginning on July 24, it was Borden (listed as “Josephs” in most box scores) who pitched for the Philadelphias. He lost his debut 11-4 to the Athletics, followed by a 5-1 loss to Chicago.10

On July 28, he was opposed by Chicago’s Mike Golden, primarily a reserve outfielder and occasional change pitcher, who filled in for the displeased and maligned George Zettlein.11 Another important lineup change for Chicago was second baseman Dick Higham playing catcher in lieu of primary backstop Scott Hastings. Hastings caught the day before against the Athletics but played carelessly, according to the All-Day City Item.12 This change meant weak-hitting Joe Miller, a reserve infielder, started at second base for Chicago. Threatening weather and the effects of a down economy resulted in 500 to 600 people13 attending the game at 25th and Jefferson Streets.14 Nick E. Young served as the umpire for the game.

Chicago was first to bat and did not get a ball out of the infield, retiring on a foul bound,15 a foul tip to catcher Pop Snyder, and a groundball to Tim Murnane at first base. In the second inning, with one out, the White Stockings’ John Peters reached first base on an error by second baseman Mike McGeary, stole second, and advanced to third on Joe Miller’s grounder to McGeary, who threw to first for the out. Borden got out of the jam by retiring Golden on a fly ball to McGeary for the third out.

Levi Meyerle opened the bottom half of the inning with a double in the gap and scored on a passed ball that got by Dick Higham. After two innings, the Philadelphias led Chicago, 1-0. 

The top of the third inning saw action on the basepaths, but no base hits. After Warren White led off with a fly out to Chick Fulmer at shortstop, Oscar Bielaski reached first on McGeary’s second error of the game. The Philadelphias nearly turned an inning-ending double play but were able only to get Bielaski at second. Jim Devlin reached on Meyerle’s error at third. Borden induced a Paul Hines groundball to Fulmer and Hines was thrown out at first base.

Philadelphia increased its lead in the bottom of the third. After Borden flied out to Hines, Fred Treacey singled and went to second on a passed ball. One out later, McGeary singled and drove in Treacey, then scored on Bob Addy’s base hit. Meyerle ended the inning when he flied out to center. Philadelphia’s lead was 3-0.

The Philadelphias’ defense through the first three innings was shaky but afterward solidified itself behind Borden. John Glenn opened the fourth for the Philadelphias by flying out to McGeary. Peters followed with a grounder finely fielded by McGeary. Borden struck out Miller for the third out.

In the fifth, Chicago again failed to get a ball out of the infield and was retired in one-two-three order. Golden bounded out to Borden. White grounded to McGeary, who threw him out at first. Bielaski grounded out on a ball to shortstop.

In the sixth inning, Higham and Devlin flied out to John McMullin in center field, Devlin’s fly being “beautifully taken.”16 Borden finished the frame by inducing a groundball to Fulmer for a 6-3 putout. Glenn opened the seventh inning with a groundout to Fulmer at third base. Peters hit a fly ball to left field that Treacey tracked down and caught with one hand. Miller flied out to McGeary at second base to end the seventh. Philadelphia nearly scored in the bottom of the inning but left Fulmer at third.

Golden flied out to Murnane at first to start the eighth. White went out at first after Snyder dropped the third strike. Bielaski grounded to McGeary, who threw to first for the third out. In the bottom half of the inning, with two outs, the Philadelphias scored the final run of the contest. Addy singled and advanced to third on Bielaski’s error in right field. Meyerle drove Addy home on a single, making it a 4-0 game.

The excitement at the Jefferson Street Grounds was palpable during the ninth inning. Borden faced the top of the Chicago order. Higham and Devlin grounded to Borden. With two outs, Hines, Chicago’s leading hitter, stepped up to the plate. He hit a foul ball that was caught by catcher Snyder, securing the no-hitter.

The fact that the rules required Philadelphia to bat in the bottom of the ninth didn’t dampen the elation. The Philadelphia Times set the scene: “A cheer arose, and the Quakers were so elated that they made no further effort and were soon put out, and walked off the field as heartily applauded by the backers of the club as those individuals curse them when beaten.”17

Coverage of this game was varied. The Chicago Inter-Ocean merely reported the score without mention of Borden’s no-hitter.18 The Chicago Tribune included a brief paragraph but did state that the game was unparalleled in the professional ranks.19 Detailed coverage was given to a local game between the aldermen and county commissioners.20

The Philadelphia press was little better. The Inquirer, Times, and Sunday Mercury provided a paragraph or two. The Sunday Dispatch and Sunday Republic didn’t even publish the score, despite publishing other baseball information. Fortunately, the All-Day City Item published a play-by-play report.21

Borden had tossed what turned out to be the only no-hitter in the National Association’s five-year history. It is not recognized as a major-league no-hitter because the current major leagues consider the formation of the National League in 1876 as their birth.

Between July 24 and August 9, Borden started six games, winning two, before returning to the amateur ranks and the Doerr Club. While Borden contemplated his future as a professional, the Philadelphias signed Zettlein, who had been granted his release from Chicago on August 4.22

Borden pitched once more for Philadelphia, an 8-8, 10-inning tie against Al Spalding and the Boston Red Stockings on September 2. Four days later, the Boston Globe announced that the Red Stockings had signed Borden to a three-year contract beginning in 1876.23 Borden won his Boston debut in the first National League game, on April 22, 1876, against the Athletics in Philadelphia. But his career was short-lived due to arm issues, and he pitched his final professional game on July 15.24

Acknowledgments 

This article was fact-checked by Kurt Blumenau and copy-edited by Len Levin.

Photo credit: Joe Borden, SABR-Rucker Archive.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org for pertinent information.

Notes

1 “Gossip,” Philadelphia Sunday Republic, May 23, 1875.

2 “Gossip,” Philadelphia Sunday Republic, May 30, 1875.

3 “Sporting News,” Chicago Tribune, June 17, 1875: 2.

4 “The Championship Record,” New York Clipper, July 17, 1875: 123.

5 “The Ball Field,” Philadelphia Times, July 24, 1875: 4.

6 “Gossip,” Philadelphia Sunday Republic, July 25, 1875.

7 “Base Ball Notes,” Philadelphia Sunday Mercury, July 25, 1875.

8 “Base Ball Notes,” Philadelphia Sunday Mercury, July 25, 1875.

9 “Base Ball Notes,” All-Day City Item, July 24, 1875.

10 Philadelphia newspapers including the Times, Sunday Mercury, Sunday Dispatch, and Sunday Record used Borden’s surname before using the pseudonym “Josephs” in game reports and box scores. Rich Wescott asserts that Borden preferred that this name be used in box scores because his well-to-do family did not approve of ballplaying. See Rich Wescott, “Joe Borden: The First No-Hit Pitcher and National League Winner,” The National Pastime, Vol. 23 (2003): 69-70.

11 Zettlein asked for and received his release on August 4. He said he and manager Jimmy Wood did not get along well and that the situation had become untenable. “Sporting News,” Chicago Tribune, August 4, 1875: 5.

12 “Our National Game,” All-Day City Item, July 28, 1875.

13 The Philadelphias averaged approximately 700 fans per game in Philadelphia in 1875 while they averaged 873 fans per game in 1874. In 1871 the Philadelphia Athletics averaged 3,714 fans at home games. These figures can be explained by a few factors. First, the impact of three teams vying for fan support in one city resulted in a split fanbase. Second, the Panic of 1873, a nationwide depression, made it more difficult for fans to spend money on luxuries like tickets to a baseball game. Third, the National Association of 1875 was bloated with teams that did not have the talent to compete with establish big-market clubs and draw crowds large enough to profit both clubs. These clubs also were not financed well enough to absorb the losses incurred by low attendance and were often unable or unwilling to make their required road trips across the country. The expanded league meant an expanded schedule filled with games between teams of drastically different talent levels.

14 “Base Ball,” Chicago Tribune, July 29, 1875, 5; “Base Ball,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 29, 1875: 2.

15 A foul ball caught on one bounce, or bound, was considered an out until 1883.

16 “Philadelphia vs. Chicago: An Unparalleled Game Yesterday,” All-Day City Item, July 29, 1875.

17 “The Ball Field,” Philadelphia Times, July 29, 1875: 4.

18 “Detroit vs. Chicagos,” Chicago Inter Ocean, July 29, 1875: 8.

19 “Chicagos – Philadelphias,” Chicago Tribune, July 29, 1875: 5.

20 SABR member David Rader explained that the game between aldermen and commissioners was a significant event in Chicago in the 1870s, so the Chicago papers sent their reporters to cover that game.

21 “Philadelphia vs. Chicago: An Unparalleled Game Yesterday,” All-Day City Item, July 29, 1875.

22 “Base Ball Notes,” All-Day City Item, August 13, 1875; “Sporting News,” Chicago Tribune, August 4, 1875: 5.

23 Borden’s contract was for $2,000 per year. See George V. Tuohey, A History of the Boston Base Ball Club (M.F. Quinn & Co., 1897), 202.

24 Borden’s last appearance came on July 19, 1875, as an outfielder. Charlie Weatherby, “Joe Borden,” SABR Baseball Biography Project, accessed July 2025, https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Joe-Borden/.